Standing Out on Instagram in 2026 as a Photographer

[00:00] Hi guys, welcome back to another episode of Between the Frames. I’m your host, Roz Ackerman, and today we’re talking about standing out on Instagram. There are really two halves to this episode — first, standing out on Instagram, and then some insights into what’s been changing on the platform, especially in 2026. You’ve probably felt some of this already, but there are a few things you may not be aware of yet, so I’ve got some sneaky little tips for you too.

It’s wild to think about how far Instagram has come. I remember the square, heavily filtered images and the one-line captions — “by the beach, wish you were here,” something monotonous like that. That was good content almost ten years ago. We’ve come a long way, and it’s still an amazing tool for your photography business. If you’re not using Instagram, maybe you’re prevalent on other platforms and don’t feel you need to — but I’d still encourage you to have some presence. A lot of people are finding me there these days, and there are some very specific reasons why.

[01:59] Before we dive in — if you’re watching the video version on YouTube, you’ll notice I got the chop. I have my chic little bob now. I don’t think I’ve had a bob since I was about 17, so it’s been more than a couple of decades. Last year I tested the waters with a long bob just above my shoulders, but I wasn’t quite ready to give up my long waves and curls. I think I also had some leftover hair trauma — my mom used to cut my hair really short when I was a kid, and apparently that stuck with me. Anyway, I put a poll up on Instagram, you guys gave me the confidence boost, and I have zero regrets. My feed is now flooded with “how to style your bob” content, which feels fitting.

[04:11] What else has been going on — I had an elopement in Twin Lakes last weekend. Best day, even though it was a long one, about two and a half hours each way. The couple were incredible, so warm and sweet. I had to pivot quite a bit because of the wind — the lake area they’d originally picked turned into a literal sandstorm from all the exposed, dry sand. I got there early enough to scout backup locations, thankfully, and the second spot ended up being even better — completely secluded, stunning. More on that session very soon. Also, my husband and I pre-recorded a social media episode together, full of helpful tips, so keep an eye out for that one too.

[07:23] Okay, let’s get into it. Right now I’ve found a pretty good rhythm with Instagram. I’m not great at scheduling out my week in advance — I don’t know if that’s a mom thing or just me — but I do hold myself to posting a minimum of three times a week, usually more. Ideas tend to come to me as I’m interacting with the platform rather than from a content calendar. I’m not just hopping on trends, but if something inspires me, I’ll jot it down in my “ideas” list in Claude. That said, I do still try to make sure my posts cover different content buckets or categories, which is what my other episode talks about.

Things that are currently working well for me — I think everybody’s found Reels by now. They really took off in 2025, and if you’re not doing them in 2026, you need to be.

[09:34] I love to start my reels with a little behind-the-scenes clip. Either from my own perspective — my phone propped on top of my camera — or wearing my Ray-Ban Meta glasses, so you can see me holding the camera. I think that perspective engages my audience pretty well.

[10:04] Recently I’ve also been using my DJI Osmo Pocket 3. You can just whip it out and grab a quick clip of your clients — I used to stress about pausing for ten seconds to do that, which is silly, because you’re not going to miss anything. And honestly, if you’re recording on something like a DJI, you can pull a pretty good still from the footage too. I’ve got a couple of different mounting setups — one that sits on my camera’s hot shoe, though I’m still fiddling with the exact positioning since it kept bumping into my eye when I use the viewfinder. I found a new one recently that mounts to the left of the camera, which I love, though just be mindful that if you’re fully zoomed out on a zoom lens, part of the camera can sneak into frame. You can always crop it out later.

[14:16] I had a reel recently that really took off — a clip from a styled elopement on a photography retreat in Oregon with Vow & Venture. I had the DJI mounted on top of the camera for that one. The scenery was so dramatic — cliff edge, hair blowing in the wind, misty in the background, stormy sea. Even though the clip itself was maybe five seconds, followed by a series of stills from the session, it performed way better than I expected. I think it was the dramatic opening clip, a strong hook, and the right audio that did it.

[16:36] Aside from behind-the-scenes content and reels, the other thing I’m sharing more of is real client moments — a toddler having a meltdown, parents laughing together, those genuine unscripted moments that happen during a session. I think it’s important to normalize that experience for people who look at polished galleries and assume, “well, that wouldn’t work for my family.” Almost every family session has some chaos in it, and showing that builds trust and removes a huge friction point for potential clients who are worried their kids won’t cooperate.

[18:18] Even when I’m not sharing a video clip, I’ll share the story behind an image. I recently shared a newborn session where the parents really didn’t want to be the focus — they just wanted the baby front and center. I completely understood that; I know how I felt and looked postpartum. So I incorporated them softly blurred into the background instead, using light, angle, and aperture, and wrote a post about exactly that thought process. Thinking about your clients’ fears and the story behind a session is what makes your captions sound more authentic and helps people connect with you faster.

[20:33] I’m also intentionally trying to appear in front of the camera more — not just sharing photos of my kids, but actually showing up myself. If I follow a photographer and can’t find a single photo or video of them, I genuinely feel a bit weird about it. It feels like a pretty intimate thing now, following someone on Instagram — you want to know who you’re sharing that space with. So get in front of the camera. And use Instagram as a search tool too — search trending audio, search “elopement photography” and see what’s coming up, what hooks and audio people are using. Just be mindful that audiences are getting more aware of clickbaity hooks, so keep it true to you. Don’t be afraid to be a little embarrassing or funny either — it endears people to you.

