How to Maintain a Clean White Instagram Theme

how to maintain a white instagram feedThere is nothing more beautiful on Instagram than a cohesive feed.

A clean white Instagram theme is still one of the most popular feeds around and is easily achievable with the right tools!

Creating an Instagram feed that flows nicely is what separates the most successful Instagrammers from the rest – because gorgeous individual photos just aren’t enough anymore in a saturated market.

This guide covers everything you need to know about converting your own IG feed to an all white theme. We’ll cover:

  • Best tools for Instagram
  • The importance of lighting in photos
  • Editing photos for a beautiful white look
  • How and why you need to plan your feed in advance
  • Photo rotation ideas
  • What to post on Instagram and what to save for your IG stories

Keep reading to learn how to change your Instagram color scheme!

Disclosure: This post contains affiliate links and I could earn a small commission if you make a purchase using them. As an Amazon Associate, I earn from qualifying purchases.

How to Maintain a Clean White Instagram Theme

white instagram theme ideasWhite Instagram feed themes are among the most popular for both influencers and businesses.

Your theme helps create a recognizable brand and your followers will appreciate the continuity.

We’ll start with how to shoot Instagram content and continue to photo editing.

Want to increase engagement on your Instagram photos? Then it’s time to invest in some great photo props  – this guide will show you how to build a versatile photo shoot kit for next to nothing.

How to Take Great Photos: Best Tools for Instagram

There are a few things I recommend for all business owners and aspiring influencers:

  • a great camera
  • wireless camera remote
  • tripod
  • studio lighting
  • photo props – especially for flat lays!
  • white foam board

Cameras for Instagram

I use a Sony a6500 and standard 16-50mm lens to take 99% of the images I post on Instagram.

I shoot a combination of active and still life shots, so it works for my needs – I bought it for the in-body image stabilization and touch screen auto-focus.

This makes my photos more accurate and I don’t have to worry about missing any special moments.

It’s also really compact and fits perfectly in a diaper bag!

Before this, I used a Canon T3i – I actually started shooting sponsored content with this camera and only upgraded after my little girl became more and more active.

The Canon T6 is an excellent and affordable entry-level camera for those on a budget – it’s great for low-lighting, offers incredibly vibrant colours, and features built-in Wifi – something the T3i didn’t!

Transferring photos in a couple of clicks is way easier than doing it manually.

Wireless camera remote

I use this one by Foto&Tech for my Sony camera – just keep in mind that it only works with Sony models though.

If you use a Canon though, the JJC wireless remote is the way to go.

A camera remote helps you take selfies when you don’t have the luxury of a photographer – taking photos on your own can also help you build confidence if you find that you’re uncomfortable in front of a camera.

A wireless camera remote is also great for taking top-down photos when you rig your camera to a stand or mount it to the ceiling – something which will create a nice variety of points of view on your feed!

The wireless remote is hidden in my left hand under the book in the photo below 🙂

flat lay photography equipment - top down image of nikki and her husband drinking tea - taken with sony a6500

Tripod

I have two – one for indoor use and one for outdoor use.

For inside, I use a basic one to set up family photos and other lifestyle images – a tripod that will live in doors doesn’t need to be anything fancy!

For outdoors, I have a Joby Gorillapod – again, it fits perfectly into a diaper bag and is easy to use on the go. The legs are also adjustable so you can change it to the perfect height!

instagram content ideas - nikki cleaning a kitchen for a mr clean sponsored campaign

Studio Lighting

This one is a miracle when you’re on a deadline – especially when you have a toddler!

I use two umbrella lights most of the time – they’re compact and really easy to set up and take apart.

My little girl isn’t a fan of me working while she’s awake, so most of my food shots are taken in the evening. This is one I shot on top of my kitchen counter with an umbrella light on both the left and right sides of the plate.

Photo Props for Instagram

You can read all about photo styling here and explore my top picks for taking gorgeous Instagram pictures.

Especially when you’re shooting flat lays, you’ll want to have a photo prop kit – this allows you to fill white space with little add ons like the image below.

This is one of those rare cases where I used my phone – an iPhone 11 Pro Max – to shoot an image of my Sony camera.

Since what I do is mostly blogging and photography, it’s nice to showcase my tools once in a while 🙂

top down instagram photo - flat lay photography tips - tech flat lay photo for instagram featuring computer, camera, books, makeup, and lens

White Foam Boards

If you were to ask me what one thing you should go and buy right now to take better Instagram photos is, you’d probably be surprised to hear me say white foam boards!

These things are so versatile.

Need a white background for a flat lay? White foam board!

Need reflectors to bounce light? White foam board!

Want to hide something? White foam board!

This is one of those things I always have in bulk – I also have a toddler who loves to colour and jump on them when she sees me setting up for a flat lay though, haha!

Just another one of the reasons I shoot a lot in the evenings with studio lights!

More ways to work on your white Instagram feed:

7 Ways to Maintain a Clean White Instagram Theme

(1) Shoot Photos Around the Same Time of Day

Wondering how to get bright white photos?

This is where you need to start!

While it’s often easier said than done (especially for us moms), try and shoot new photos from around 11am-4pm for the most consistent daytime lighting.

Open up the curtains and roll up those blinds to let it all in!

