How to make a good instagram profile picture
7 Tips for Choosing Your Instagram Profile Picture in 2022
Instagram Tips & Resources
By Alyssa Gagliardi
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Updated on August 30, 2022
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7 minute read
Make your next profile picture a scroll-stopper 📸
Published April 1, 2022
They say a picture is worth a thousand words.
And when your Instagram profile picture is the first thing that tells your story, first impressions count.
Ready to make yours stand out?
We’re sharing seven tips for choosing the perfect Instagram profile picture — plus how to change it in a few easy steps.
How to Change Your Profile Picture on InstagramBefore we dive into all the tips and tricks, here’s a quick refresh for replacing your current Instagram profile picture with a new, standout image.
First, go to your Instagram profile and tap “Edit Profile.” Then select “Change profile picture.”
Next, you’ll be prompted to choose where you’d like to import your new profile picture from or if you’d like to take a photo on the spot. You can even use an avatar:
Once you’ve located the photo you’d like to use, you can crop it using the circle overlay.
Then simply tap “Done,” and admire your new profile picture!
FYI: Later is a social media scheduling tool trusted by over 4M businesses, creators, and social media managers. Plan and automatically publish your Instagram posts with Later – sign up for free today:
7 Tips for Choosing Your Instagram Profile PictureYour Instagram profile picture is the first image that tells visitors who you are and what you do.
Here are seven tips for making a lasting impression:
Use a Headshot or Brand Logo
Choose a Clear High-resolution Image
Crop the Perfect Size
Incorporate an Eye-catching Pop of Color
Favor Good Lighting
Use Contrast to Stand Out
Factor In Your Brand Identity
When it comes to social branding, your profile picture is what people recognize most.
If you’re a company or product-based business, you’ll want to ensure that everyone who lands on your Instagram page is quickly introduced to who you are. So, have your logo front and center.
On the other hand, if you’re an influencer, creator, or offer a personal service — such as a photographer, or life coach — you might want to use a headshot.
Why? Because you are the main aspect of your brand, and you should introduce yourself to visitors right off the bat.
But if a headshot isn’t your vibe, that’s cool too — lifestyle photos are the next best thing to communicate your brand. Keep it authentic!
Take creator Alexandra Nikolajev for example, whose profile picture features her hanging out in her comfy clothes (spot the pup!).
This day-in-the-life photo fits perfectly with the casual nature of her feed.
It may sound simple, but using a headshot, logo, or lifestyle photo can help make your brand more recognizable on Instagram.
When it comes to choosing a high-resolution image, the rule of thumb is: the higher the number of pixels, the larger the image.
If it’s too big, it’ll be blurry. So, 110 x 110 pixels is the sweet spot.
It’s okay to float a little above, but try not to go too high as Instagram will compress your image.
Take a look at drag queen Kim Chi’s headshot for the resolution you’ll want to aim for.
To check the resolution of your image, there are a few ways to do it. iPhone, Macbook, and PC users — check out this guide!
Tip #3: Crop the Perfect SizeWhen it comes to your profile picture, there’s not a ton of space to work with.
Instagram profile photos are circular, so it’s best to use images with an aspect ratio of 1:1.
A subject that’s too far away, or awkwardly cropped, won’t do much for instant brand recognition.
With that in mind, if you’re a creator, crop from the shoulders up so you’re at the forefront of the frame.
See how content creator DonYe Taylor embodies an ideal profile stance:
If you’re using a company logo or product, the same rules apply. Keep to the center and be sure to use a clear, high-res image, just like Mailchimp:
NOTE: Be mindful that your profile picture shows up small in Instagram’s Home feed. So unless text is bold and easy to read, stick to imagery.
You can crop your Instagram content to the perfect size when scheduling posts with Later. Try it on desktop or mobile for free, now!
Tip #4: Incorporate an Eye-catching Pop of ColorColor can be a powerful communication tool used to convey a mood or show your personality.
So if you want to stand out from the crowd, consider adding a vibrant pop of color to your Instagram profile picture.
This could be through clothing, a background, a product, or text. Not only does this grab a user’s attention, but, with the right shade, your image will visually pop alongside other accounts.
See how blogger and dentist Josie Dental uses a burst of neon in her profile picture:
Experiment with different variations of color to see what works best — just remember to stick to your overall Instagram aesthetic.
TIP: Curating your feed aesthetic alongside your profile picture is a great way to sell your value and entice followers right from the jump.
