How to Add Photos to Instagram

Ready to share your amazing photos on Instagram but not quite sure where to begin? This guide cuts straight to the chase, walking you through everything from posting your very first picture to creating engaging multi-photo Carousels and time-sensitive Stories. You'll learn the simple steps to get started and pick up some valuable tips to help your posts get the attention they deserve.

The Essentials: Posting Your First Photo to the Instagram Feed

Your Instagram feed is your public gallery, a collection of moments that represent you or your brand. Placing a photo here is the most fundamental action on the platform. It's designed to be simple, and once you do it once, you'll have it down.

Here’s the step-by-step breakdown:

1. Find the Little Plus Sign (+)

Open the Instagram app. At the bottom of your screen, you'll see a navigation bar with several icons (a home, a magnifying glass, etc.). In the center, there’s a plus sign inside a square. Tap that plus icon. This is your gateway to creating a new post, Reel, or Story.

2. Select a Photo from Your Gallery

After tapping the plus sign, your phone’s photo gallery will appear. You'll see your most recent images first. Scroll through and tap on the single photo you want to post. If you want to post multiple photos at once, we'll cover that in the next section.

Notice the two small arrows in the bottom-left corner of the photo preview? Tapping this icon lets you toggle between Instagram’s default square crop and the photo's original full size (portrait or landscape). Choosing the right orientation helps you present your image exactly as you intended.

Once you're happy with your selection, tap "Next" in the top-right corner.

3. Edit Your Photo (or Keep It Natural)

Now you've entered Instagram's editing suite. It’s powerful enough for quick fixes but simple enough for beginners. You have two main options here:

• Filters: The "Filter" tab is shown by default. Swipe through the options at the bottom (like Clarendon, Gingham, and Moon) to apply a one-tap stylistic change to your photo. You can tap a filter again to adjust its intensity with a slider.
• Manual Edits: For more control, tap the "Edit" tab next to "Filter". Here, you can adjust brightness, contrast, saturation, sharpness, and more. Play around with these settings to make your photo pop. Don't worry, you can always tap "Cancel" if you don't like the changes.

When your photo looks just right, tap "Next" again.

4. Craft Your Caption and Add Your Tags

This is where you give your photo its voice and context. You'll see a page with your photo at the top and several fields below.

• Write a caption…: This is the most important part. Tap this field and type out the message you want to accompany your image. You can tell a story, ask a question to spark conversation, or simply describe the moment. Emojis can add personality, and you can mention other Instagram users by typing the "@" symbol followed by their username (e.g., @yourfriend).
• Tag People: Tap this to tag other accounts directly on the photo itself. A tap on your photo will bring up a search bar. Find the user you want to tag, and their name will appear on the image. Tagged users will receive a notification. This is great for giving credit to friends, photographers, or brands featured in your image.
• Add Location: Tapping "Add Location" lets you geotag your photo. Start typing a landmark, city, or business name, and select the correct one from the list. Posts with a location tag often see higher engagement because they can be discovered by people searching for that location.

5. Share Your Post

Once your caption is written and your tags are set, you're ready to go live. Just tap the blue "Share" button in the top-right corner. Instagram will process your post for a moment, and then it will appear at the top of your feed and on your profile grid. Congratulations, you've just added a photo to Instagram!

Beyond a Single Image: How to Post Carousels and Collages

Sometimes, one photo isn’t enough to tell the whole story. Instagram allows you to combine multiple photos into a single, swipeable post called a Carousel, which is an excellent way to boost engagement and keep viewers lingering longer on your content.

Creating an Engaging Carousel Post

Carousel posts are perfect for showing off a collection, sharing a step-by-step tutorial, doing a before-and-after reveal, or recapping a special event.

The process is nearly identical to posting a single photo, with one key difference:

1. Start by tapping the plus icon (+).
2. From your gallery view, look for an icon that looks like stacked squares near the bottom right of the photo preview. Tapping this "Select Multiple" button will let you choose up to 10 photos and videos for your carousel.
3. Tap the images in the order you want them to appear. Small numbers will appear on your selections to indicate the sequence.
4. Tap "Next". You can now apply a single filter to all the photos at once or tap on individual photos to edit them separately.
5. From there, write your caption and add your tags just as you would for a single-image post, then hit "Share."