If the weather is friendly, get outside and go to the park or use that white garage door to your advantage 😉 a great background can make all of the difference for a beautiful white Instagram feed!

As I already talked about, studio lights are a great investment and can even be used in addition to natural light – especially when your space doesn’t really let much in.

Pro Tip: Keep in mind that sometimes your favourite shots are taken in the least favourable lighting and location.

Save these special photos for Instagram stories!

In my own experience, I’ve found that Instagram stories can be a great way to promote your account – adding old stories to your Instagram Highlights is also perfect for showing potential new followers what you’re all about in addition to keeping your followers entertained while you are on a hiatus.

For more Instagram stories exposure, be sure to add them to your Highlight reels and create your own custom Instagram Highlight Covers. It helps your brand look more professional and increases clicks!

Plus, tag your location (or the “big city” in your region if you’re at home – for me, this is Vancouver, BC) and use relevant hashtags to get your stories seen by more users.

white instagram feed ideas

(2) Edit All of Your Photos the Same Way

This one is huge and something I have only recently come to see the enormous value of!

I improved my Instagram game dramatically when I started photo editing and today, I use Lightroom exclusively to enhance my photos for a white Instagram theme.

My studio lighting setup for this one is two umbrella lights – one to the right on top of my kitchen counter and one directly in front of us here – it helps make ugly shadows less obvious and the ones that are there disappear after some photo editing.

Related: How to Make Instagram Photos White with Lightroom


side by side comparison of before and after editing with the adobe lightroom mobile app

Above is an example of my editing style – I like to keep images natural while enhancing whites and making bright colours pop. My Instagram feed has a white aesthetic and editing for similar colours keeps things looking consistent.

Since this was a sponsored post for Cascade, it was also incredibly important to make sure the product stood out in my photo while retaining its actual appearance.

I brighten all of my photos and decrease both the highlights and shadows to enhance people and objects for my white Instagram theme.

Then, I’ll do selective editing to maintain natural skin tones while decreasing the saturation of whites, blacks, and greys – in the photo above, you can see my kitchen, and outfit were both impacted by this colour edit.

Ideas related to maintaining a white Instagram feed:

(3) Use the Preview App

This is easily my number pick for Instagram theme apps!

The Preview app allows you to upload any potential photos that you’re thinking of posting on Instagram into the platform to see how they look with your current feed.

By simply logging into your account through the app, you’ll be able to get an overview of how your feed looks and how you should arrange future posts for the most ideal look to your feed – use this planner for Instagram feed theme ideas by arranging and rearranging your Instagram photos until you create the look you want.

For $105.99 US a year (or $10.49 monthly), you can also go Pro to unlock Instagram theme filters for a white look or other Instagram color theme. Pro also gives you access to detailed analytics, hashtag analytics, and a repost option!

I used Pro for a couple of months for the white filter options before I upgraded to Adobe Lightroom and created a custom preset for my white Instagram theme.

Preview also offers a Premium plan that costs $199.99 US a year (or $19.99 monthly) and allows users to login with multiple accounts from multiple devices in addition to including a Backup and Team feature.

Related: Best Apps to Grow Your Instagram Account

white instagram feed ideas - office

(4) Rotate Your Photo Type

Have a Content Plan! Stick to four or five photo types and rotate between them.

For example, (1) Kids, (2) Flatlay, (3) Mom and Babes, (4) Home Decor.

Sticking to a theme and certain arrangement not only helps clean up your feed though, it can also actually help you plan and create engaging high quality content.

Since I’ve established an order for my posts, I’ve found myself looking for things to photograph for flatlays and home decor while my little one takes her naps! Once you’ve accumulated plenty of gorgeous material, it also makes posting regularly a breeze.

(5) Only Post Your Best Photos

Reflecting on Disney’s Bambi for wisdom, if you don’t have top quality material to post, don’t post anything at all!

There isn’t anything worse than a grainy cell phone photo to ruin a gorgeous, clean, and consistent white Instagram feed.

Not only will you surprise your followers by not adhering to the high standards you’ve built for yourself, you could actually lose some in the process.

Your fan base is yours for a reason!

Be consistent and show them what they love so you can continue to engage and grow every day.

5 hand drawn black hearts as a banner

Hope these tips for achieving and maintaining a gorgeous white Instagram theme have inspired you to reach even higher and smash those Instagram goals!

Which one of these Instagram theme ideas did you need most?

For Instagram photo ideas and inspiration, be sure to follow me on Pinterest and check out Instagram photo ideas board.

I constantly pin IG inspiration and want to help you succeed with social media too. It’s easier that it seems!

Thanks for reading, friends!

text reads nikki xo

2 thoughts on “How to Maintain a Clean White Instagram Theme”

  1. Thank you for these tips! I just created a new Instagram for my blog and have been struggling to find a cohesive look and with what to post in general. I love the four post rotation idea and I will definitely be checking out Lightroom cc! Thanks again!

    Reply
    • You’re very welcome, Marissa 🙂 I’m so glad you enjoyed this post and the rotation idea! It can do wonders for your overall feed appearance. Lightroom is the most convenient and best all-around photo editing app for Instagram that I’ve ever used! The flexibility to edit photos on both my phone and desktop is wonderful!

      Reply

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