Later’s Visual Planner makes it super easy to see how your feed will look in advance:
This way, you can make sure upcoming content fits in seamlessly with your existing Instagram content.
Tip #5: Favor Good LightingLighting can make a subtle but big difference to the quality of your profile photo, making it more eye-catching and appealing.
*Blurry, grainy visuals need not apply*
When shooting a profile picture, opt for a location that’s well lit with natural light (during the daytime, if possible) and avoid harsh shadows.
Turn to digital creator Vic Styles for inspo:
If natural light is hard to come by though, no sweat.
Artificial lighting, such as a ring light, is the go-to for many content creators because it provides continuous and balanced lighting.
Tip #6: Use Contrast to Stand OutWhile you can always play it safe with a neutral backdrop, juxtaposing color and creating contrast has the power to stop users in their tracks.
Just take a look at the contrast in Qveen Herby’s Instagram profile picture:
Her matchup of blue, red, and white makes her photo visually pop.
Play around by mixing and matching colors and textures (that represent your brand) to create contrast in your headshot or company logo.
Keep in mind, you want to strike a balance with standing out — through bold colors, or a feature wall — without detracting from the focus of the image.
Your profile picture should be selling you (or your logo), not the backdrop.
Tip #7: Factor In Your Brand IdentityYour Instagram profile picture is a small, yet mighty component to your Instagram bio.
It’s a key visual opportunity to introduce what you’re all about, and can serve as an extension of your content.
Digital creator Kay knows what she’s doing. With soft tones front and center, you can gauge her warm, cozy aesthetic right away.
If you’re known for bright pops of color, steer clear of dark, moody photos for your Instagram profile picture — it will feel ingenuine and send visitors mixed signals about your brand.
TIP: Keeping the same picture across all platforms makes it easier for followers to find you and identify with your content.
And that’s it!
A perfect Instagram profile picture is the first step in getting your brand off the ground. The next step? Adding a customized landing page to the link in your Instagram bio.
With Linkin.bio by Later, you can create a fully customizable mini-website for your link in bio — so you can continue your brand experience and drive traffic to your latest campaigns, blog posts, products, and beyond.
Whether you’re an influencer, creator, or business, pairing a strong profile picture with an on-brand link in bio landing page can elevate your brand identity, encourage new followers, and attract those all-important clicks.
Ready to drive more traffic from Instagram? Join Later today to create a customized link in bio landing page with your brand colors!
About the Author
Alyssa Gagliardi
Alyssa is a Toronto-based creative writer and Content Marketer at Later. If you can’t reach her, she’s probably glueing gems to her face or thrifting. Keep up with her nonsense on Instagram – @alygeethnx.
Plan, schedule, and automatically publish your social media posts with Later.
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How to Create the Perfect Instagram Profile Picture (8 Do's and Don'ts)
Planning and perfecting your Instagram profile picture may seem like a lot of work, but trust us – it pays off.
Your profile pic is your calling card and the first thing Instagram users look at when visiting your profile. So, it’s important to get it right!
We’re here to help. In this article, you’ll find:
- How to Change Your Profile Picture on Instagram
- 8 Rules to Live By For the Best Instagram Profile Pictures
- Personal Photo or Brand Photo?
- How to Format Your Photos
- How to Make Your Brand Stand Out
You’ll find all of that and more below! Read on for the 8 must-know rules of Instagram profile photos. 📸
Instagram Profile Picture Size and Dimensions
How to Change Your Profile Picture on Instagram
8 Rules to Live By For the Best Instagram Profile Pictures
Instagram Profile Picture Size and DimensionsBefore you begin planning your Instagram profile pic, knowing Instagram profile picture dimensions is crucial.
You want your photo as clear and high quality as possible!
The profile photo displays 110 x 110 pixels on mobile devices, and 180 x 180 pixels on desktop.
It also displays as a circle, so you’ll want to upload a square photo with a 1:1 aspect ratio. A photo of 200 x 200 pixels is a safe size to upload for clear quality.
How to Change Your Profile Picture on InstagramThese are the steps you take to add a new shot, or to change your Instagram profile picture!
- Open Instagram app
- Navigate to your Instagram profile
- Click Edit Profile (under your Instagram bio)
- Tap Change Profile Photo
Here, you have some options for changing your profile photo. You can:
- Opt to remove your current profile picture
- Import a photo from Facebook to use
- Take a photo on your mobile device’s camera
- Choose from your camera roll
As you select your desired photo, you’ll see a circle cropping overlay on the screen.