Using Instagram's Layout Feature for Collages

Want a simple collage without downloading a separate app? Instagram has a built-in feature for that called Layout.

When you're at the photo selection screen (after hitting the plus icon), look for a small icon that resembles a grid. This is the Layout button. Tapping it opens an interface where you can:

• Choose a specific grid style (e.g., two photos side-by-side, four in a square).
• Select photos from your gallery to fill each section of the grid.
• Drag photos to rearrange them within the collage.

Once you're done, the collage is treated as a single image that you can edit, caption, and post to your feed.

Sharing in the Moment: Adding a Photo to Your Instagram Story

Instagram Stories are temporary, full-screen posts that disappear after 24 hours. They are more casual and interactive than feed posts and are perfect for sharing behind-the-scenes content, quick updates, and everyday moments.

Here’s how to add a photo to your Story:

1. Access the Story Camera: You can do this in two ways: either tap the plus icon (+) at the bottom and select "Story," or simply swipe right from your main feed screen.
2. Choose a Photo: Instead of taking a photo with the camera, swipe up on the screen (or tap the gallery icon in the bottom-left). This will open your photo library. Tap the photo you want to share.
3. Customize and Decorate: This is where Stories come alive. At the top of your screen, you’ll see several icons for adding fun elements:
   
   • Text (Aa): Add text with various fonts and colors.
   • Stickers: Tap the smiley-face sticker icon to add interactive elements like polls, quizzes, question boxes, music, GIFs, and location tags.
   • Draw: Use the "draw" tool for squiggles or handwritten notes on your image.
4. Share: Once your Story looks good, tap the "Your Story" button in the bottom-left corner to post it for all your followers to see. You can also send it directly to specific friends using the "Send to" button.

From Posting to Performing: Tips to Boost Your Photo's Reach

Now that you know the 'how,' let's talk about the 'why.' A few simple strategies can make a big difference in how many people see and interact with your photos.

Write Captions That Connect

Don't just describe what's in the photo, use your caption to start a conversation. Ask your followers a question, tell them the story behind the photo, or share an a-ha moment. A call-to-action (CTA) is also a strong move - encourage people to "check the link in bio," "share their own experience," or "tag a friend who would love this."

Use Hashtags Strategically

Hashtags (#) are like keywords that help people discover your content on the platform. Rather than using only the most popular (and competitive) tags like #love or #travel, mix them up.

• Broad Tags: Use a couple of popular tags relevant to your image (e.g., #digitalphotography).
• Niche Tags: Add more specific tags that describe the photo in detail (e.g., #londonstreetstyle, #canonportraits).
• Community Tags: Find hashtags used by communities you want to be a part of (e.g., #gardenersofinstagram).

You can add up to 30 hashtags. To keep your caption looking clean, many creators add them in the first comment immediately after posting.

Tag Locations, People, and Brands

Tagging effectively multiplies your visibility.

• Adding a location makes your post visible to anyone browsing that geotag page.
• Tagging relevant people or brands sends them a notification and can encourage them to share your content on their own accounts, exposing you to a much larger audience.

Post When Your Audience is Online

If you have an Instagram for Business or Creator account (which is a free switch in settings), you have access to "Insights." This data shows you which days and hours your followers are most active. Posting during these peak times gives your photo the best possible chance of being seen right away.

Always Prioritize High-Quality Images

At the end of the day, Instagram is a visual platform. A blurry, poorly lit photo will struggle to get attention, no matter how great your caption is. You don't need a professional camera (modern smartphone cameras are excellent), but focus on getting sharp images with good lighting. Simple edits to brighten the image or improve the contrast will significantly elevate your posts.

Final Thoughts

Adding a photo to Instagram is a simple technical process, but turning that post into meaningful content is what truly builds an engaged following. By mastering the feed, carousels, and stories, and combining those skills with a smart engagement strategy, you have everything you need to share your vision with the world.

As your presence on Instagram grows, planning your feed and scheduling posts ahead of time becomes essential for consistency. We created Postbase with a clean, visual calendar to solve this exact problem. It allows us to plan content, drag-and-drop posts to reschedule in seconds, and see our whole strategy across multiple platforms at a glance, making the whole process of social media management feel calm and organized rather than chaotic.