Are you following 300 people and only being followed by half of them? It’s time you step up your insta-game!

Capturing and editing photos has become an art. Of course, professional photographers have an edge when it comes to perfecting camera angles and post production, but that doesn’t mean you can’t pick-up a couple of tricks here and there to stand out.

Below we’ve compiled 8 hacks that can help you create a timeline so pleasing to the eyes, people won’t be able to resist following you:

  1. Give your Instagram a purpose
    You must have a purpose for your instagram account. It could be about sharing your life, creating a travel diary, posting special events or even all about food! First figure that out and only then, will you be able to build a following that genuinely cares about your content.

2. Likes are important but they’re not Everything.  When you create a timeline you truly believe in, people begin to notice. They feel inspired and follow without you insisting. Once you’ve got a few posts up, just sit back and take-in what people have to say. Don’t copy what others are doing only for the sake of likes, because you might end up chasing sweet but ordinary visuals, when your true talent lies in storytelling, humor or compelling portraiture.

#Dubrovnik: late night shift A photo posted by Jussi Ulkuniemi (@skwii) on

3. Use natural lighting
Pretty self-explanatory.

On my way, sweet Paree ✈️?? [self-portrait, July 2015]

A photo posted by Margaret Zhang 章凝 (@margaret__zhang) on

4. Turn on the grid feature
Architecture looks best when it’s shown how its supposed to be… Well-aligned. Whether you’re shooting with an iPhone or a Canon DSLR, shoot with the grid turned-on to aid in composition. Even rock side-to-side and watch the overlapping elements of a subject carefully on screen or through the viewfinder to find the perfect mid point.

? A photo posted by Los Angeles (@paolofortades) on

5. Look out for eye-catching colors and shapes
An image with strong colors and defined shapes catches the eye in no time, so train yourself to see photos that convey that. Loom large in your frame and draw the viewer in. When adding filters, do not over-edit or compromise on the photo’s originality.

6. Aim for quality over quantity Post only high quality photos and keep people curious about what you’re up to. Be very picky about lighting and ensure that your feed is consistent in its theme. 7. Forget there’s a Box Use your eyes before the lens. Eyes are a part of your body which can do wonders, if trained properly. If you’re planning on a photography-based account, thinking outside the box becomes essential… Go out hunting during dawn, look for puddles after the rain, capture people dressed uniquely, embrace bad weather — have fun with it!

Rainy in Nashville. A photo posted by Pete Souza (@petesouza) on

8. Powerful captions encourage people to engage
Ask questions, share stories, add hashtags and drop in some humor every now and then. Get to know your followers and share how you capture your photos. This makes them feel more engaged and keeps them coming back for more.