Getting Started With Instagram | How to use an Instagram account, Although Instagram can be accessed online, it is a mobile platform. To get started, you need to download the application on your device. You can only do so on apple or android devices.
Once you download the application, you can register your own personal account. Once you register, you can access this account by entering your username and password on any device that has the application.
After you have registered, you can see to other details. For instance, you can set a photo of your choice as your profile picture and change this at any time. You can then enter all the other information required on your profile.
You will also see that there is an option of entering a bio on your profile. The limit is set to 150 characters on this and you can fill it in accordingly or even leave it blank. You can also enter a website link into your bio. Other users can click on this and go to the page by clicking on it directly.
The account will be on public display for all Instagram users by default. However, you can go ahead and change it to private as well. This will require you to approve the “Follow” request that any user sends you if they wish to view your profile. This privacy choice depends entirely on you. So let’s know How to use an Instagram account. You also should know How Did Instagram Begin?
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Notifications on Instagram
To set how the notifications appear on your device, go to the notification center in your setting and configure. This will allow you to control if the notifications appear externally or only when you are using the app. To can select Push Notifications in the settings tab of the app. You get notifications under the News tab while using Instagram. They appear as a heart or speech bubble depending on likes or comments. The feed under News will show you the specifications of any notification.
The notification feature will help you to see when anyone likes your posts or comments on them. You can also be notified if they mention your username on any other post in a comment. If someone tags you in a photo, you will be notified as well. You will also be alerted if anybody starts following your profile. As we mentioned before, this follow request will first have to be approved by you if the profile is set as private. Notifications will also let you know if any of your posts make it to the popular page.
How to use Social connectivity of Instagram
Instagram can be used all by itself and is definitely more than enough. However, the whole point of social networking is to connect as far and wide as possible. You also have the option of connecting your Instagram account to other social media such as Facebook, Twitter, Foursquare, Flickr, Mixi, Weibo, Tumblr and VK. You can connect this by linking the profiles under settings.
Go to your Profile and edit the Sharing Settings under that tab. You can then choose to which network you want to link your account.
This will allow you to share any Instagram post from your profile to the linked social network as well. You have the option to share or not but the link is enabled if you should choose to do so. If you do share it on any other platform, any other people you are connected to you there can view the post. However, the privacy settings will still be valid on your actual Instagram profile.
How to Adding Photos and Videos to Instagram account
You can choose to share photos or videos on your Instagram account. This is the main point of setting up an account on this service. What you upload will make a huge difference in a lot of things. We will be getting into details regarding that later on.
First let’s take a look at exactly how you can upload.
The first choice is to take a picture through the camera button at the center of the panel. This connects to the camera of your device. You can now take a picture or video through this.
The app also allows you to shoot or upload videos. These have to have a minimum length of 3 seconds and can extend up to 15 seconds. When you shoot a video, you can click on the record button to start. If you want a continuous segment, just keep your finger on the button the entire time you are shooting. If you want multiple different clips, just remove your finger where you want to stop.
The second option is to upload something that is already saved on your camera roll. Although you previously had to crop your images to the square that Instagram required, things have changed. You can now use pictures with any ratio without having to cut or add to them. Once you choose what you want to upload, you can go ahead and edit if you choose. Then all that left to do is to upload.
How to use the Editing section in Instagram
Once you select your photo you can choose to use it in its original form or better yet enhance it with some editing. Instagram has some amazing filters that can change the look of your image in different ways.
You can choose to use the readymade filters that are built on the app or do it yourself. Increase or decrease features like the brightness or contrast and make the picture look much more professional. Tilt-shift is another great editing option that will allow you to give a type of altered depth of field. You can choose between the horizontal bar or circle when you use this and rotate your picture for the best effect as well.
The lux effect is like an auto-enhancing option. It enriches the image when you click on the sun icon. You can increase or decrease the depth of this as well.
You can also edit the pictures on other photo apps and upload onto your Instagram profile. The choices are nearly unlimited when it comes to this.
How to use Filters on Instagram
The service has ready-to-use filters for any pictures the user wants to upload. You can choose to use the original photo that you click through the application. You can also upload pictures that you have stored on your device from before. As opposed to using the photos in their original form, these in-built filters can help you enhance or modify the look it. The following descriptions of the Instagram filters will help you get a better understanding of how each filter will modify your original image.
- Normal: This is the primary choice of keeping the photo as it is.
- Lo-fi: This filter helps to enhance the warmth of the temperature and increases the level of saturation. This will in turn make the shadows more prominent and enrich the colors.
- Earlybird: This popular filter gives the picture the look of older days. The tint is sepia and the warmth of temperature level increases.
- Amaro: This puts the focus on the center of the image and also increases light in it.
- Rise: The light on the subject is softened and a glow effect is placed.
- Inkwell: The image is converted to a black and white visual with no other modifications.
- Sutro: The edges of the picture are given a burnt effect while highlights are increased. Any purple or brown points on the image are focused upon with stronger shadows.
- Mayfair: This adds a subtle pinkish tone and the center appears brighter due to the vignette effect at the edges. A border is added in a black slender line. Sierra: This gives the image a softer look and makes it appear faded.
- Valencia: This gives the image an antique effect as the warmth of the colors is increased along with exposure levels.
- Nashville: This is meant to give a picture a certain nostalgic feel by giving it a subtle pink tint. The contrast is decreased while exposure and temperature levels are increased.
- Toaster: This makes the picture look aged by adding a prominent vignette and burn to the center.
- Perpetua: This is a good filter for portraits as it adds a pastel effect to the image. X-Pro: This adds a tint of gold and increases the vibrancy of colors. The contrast is increased and the edges gain some vignette effect.
- Cream: This adds a hint of both warmth and chills with a creamy effect. Walden: This is yet another popular filter that adds a yellowish tint to the image and increases the level of exposure.
- Aden: This increases the tint of blues and greens in the picture.
- Slumber: It decreases the saturation level and emphasizes the black or blue hues in the picture. A haze is added to give it a dreamy retro effect.
- Ludwig: This decreases the saturation slightly and increases the light.
These are some of the basic Instagram filters that are used. There are a few more and you should also notice that they often add new filters with the updates on the app.How to use
How to share Post in Instagram
The screen where all the sharing options are displayed appears once you have finished editing the image. You can add a caption to go with the picture or video. Adding hashtags will allow the picture to be visible when people search for those particular categories. You can also mention people in the caption with the @ sign and then their username.
You can also tag people on the image. Another option is to mention the location of where the image was taken. You can then choose to share the picture on other sites like Facebook or Twitter when you upload on to Instagram. You can do this before or even after uploading the image on your profile.
How to use Instagram Direct Features
The Instagram direct feature is used for sharing pictures or videos privately. You can choose exactly who gets to view these. In 2015 this feature saw the addition of direct messaging as well.
The above-mentioned steps are the most basic way to get started on using this great social service that the world loves. As you read on further, we will explain everything in detail and how you can get better at everything you do on Instagram.