Move the picture around and zoom in until it’s centered the way you want it, then click Done!
Start a Free Trial of Tailwind for Instagram!
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- Optimize every post for more engagement with SmartSchedule and Hashtag Finder.
- Automatically hide your post’s hashtags in the first comment to keep your caption clean & clutter-free.
- Make your posts more discoverable with user tagging & location tagging.
- Analyze what's working across every post and profile with smart analytics.
No credit card required
8 Rules to Live By For the Best Instagram Profile PicturesThese are Tailwind’s expert tips for choosing cute Instagram profile pictures that work with your brand and Instagram aesthetic!
These tips are good to keep in mind for profile pictures on any social media platforms. In fact, you should consider using the same profile picture for all of your branded social media networks.
First, you’ll need to decide whether a photo of yourself or a brand logo or icon makes the most sense for your Instagram account.
Some things to consider:
A logo makes sense for business accounts with multiple owners or employees. It’s also easily recognizable in the feed and in Instagram Stories to your loyal followers!
Types of businesses that benefit from a logo profile image:
- Retail
- Media
- Professional Services
A personal photo makes sense for a brand or business built around just yourself.
Types of businesses that benefit from a photo profile image:
- Bloggers
- Lifestyle photographers
- Influencers
- Solopreneurs
DON’T Use an Off-Center Photo Playful angles and creative shots work great in your regular Instagram photos but can make cropping and centering your profile pic difficult.
Remember, you’ll need to upload a 1:1 square that is then cropped into a circle for your Instagram profile picture.
3. DO Choose a Photo with Good Lighting and Clear ContrastTo get an eye-catching profile shot, you’ll want the focus of your photo (whether it’s a headshot or a logo) to be centered and as large as possible in that limited space.
Muted, subtle shades in Instagram profile pictures can be hard to make out in a thumbnail unless there’s a clear difference between the background and the subject.
You can use all white, all black, or any color that your outfit (and you) pop against!
4. DON’T Choose a Trendy Photo You’ll Have to Update FrequentlyWith Instagram challenges taking off, it seems like theming your profile photo after seasons, holidays or current events is a good way to get in on the fun.
However, in the long run, this just means you’ll be switching out your photo more frequently. Who has time for that?
Followers also can identify your brand from your profile pic, so changing it often can cause followers to get confused and not view as many of your stories, etc.
5. DO Take Your Aesthetic and Profession Into AccountStick with a photo or a logo that’s timeless, and requires updating only every once and a while.
A picture is worth a thousand words, and your profile picture is your first calling card to new and potential followers.
Make sure it clearly conveys the aesthetic of your Instagram posts and Instagram Stories and communicates what you do!
For example, photographers might hold a camera as a prop, or a baking blogger might hold a mixing bowl or a scrumptious dessert.
Your Instagram profile photo color palette should also match the brand colors that show up most prominently in your feed.
You can even add an extra snap to your profile by changing your Instagram bio fonts and keeping them aligned with your brand too!
Refresher: your profile pic is a 110 x 110 circle on mobile, and a 180 x 180 circle on desktop. In the feed, it’s a tiny 40 x 40 circle!
That’s a small space, and it makes the full body and distance shots almost impossible to make out.
So when you take your profile picture, focus on framing your head and shoulders in the shot.
7. DO Crop and Resize Your Photo Before UploadingPro tip: If you’re using a logo and your brand name is particularly long, think about using initials or a recognizable icon in your signature brand Instagram color palette to save space and create a recognizable detail.
You can save yourself a lot of headaches by preparing your photos before you upload them.
Crop your photo into a square (and resize if necessary.
) 200 x 200 works great! We wouldn’t suggest over 500 x 500 at max, as IG will compress the image.
By doing this, you can double-check centering and framing to ensure important details aren’t lost when your new profile picture displays in the Instagram circle frame.
8. DON’T Take Only One ShotYou may be tempted to call it one and done, but take at least 5-10 different options for your profile photo. Test different props, expressions, and poses to find what brings your personal branding on Instagram to life.
Plus, if you don’t want to use the same photo across all your social media channels, you can use some of these other shots!
Just remember to make sure your profile pic doesn’t clash with cover photos on your other social media channels (think LinkedIn and Facebook!)
