Instagram is a photo and video sharing app that allows users to share their pictures to other social media sites like Facebook, Twitter, Tumblr and Flickr. Instagram has over 150 million active users and was among Time’s 50 Best Android Apps for 2013. The most popular trends on Instagram are Throwback Thursday and Selfies.
On the application users can apply a variety of filters to edit their photos and this is one of things that makes Instagram such a successful app. Today I am going to discuss those filters using a photo that I have taken first is the picture as it was taken or “Normal”
Amaro- Increases the exposure or adds more light to the photo. This filter is best used with darker photos.
Mayfair- Has a warm pink tone, and subtly brightens the center of the photo with a thin black border.
Rise- This filter adds a golden glow that makes the picture softer with a more forgiving light.
Hudson- Alters the light in the photo, making it appear colder.
Valencia- Faded quality without completely washing out the color.
X-PRO II- This filter adds a pop to colors and gives the appearance of a Photoshop technique
Sierra- This filter infuses a cloudy quality to the photo.
Willow- Is a monochrome filter with subtle purple tones and has a translucent glowing white border.
Lo-Fi- This filter adds instant rich colors and strong shadows.
Earlybird- This filter adds golden-red tones to the photos with a vignette effect.
Sutro- Is known to add a sinister tone to nearly every photo which combines both richness and Gothicism.
Toaster- Uses a dramatic vignette effect that adds an aged and burnt quality to photos.
Brannan- Adds a sepia-like effect to photographs.
Inkwell- AKA Black and White
Walden- Puts a high exposure and yellow tint into your photos.
Hefe- Adds a vibrant yet cozy layer to photos and is similar to the Lo-Fi filter
Nashville- This filter adds a pastel tint to photos and a warm temperature.
1977- Gives photos a rosy tone and cottony exposure, similar to those you see in your parent’s photo collections from the ‘70s.
Kelvin- Combines a high saturation and warm temperature, similar to what you would see if you were shooting pictures in the late afternoon. Fair warning this filter is hard to work with!
With this vast list of filters the over 150 million users have endless opportunities and choices to edit photos which makes Instagram so successful.
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Courtney's Photography Tips 
I absolutely love how you set up this blog. It was informative and gave examples for every type of filter and editing option (at least I think that was all of them). I am on Instagram, but barely ever use it. I find myself downloading pictures to my laptop and editing them from there. I always forget the editing/filter options that Instagram has.
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Bobbi,
I agree completely with the transferring of pictures to my computer and editing them from there. I am however an Instagram addict.
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Instagram is a tool that I would like to learn more of… As of yet, I haven’t done much with it.
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Courtney,
This is awesome! I am so glad you described each filter. It is always an internal battle over which filter to put on your latest Instagram picture. I love Instagram and think it is a great app. I think it is much more personal than any other app. I tend to not accept people to follow me if I do not know them. I think Facebook is the social media site where it is okay to “friend” someone when you just met, whereas Instagram to me is for my closer friends and family. Thanks for sharing!
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I agree that Instagram is a lot more personal than Facebook. My goddaughter lives far way from me and her mother created a private Instagram account so we could follow and stay up to date and she grows
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