Instagram has, and continues to change and evolve. And this, this is how photographers can use Instagram intentionally in 2025.
It’s the double-edged sword of the photography world. It can be a source of endless inspiration – or a black hole that swallows your creative energy whole. The difference? It’s all in how you use it.
If you’ve ever felt like Instagram is using you instead of the other way around, it might be time to rethink your approach. Here are five ways to take back control and turn Instagram into a tool that actually works for your photography, rather than against it.
1. Curate Your Feed Like a Gallery
How often do you scroll through your Instagram feed and feel truly inspired? If the answer is “not often enough,” it might be time for a little curation.
Who do you follow? More importantly, why do you follow them? Does their work challenge you, excite you, make you think differently about your own photography? Or is your feed cluttered with images that leave you feeling uninspired (or worse – stuck in the comparison trap)?
Consider setting a limit on how many people you follow. Make it a number that matters to you. And when you find someone new who sparks inspiration, make room, because your Instagram should be a space that fuels creativity, not drains it. Create the world you want to live in, even on Instagram.
2. Rethink the Scroll
Be honest: how much time do you spend scrolling? And how do you feel when you finally put your phone down? Energised? Motivated? Or just… drained?
Scrolling is easy – too easy. It’s designed to be. But what if you had to earn your scroll time? Imagine an app that makes you do push-ups before you can swipe through your feed (yes, that exists). Or, simpler yet, set a timer and pay attention to how much time is actually productive. When you approach Instagram with intention, you’ll be surprised at how little you actually need it and at the same time, when you do use it, you begin to alter the way you scroll so it’s a far better use of your time.
But hey, having said that, there’s nothing like a refreshing reels deep dive. Don’t be too hard on yourself, either.
3. Save, Don’t Just Scroll
Liking a post is passive. Saving a post? That’s active. It’s an idea, a spark, a note to your future self.
Try creating folders in your saved posts – lighting ideas, composition tricks, colours that make you feel something. Think of it as your personal inspiration board, evolving with your style. And the next time you’re stuck in a creative rut, don’t scroll mindlessly – go back to your saved posts and remind yourself why you picked up a camera in the first place.
Quite often, Instagram can be the mood board for a shoot. Save your favourite photos from your dream photographers. Study them and what makes those images have such an impact on you. Then work towards figuring that out for your own work.
Bonus: some of my favourite Instagram accounts
These are a few of my personal favourites. Do check them out.
4. Think in Sequences
This was one of the best pieces of advice I ever received (about posting on my Insta). Each line on your profile should tell a single story. Three images, or 3 image sets, that work effortlessly together. That sit side by side and make sense together, as well as on their own.
Look at your Instagram grid. Does it feel like you? Or is it just a random collection of whatever you happened to post that day?
Try a simple structure – alternate between landscapes and portraits, or think in sets of three. What happens when you start pairing images intentionally? Does it change the way you shoot? The way you edit? The way you see?
Your Instagram isn’t just a place to post; it’s a space to experiment, to refine your vision, to challenge yourself. Use it as a tool to push your photography forward, not just as a dumping ground for content.
side note: this constant work leads well into pairing for photobooks down the road.
5. Forget the Algorithm, Post What Matters
Are you trying to “win” at Instagram? Or are you using it to share what actually matters to you?
Forget the numbers for a second. If you weren’t worried about likes or reach, what would you post? What kind of work actually excites you? The truth is, growth on Instagram is unpredictable. But what’s always within your control is why you’re sharing your work.
If a post makes it to your feed, let it be because you’re proud of it. Not because you think it will perform well. Not because it fits some arbitrary trend. But because it’s yours, and that’s enough.
The Takeaway - Be intentional with Instagram
Instagram isn’t the problem. The way we use it is.
So, what would happen if you took control? If your feed was filled with only the work that truly inspired you? If you scrolled less but engaged more? If you treated your profile like a creative project instead of a performance?
The choice is yours. Instagram can be a distraction – or a tool for real inspiration, real connection, and real growth. You decide.
Tune in next week for the final part in our Photography as Therapy series: making tangible photographs – moving from screens effortlessly into a real, hold-in-ya-hands print that becomes far more meaningful than a quick insta-post.
(also – have you seen our photography workshops happening this month? Check them out!)