Our generation is social media obsessed––especially with Instagram. These past couple of months I have been working to make my Instagram page look top notch. I wanted to share some tips with you all that I have used while transforming my page.

1. Stop using black, white, and colorful borders.

Instagram just came out with a new update that allows you to not only post square pictures but also horizontal and vertical pictures WITHOUT borders! I would highly advise you to start posting your pictures full size because this makes them look clearer and more aesthetically pleasing. If you do still want to use borders, I recommend only using white borders because it will make your page cleaner looking rather than black or colorful borders.

2. Stick with an Instagram theme.

I'm not going to lie, it is very hard to stick with an Instagram theme, but it is doable. First, start with picking out an Instagram theme; this should reflect your personality. Are you a minimalist? Then you might want to go for a black and white theme or an all white theme. Are you spunky? Then you might want to try a theme that is vibrant and colorful. Then after picking a theme, start to edit all your pictures the same exact way.

3. Use high-quality pictures.

Obviously not all of us have a DSLR lying around the house, but if you do, USE IT. Luckily for people that have to make do with a smart phone, there are some tricks to making your pictures look just as good! First, take pictures with good lighting. Second, create a depth of field by putting your subject far away and in front of a background, this will give the background a blurry effect. Finally, you can sharpen your photos in an editing app, this will make your photos look more crisp but be careful because it easy to over do it!

4. Invest in editing apps.

Not all photo editing apps cost money, but some do! My favorite editing apps right now are:

• Afterlight, $0.99. This app allows you to do the usual editing of the sharpness, saturation, brightness, etc. It also gives you the option of different types of white borders you can frame your picture with. I used to use this app mostly for the light streaks on dark pictures because it gave it a unique look.
• VSCO, FREE. This app is basically just like Afterlight in that it allows you to edit the picture's brightness, etc. It has pre-made filters; the T1 filter being its most famous for being able to give photos the "Tumblr look." The best thing about this app is that it is just like Instagram; it allows you to post pictures to your page. Usually, before I post an Instagram picture, I'll post my picture to VSCO to make sure it goes with my Instagram theme.
• Facetune, $3.99. This app is very controversial because it allows people to photoshop their bodies and skin. I personally use the whitening tool to whiten my backgrounds to make the photo appear cleaner and, occasionally, I will use the blur tool if I have a small blemish.

I know I am always searching for awesome Instagram pages to stalk so here are some of my favorite ones:

• @mylifeaseva
• @macbby11
• @aspynovard
• @imkell
• @lararawson
• @laurengiraldo
• @laurenconrad
• @margoandme
• @tayst
• @maddibrag
• @jayalvarrez
• @daniellemarieyt
• @oliviamcclintock