Hi friends!

I've had a lot of people ask me how I edit all of my Instagram photos. Well, just like the thousands of other IG-savvy folks out there, I edit using a consistent 'style' and color scheme to keep my grid clean. There are TONS of free apps and programs available to accomplish this, meaning that you don't need to spend tons of money on software and cameras to get a good grid. Use what you have, work hard, and make something great!

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This brings me to the point of this blog: how I edit my photos in Adobe Lightroom! Now as I mentioned earlier, there are countless editing apps out there, with the mobile version of Lightroom being one of them.

I will do this tutorial using the mobile app because it has almost every feature that desktop Lightroom does. You can even sync photos between the two for copying edits! I use this feature a TON when traveling because it allows me to edit my images without carrying around a laptop and hard drive.

Now, without further ado, let's EDIT!

STEP 1: ADJUSTING LIGHT

This the first section of Lightroom that I adjust when editing images. As with all edits, what you do in this section depends on what ‘look’ you aim to achieve. I like my images to be bright and so here’s what I adjust:

Exposure: This setting changes how exposed/bright the image is. Depending on how bright the original one is, I typically bump this to +1 or +.75.

Contrast: This setting changes how different the darks and lights in an image look. I don’t like my images super contrasted because it takes away from the bright, cheery look, so I hover in the 5-20 range for this edit.

Highlights: If you want to achieve a bright image, bringing up highlights is super key. Lower highlights help under-expose certain areas in an image. For example, if you want to see the clouds in the sky (which is typically too bright in images).

Shadows: This adjustment, when raised, decreases shadows in an image. How much I raise it depends on the image, but typically I raise it enough to where little shadows exist.

Whites: As the name implies, whites bring up the whites in an image. I like the whiter appearance, so I usually bring them up to +20 or so.

Blacks: When raised, this decreases the blacks in an image. I typically don’t change this, but when I do, usually only go up to +10.

STEP 2: ADJUSTING COLOR

The color section of Lightroom is really where theme creation begins. Think about it: when you look at any creator’s grid, what’s the main thing that looks similar? Color.

It starts with actually taking photos that include your desired colors in it (because software can’t do everything). For instance, having colorful photos for a colorful grid, darker tones for a dark grid, and so on. Lightroom comes in by helping to fine tune colors, and also diminishing unwanted ones.

White Balance: This section changes the warmth/coolness of an image, how it is tinted, and also vibrance/saturation. For a colorful theme, I like to have a warm accent and pink tint. This means sliding the first bar to the right for however warm you want it to be, and again to the right on the second bar for the pink tint. You also want to bump up the saturation and vibrance, which changes how noticeable and rich the colors are. I aim for +15-30 in saturation and +10-20 in vibrance.

Color Mix: Located at the top right of the Lightroom app, this is a tool that really builds theme. For each of the main colors (red, orange, yellow, purple, green, teal, etc), there are options to change the hue, saturation and luminance. If you’re aiming for a colorful feed, then it works well to boost brighter colors and desaturate darker ones. You can also change color hues to keep consistent shades throughout all photos. I love using this tool for my skin, helping to diminish red undertones from acne *I cry*.

STEP 3: EXTRA EFFECTS

After I finish editing color, my last steps are to do some minor effects based on the photo. But before doing this, there is one effect I use that ties into color:

Split Toning: Hidden under the “Effects” panel, split toning allows you to choose a color shade for shadows and highlights. This adjustment is my new favorite for color edits, and it’s honestly much easier than adjusting multiple colors.

Clarity and Dehaze: Wile I don’t use these too often, clarify and dehaze are sometimes useful when the sun or other phenomena cause a bright image to look hazy and unclear.

Sharpening and Noise Reduction: Located under the “Detail” tab, these edits do wonders in the appearance of a photo. Images that are out-of-focus or unclear can be fixed by raising the sharpening tool—just beware of too much image grain! But just as sharpening adds noise/grain, noise reduction takes it away. This is particularly useful if you shoot with a high camera ISO or at night.

STEP 4: PRESETS!

While optional, this final step allows you to save all of your edits into a preset that can easily be applied to future images in one tap. You do this by tapping the three dots in the upper right of the app screen and selecting "Create Preset." From there you can name the preset and select which edits to include in it.

