How to post a sharp and high-quality photo on Instagram

2024 Author: Malcolm Clapton | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 03:44

It is enough to perform a few simple steps in Photoshop.

If you actively use Instagram, then you probably noticed that the quality of photos after publication deteriorates slightly. This is due to the compression algorithm that the service uses to store millions of images on its servers.

For many, it is important that their images look as sharp and high quality as possible. This is especially true for photographers and bloggers, whose income is highly dependent on how aesthetically pleasing their content looks.

Here are some simple tips to help you post the most eye-catching photos on Instagram. All you need is Photoshop and some time.

Switch to sRGB color profile

Open the image you want to edit. You need to find out which color profile is currently being used. To do this, click on the arrow in the lower left corner of the screen, which is located next to the photo scale indicator, and select "Document Profile".

You will most likely see that the ProPhoto RGB color space is being used. Because of this, the colors on the smartphone will differ from those displayed on the computer screen. Therefore, you need to switch to sRGB.

1. On the top bar, click Edit.
2. Select "Convert to Profile".
3. Specify sRGB in the "Profile" line.
4. Click OK.

Make the image 8-bit

This will also help make the colors on your mobile device look the same as what you see on your PC.

1. Select Image from the top bar.
2. Click "Mode".
3. Select "8 bit / channel".

Make the background white

To see how your photo will look on Instagram on your computer, change the background in Photoshop from standard gray to white. This can greatly affect the perception of the image as a whole.

Right-click on the background and click Select a different color. Then select white from the palette and click OK.

Play with saturation

By adjusting the colors of the image, you can make the photo more visible in the feed. In the lower right corner, click on the icon with a split circle in two and create a layer "Selective color correction".

Select the layer with the left mouse button and just above you will see the Cyan, Magenta, Yellow and Black sliders. Experiment with them to change the saturation of individual colors.

Crop the shot

On Instagram, you can post photos only with a certain aspect ratio - otherwise, the service will crop them. It will be much better if you do it yourself.

In the panel on the left, select the Frame tool and at the top just enter the aspect ratio you want. For example, 4: 5 is good for portraits and 1, 9: 1 for landscapes. Then just select the desired area of the picture.

Adjust picture size

The maximum size for an Instagram image is 1,080 pixels wide. If you upload a larger image, the service compresses it, which may affect the quality.

To adjust the size yourself, click on the "Image" top bar and select "Image Size". In the "Width" field, enter 1,080 - the height will change automatically. The rest of the parameters can be left alone.

Sharpen

Press Ctrl + Alt + Shift + E to create a layer that will combine all the previous ones. After that, you can sharpen the picture.

1. In the top bar, click Filter and select Convert for Smart Filters.
2. Click on "Filter" again and in the "Other" tab select "Edge Contrast".
3. Resize the thumbnail image to fit your smartphone screen and set the radius at which details begin to appear in the picture. Click OK.
4. In the Layers panel, find the "Normal" button and select the "Overlay" mode.

That's all! Your photo is sharp and ready to post. It remains to save it and send it to your phone.