[23:07] One more thing on the “what’s working” side — I’d recommend doing posts with carousel slides that include video clips. Swiping through the same format gets boring fast, so alternating a photo with a video clip in the same carousel keeps people engaged — there’s almost a little dopamine hit to the unexpected switch-up. Mix in a polished clip with some raw iPhone behind-the-scenes content too; people like seeing both the end result and a little of the chaos. I also use the Scroll app a fair bit to lay out gallery-style carousels, and I’ve struggled with oversharing there in the past — if you’re posting more than 12 slides, that’s probably too many. Leave people wanting more so they actually go check your profile instead of just swiping to the end.

[25:40] Okay, now let’s get into what I’m not doing anymore. Oversharing is still a work in progress for me, but I’m actively trying to limit it. I also don’t think Instagram’s algorithm actually rewards posting every single day anymore — though going weeks without posting will hurt you. I’d aim for a regular rhythm rather than a rigid daily habit.

[27:24] I’m also steering clear of stock caption openers — “this was a dream session,” “swipe to see more.” They’re boring and don’t really say anything. If you’re struggling to find the words, let AI help you reorganize your thoughts and sound more like yourself. It’s a huge time-saver, and honestly I don’t know how I’d stay competitive without it. I’m planning a future episode on AI specifically, possibly an interview with the AI expert I’ve been working with, so subscribe if you don’t want to miss that one.

[29:33] We’re also not posting every single image from a session anymore. Culling is hard, especially if you’re an overshooter like me, but being selective is part of being a good artist. Pick your strongest 10 to 15 images — the ones that would genuinely stop someone mid-scroll — detail shots included if they add to the story.

[31:12] We’re also not chasing every single trending audio. Jump on the ones that genuinely connect with you — I will never not use a Bridgerton sound, I’m British, I love a period drama — but don’t force every trend just because it’s there. If it doesn’t feel true to you, your audience will feel that too.

Other things I’d move away from: overly long, overly polished carousels — same 12-slide rule applies, since most people don’t make it past slide 10 anyway. Generic listicle content, like “10 tips for X,” isn’t totally off the table, but I wouldn’t lean on it too heavily since it can feel like it could have been written by anyone. And obsessively planning your grid aesthetic — if you love color-coordinating every third post, more power to you, but you have my permission to let that go. My grid feels cohesive because my editing style is consistent, not because I’m tracking which post goes where.

[35:36] The other thing I really don’t love is staged content disguised as “real.” I saw a reel recently of a hairstylist supposedly refusing a refund to a client who couldn’t see her new highlights, and it had all the hallmarks of being staged for engagement — whether or not it actually was. Either way, it read as fake, and that erodes trust in what’s shared online generally. Trust is so integral to our business; people don’t book with photographers they don’t trust. So I’d steer clear of anything that feels performative or designed to trick the viewer.

Big picture — substance over performance, and substance over quantity. My husband, who’s been in the content game since his early CrossFit gym days, would probably still argue for “done is better than perfect,” and there’s truth to that for him. But for me, as a perfectionist creating visuals meant to attract people, I land more on substance over volume.

[40:01] Now let’s move into part two. Instagram isn’t just social media anymore — it’s becoming a search engine, on two fronts. First, Google is now indexing Instagram content. If you search something specific, Google will surface Instagram posts and reels in the results. That changes the old assumption that blog content has long-term SEO value while Instagram content is short-lived — Instagram content can live on indefinitely too, if it’s tagged and worded well enough for Google to index it.

Second, people are searching directly within Instagram itself, the way you’d use Google. I did this myself recently looking up bob hairstyles before my haircut. If you search “Denver family photographer” on Instagram, it’ll surface accounts, posts, and reels that match. What this means practically is that if your captions, bio, text overlays, hashtags, and reel captions don’t include the keywords that describe what you do and who you serve, your content isn’t going to get indexed or matched to the people searching for it — even if the work itself is beautiful. Being too poetic or vague in your captions might feel on-brand, but it makes it harder for Instagram, and Google, to understand and surface your content.

[44:20] The single highest-impact, lowest-effort thing you can do here is rename your image files before uploading. Instead of “IMG_5214,” use something like “Twin Lakes Elopement Colorado Lakeside Ceremony” that actually describes the session and what’s happening in the photo. This applies on your website too — if you’ve never renamed your image files, it’s worth the effort to go back and redo it.

[45:58] Also, use alt text. When you’re sharing a carousel post, go into advanced settings and write specific, descriptive alt text for each image — not the same copy-pasted line every time. Instagram and Google want specificity that actually matches what’s in the photo.

[48:03] So if you’re looking for the lowest-effort, highest-impact thing to do this week, it’s renaming your image files with keywords that describe the session and what’s happening in the photo. Pair that with writing genuinely specific alt text on your carousel posts, and you’re already ahead.

[50:57] This episode was very Instagram-focused, but there are other platforms worth your time too. YouTube content has become more important than I expected once I started this podcast. And Pinterest — I’ve genuinely been sleeping on it, but I’m learning how useful it actually is for creators and starting to be more intentional there too.

[51:51] But just for this week, let’s focus on Instagram. Start naming your files with intention, start using the alt text feature, stay consistent with your content, and challenge yourself to get in front of the camera. Thank you so much for listening to another episode of Between the Frames. If this was helpful, please share it with another photographer — and rate, review, and subscribe so you don’t miss what’s coming next.