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90,000 how to make an art avatar for instagram ➤ step -by -stepmenu
Content
- 1 art Avatar for Instagram
- 2 How to make an art avatar on Instagram
- 3 Programs for art avatar on Instagram
- 4 Photo Avatar on Instagrams on Instagram
Popular Instagram accounts often use a stylized portrait instead of a standard photo to attract attention.
Art avatars on Instagram attract attention in the story and feed, so these bloggers can get more coverage.
You don't have to be a Photoshop pro to create an art avatar. Our instruction will show step by step how to do it easily and quickly.
Instagram Avatar Art
Instagram Avatar can attract or repel potential followers. Also, the profile photo indirectly shows what this page will be about.
When choosing your main photo, think ahead so that your Instagram ava shows the essence of the blog before you go to the page. Here are little hints for this:
- If you sell cakes, put a photo of your creations on your ava.
- For a personal blog, a waist-length photo or just a face is ideal. Large juicy shots attract attention.
- When promoting a new brand on Instagram, you do not need to put its name or logo on the main profile photo. Words won't say or explain anything. We advise you to choose a picture that demonstrates goods or services.
- Choose a photo of good quality, with bright colors and try to foresee its combination with the color scheme of your account.
How to make an art profile picture on Instagram
Need an art style photo for your main Instagram photo? Several options for how to do this:
- Order a portrait stylization from a digital artist. Use the resulting image for Ava on Instagram.
- Find a web designer for social networks and also order an art transformation. To do this, choose initially good and high-quality photos.
- Learn Photoshop on your own for this and make your fantasies come true. But this is a long time and Photoshop is not for everyone.
- Take a ready-made art portrait from a photo stock. There you can easily choose an image for both men and women.
- Use our life hacks and tips on how to transform your art avatar for Instagram.
Programs for art avatars on Instagram
In which programs and services can I make a beautiful drawn ava for Instagram?
- Canva. Canva's creative editing software is available in both mobile and web formats. A huge number of ready-made templates are used to create endless tapes. Canvas offers a wide range of unusual designs.
We offer special conditions for our readers and subscribers, follow the link and get 30 days of the PRO version for free ✔️
Canva has a huge selection of ready-made templates that adapt to any requirement.
- Art Filter. The service specializes in creating art pictures from any source. There are many options for improving the original images. The program is intuitive for the user.
- PicsArt. Application for smartphones on Android and iOS with interesting functionality.
To get the most out of your experience, pay for a low-cost subscription. Pixart will help transform your videos too. A huge selection of filters, stickers and add-ons, collages for Instagram, ready-made post designs and Stories.
- Adobe Photoshop. Did you know that this is not only a desktop program, but also a mobile application? Yes, it takes time and patience to understand the possibilities. But if you are ready to plunge into the intricacies of professional visual processing, Adobe Photoshop will become indispensable for the realization of fantasies.
Photo stocks for Instagram art avatars
For those who don't want to download new applications on their phones, we offer a list of good photo stocks. There is a huge amount of creativity on these sites. There is also the right style, cool composition, unusual format. In this case, the photos will be of excellent quality.
You might be wondering how to find copyright-free music for stories.
Purchased photos can be used for further processing and creating your own creatives. Keep in mind that many stocks with quality content are not free. More precisely, they only allow a few downloads for free.
- The famous shutterstock.com
- pexels.com
- images.google.com. To use the picture you like without fear of copyright infringement, add filters when searching. Under the search bar, click on the word "Tools".
In "Use Rights" select one of the last two options. These photos can be used anywhere.
Avatar is the face of your Instagram profile. Therefore, it is important to make sure that the avatar attracts future subscribers and customers. Be creative and stand out!
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Ava on Instagram: how to make a profile photo, how to view, change
Profile photo on Instagram is an important element of the page, it is important when promoting and perceiving the account as a whole.
In the article we will tell you what options for avatars are, what is better to put and how to make a beautiful avatar for Instagram in a circle using a free photo editor.
Advertising: 2VtzqwCpaPT
Read also : How to promote an Instagram account from scratch
Instagram profile photo sizes and what is better to put
Recommended size for Instagram ava is from 110×110 px, aspect ratio is 1:1 (square photo). After uploading, the photo is cropped into a circle. You don’t have to bother with cropping and resizing photos, but you can’t go wrong with one of the square photos of posts sized 1080 × 1080 px.
Tip : don't choose photos with a lot of small details, they still won't be visible on a small avatar. It is better to choose a photo where there is one central element - an object or a close-up of a face.
Photo ideas for ava
Understanding what is best to use as ava.
