Best Instagram Photo Editing Trends in 2022

On Instagram, photo editing trends change pretty damn fast. Just think back to the days when your feed was filled with carefully filtered square cropped photos. Although it was only a couple of years ago, in 2022, this style looks so dated that a daguerreotype might as well be published.

Your average Instagram user spends almost half an hour every day on the app and is smart enough to spot content that doesn’t keep up with the times. This means that last year’s interesting and original photo composition has become this year’s hackneyed cliché.

To keep your audience’s attention, you need to stay relevant and up to date with the latest Instagram photo editing trends. So consider this a must-read: we’ve got the 7 best Instagram photo styles for 2022.

Top 7 Instagram Photo Editing Trends

Want to go the extra mile on your Instagram explore page so you can collect those likes and new followers?

Taking a good Instagram photo is just the first step. How you present it matters too. So brush up on your Instagram editing skills, download the best Instagram editing apps and get inspired by these Instagram editing trends.

1. Genuine, unedited photos

Okay, yes, it seems a bit odd to call “unedited”the top photo editing trend for Instagram in 2022. But we don’t decide what the trends are. We just call it what we see.

And we see a huge reach of “authenticity”in the app, as evidenced by fewer filters and edits. Long live the new era of raw, real and dirty!

Is the picture blurry? Is your hair out of place? Does the dove in the background do anything good? All the better.

Here we strive for anti-perfection. Think of it as the inevitable backlash against 2018’s polished Instagram aesthetic.

We see this trend manifesting itself as a dirty mirror…

Or blurry, in low light…

Or leave a hanger with unfashionable clothes against the backdrop of the launch of a fashion line.

Just look at the growing popularity of BeReal, a photo-sharing app that encourages users to take pictures and post their unfiltered lives.

(Of course, choosing what to post on Instagram is itself an act of filtering. So, the urge to share a snap that looks real is actually more authentic than capturing the perfect moment? It’s something you don’t sleep at night.)

This photo of Crown Affair looks pixelated and unexposed – not exactly what you would expect from a cosmetics brand with over 57k followers. But enthusiastic comments and likes still pour in.

For brands, this emphasis on authenticity can certainly save time and money on photo framing. But just because these photos look like you don’t have to put in the effort doesn’t mean you should report it over the phone. Everything you post should still benefit your followers—does it inform, inspire, or entertain?

2. Desaturated, dark palettes

With the current state of the world, it’s safe to say that we’re all a bit more emo than we were a few years ago. And the vibe of your feed probably reflects that.

Colorful, vibrant hues are less common on Instagram today than in years past. Instead, you’re more likely to notice posts with desaturated hues and reduced contrast. Glow levels and highlights have been toned down in favor of gloomy low-light shots.

Home fragrance company Vitruvi will show you how it’s done:

Of course, this effect can be achieved with photography – capture a gloomy scene, get a gloomy photo – but a few color and light level adjustments in the Instagram photo editing app can help soften things up in a pinch.

Download our free Instagram preset set to easily customize the colors and levels of your Instagram photos with a few clicks.

3. Text overlays

It’s no secret that Instagram Stories and Reels have the most action on Instagram these days. And while these formats often include audio, text is an equally common medium here. And now the text appears in the messages on the main feed.

You can quickly add text to a photo or video in compose mode for Stories or Reels using Instagram’s distinctive native fonts. (TikTok offers a similar experience.)

It’s such a handy tool for adding context, jokes, labels, or explanations that we’re starting to see this style being used for memes or screenshot reposts in the main feed as well.

Some big brands like The New York Times use text overlays to expand their reach and reinforce their brand. Their main posts in the feed resemble mini-infographics with text written in a corporate font.

These posts are meant for followers to share their stories – a smart way to increase engagement.

But while some brands may have their own preferred fonts, using Instagram’s built-in fonts gives the posts an authentic vibe.

Don’t you want your followers to look at your deliciously sketchy post and think, “Stars! They are just like us!”?

4. Extreme lighting

While soft natural lighting was all the rage just a few years ago, we are in the midst of a more dramatic lighting phase.

Extreme, high-contrast lighting, in particular, is all the rage for editorial and promotional shots. Welcome to the season of harsh shadows, baby.

Contrasting steak on Chef Molly Baz’s page:

And in the wine popup, Vin Wan’s account too:

If you don’t work with a professional photographer or don’t have access to any fully stocked photo studio, don’t worry. There are many editing tools available to help you simulate this high contrast look.

5. Nostalgia for the 70s (through the 00s)

We are experiencing a moment of nostalgia at the turn of the millennium in fashion, music and pop culture. But the late 90s and early 00s were heavy on 70s nostalgia, so we also see a lot of throwbacks to that great decade.

Graphic design and photography romanticize these low-tech times with grainy high-flash photography (think you’re shooting with a disposable camera), retro-inspired color palettes (orange! It’s back!) and ugly thrift store atmospheres.

This Nike ad campaign conveys that very cool retro vibe with rough and low-quality shots of the star athlete:

Our place creates a filter-free atmosphere with no apologies.

6. Photo dumps

It’s not really an editing trend per se, but take note: Users make the most of Instagram’s carousel feature to casually, irreverently showcase their favorite snaps from an event, vacation, or time period with a “photo dump.”

The Instagram algorithm actually prioritizes carousels, so it’s not bad for brands. And hey, maybe you already use this feature to share up to 10 photos in one post.

But to capitalize on the photo dump trend, the caption needs to be slightly dismissive and vague, and the photos need to be random, unfiltered, and authentic. Think “spring 2022 photo dump”, “Springsteen BTS collection release” and so on.

This is almost the opposite of the standard recommendation to provide details and context in the caption. Instead, the photo junkyard trend is intriguing and exhilarating with the real energy of the “inside joke.” If you think this fits your brand, then go for it.

If you’re ready to start dropping photos, check out our tips for mastering the art of dropping photos here.

7. Consistent color schemes

Photo dumps not quite your style? While some users are still happy to use the main feed as a dumping ground for any shots, many brands still use their main feeds as a more curated showcase, cultivating a common theme or vibe for their account.

A permanent palette dominates fashion brand Eve Gavel ‘s Instagram page …

… Fable cookware, meanwhile, focuses on warm neutrals.

More often than not, you will see brands or creators post photos that match a certain color scheme. Pink is particularly popular, as it has been since millennials first crawled out of the primal mud and evolved to use a smartphone, but you’ll see this irresistible monochrome trend in a variety of hues.

Want to learn more about how to create a “stop ’em on the go”Instagram grid? We hit.

Edit Instagram photos with Hootsuite

Time Saving Tip: You can edit your Instagram photos to achieve all these effects right from your Hootsuite control panel.

No more editing photos on your phone, emailing them to yourself, and then separately uploading them to your social media management platform! The video below shows you how to crop, straighten, apply filters, and more before you schedule your posts.

If any of these Instagram photo editing trends tickle your fancy, we sincerely encourage you to try them out!

If you love the content you create, chances are your audience will too, but there’s no pressure here. Ultimately, Instagram trends will come and go. But quality, engaging content that speaks to your unique audience and their needs is forever.