I hope you found this tutorial helpful! Feel free to DM me any Lightroom edits of your own via my Instagram (account name bel0w). Remember to hit the subscribe button and never miss another #BeyondWords blog again!

Check back each week for a new blog on social media tips, life, food and more. Oh, and of course...

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~This is My Story~

It's time for my secrets to come out. Well, my social secrets that is (sorry for the letdown friends!).

Anyone who knows me knows that I am obsessed with social media. It is honestly my favorite thing (even though pizza comes in at a close second). But there is much more to social than tweeting or posting a selfie.

The creation of one post can involve multiple tools/apps that change all. the. time. Literally hundreds of social tools are released daily; so much that it can feel downright overwhelming to keep up. This leads me to the ultimate question: what are the essentials that anyone who loves social should have?

Here's your answer:

1. Adobe Spark Post

Let me just say that this app is a savior if you are graphically-challenged like me. Adobe Spark allows you to create graphics and even motion graphics in all sorts of sizes and layouts. I use this app to make my blog cover photos and Instagram Stories. If you aren't sure how to design something, Spark has tons of pre-created layouts that you can remix to fit your project.

Another cool feature in Spark is that you can have it remember your brand (colors, fonts, etc) for easy access when designing. And don't worry, you can use Spark without having an Adobe Creative Cloud subscription!

2. Google Snapseed

For years, I never knew that Snapseed existed. I found it one day after watching Instagram Icons rave about the app in their YouTube videos. At first, I wondered what was so special about a free photo editing app. Then I actually started using it (shocker, right?).

At first glance, this app is a lot like other photo editing apps. You can adjust contrast, exposure, and other standard edits. But Snapseed has so much more than other free apps do. One of my favorite tools is the "Selective" one, which allows you to paint over parts of an image for specific edits. The interface is user-friendly, allowing editors of any skill level to make an image #pictureperfect.

3. Hyperlapse by Instagram

Hyperlapse is a free app provided by Instagram to easily create.. well, hyperlapses! These are created in true photography by moving the camera slightly between each shot, giving the illusion of motion shots. Check out an example of one here!

Hyperlapse app takes this somewhat-complicated concept and simplifies it to the palm of your hand, making for quick and unique content. The downside of this app is that it only shoots in Instagram Stories size (vertical, 1080 x 1920), and so you would need to rotate your phone to shoot landscape.

4. The Preview App

The Preview app (and other apps like it) is made specifically for any of my readers who long to become #InstaFamous, or simply want a better-looking feed. In recent years, the whole concept of feed-planning has grown in popularity. A big part of this is due to the rise of influencers, who want to look good on social in order to attract followers and brand partners. But what exactly is feed-planning?

Feed-planning is a strategic process of curating and arranging photos to follow a consistent theme. Without going too into depth, an Instagram theme involves some basic things: color, composition, and grid layout. A theme should have similar colors and/or filters to keep the images looking alike. It should also have alike composition. For instance, my photos are mostly of myself and outside (note all of the greens and purples). This is where apps like the Preview App come into play.

This app allows me to upload my photos and re-arrange them to see how they'll look before I post on Instagram. It also has filter packs (just like the app VSCO) that I can use to keep my photos looking the same. The downside is that this app does cost money ($8.99/mo). But for anyone looking to up their feed game, I think it is well-worth the price!

5. Social Media Today

Ever wonder how people use new social media features before you? Or that they just always know about these features first? Well just like any other person who reads the newspaper to stay current, they read social media news.

One of my favorite sources to get social media news is a website called Social Media Today. Aside from the hired staff, SMT brings in social experts around the globe to write articles and keep a fresh, diverse voice. You can also subscribe to SMT for social updates emailed directly to you!

6. Unsplash/Pexels

This final tool is also not an app, but incredibly helpful nonetheless. Unsplash and Pexels are both websites that provide free, royalty-free images for creators to use. Royalty-free is a fancy term meaning that you can use a copyright material without buying it/paying royalties to the owner. However, sometimes you must give credit to the owner, so make sure to read all of the fine print before using a royalty-free material.

The images on Pexels and Unsplash are great to use for creating wallpapers, blog photos, or even as inspiration for taking your own images. I regularly use them as wallpaper backgrounds, and use Adobe Spark to add text on top!

Do you have any social media tools of your own? Share them in the comments below! Don't forget to hit the subscribe button and never miss another #BeyondWords blog again!