For commercial accounts :
- logo.
- a thing or interior that reflects the type of activity, for example, if you have a cafe, you can put a photo of the establishment on your ava, if you sell key chains, let there be a key chain on the profile picture.
1 of 3
For bloggers is a bright photo from life or a close-up photo of a face.
For experts is a business photo showing the expert's face.
For the photographer - photo with a camera.
For the account of pet , his photo must be his profile picture.
For creative team — team photo.
For girls :
- dress photo;
- from rest;
- with a bouquet of flowers;
- with a pet;
- with a guy.
Boys :
- sportswear;
- photos from work;
- next to the car;
- hobbies;
- photos with friends.
More ideas :
- processing in the editor (there are additional elements in the photo, for example, an object in the background, geometric shapes)
- black and white
- 3D photo or photo in a circle. The person seems to go beyond the avatar, an interesting 3D effect is obtained
- art
- cartoon AVA
3D cartoon AVA:
In the style of watercolor drawing
- charismatic photo to show the nature of
- family photo (more suitable for girls , but men also sometimes put on an avatar).
- sports photo
- part of the face
- photo where the face is not visible
from the back:
Option, when a person is closed with hands
- a photo showing the type of activity
Race champion on a motorcycle
Coach in eastern martial arts
- romantic romantic - romantic photo, relevant for those who have a paired account or who want to show their marital status
- a photo with a solid background
- a dark photo with subdued light
- Photos in the form (they like to set themselves military, police, firefighters to emphasize their status)
- Photo with a shadow of
- Duotone effect
- gliti effect
9000 - photo with a slogan (relevant during socially important events, such photos are posted on the profile picture to express their civic position).
How to make a beautiful Instagram mug art avatar
We show how to quickly style an avatar for Instagram.
Step 1 . We stylize the photo.
Use any photo editor with filters. For a smartphone, you can download Picsart, Pixlab, PicsKit, PicShot and others. We will do it on a computer, the free online editor Photomania.net will do.
Select a suitable filter, for example, Tintbrush from the Painting section (stylized as a drawing with paints).
You can make a solid fill with a filter or select the desired fragments with a brush. The intensity of the effect can be adjusted. In this example, the intensity is at maximum.
Save the photo to your computer.
We get this photo.
Step 2 . Adding a circle in Canva.
Go to the Canva editor, we need a square. Since the original photo has a size of 600x900 px, you can make the square a little larger - 700x700 px, the size is set in the "Custom Sizes" section.
While we have just a white square, we need to add a mask with a circle. We go to the "Elements", go down to the "Frames" section and select the circle.
The circle turns out to be small; Align to the center.
Now we need to place our photo in the circle. We go to "Downloads" and upload our stylized photo from the computer.
Now drag the photo into the circle.
You can add an additional frame around the circle, again go to the "Elements", and select not a mask, but a circle shape.
The frame should be slightly larger than the main photo, to make it easier to adjust the size, you can make the circle transparent.
Add a color for the frame and remove the transparency.
The colored circle needs to be moved to the background behind the photo, right-click on the circle and select "Send to Back" or "Move Back".
It turns out such a frame. Save the photo, click "Download".
You can make not a solid color frame, but a gradient one, you can also add not only a circle, but also objects of other shapes. Go to "Elements" and scroll down to the "Gradients" section or type in the search for the word gradient.
There are many objects of different shapes. All colors are customizable, you can change the size and orientation of the shapes. We got several options for the avatar.
Step 3. We put it in the profile - we show it in the next section (How to put a photo or picture on an ava on Instagram).
How to make a photo in a circle with a 3D effect
The essence of such an avatar is that part of your photo should go slightly beyond the circle and then the effect of a 3D avatar is obtained.
There are several ways to take such a photo, we show ours. First you need to choose a photo. We advise you to find or specifically take a photo on a plain background - such a background will be easier to remove.
Then you need a program or application that removes the background. You can use Photoshop or any other software, we will take Teorex PhotoScissors. We add a photo there. With a green brush, select what needs to be left, with a red brush, then - what to remove. The program is convenient because there is no need to select the entire object - just mark the colors.
Click "Cut".
We finalize the details and save the photo with transparency in PNG format. It is not necessary to bring the photo to the ideal, since the profile picture on Instagram is still small and small errors will not be evident.
Go to Canva, again make a white square as in the previous example and add a circle mask there.
Paste the original photo with the background into the mask.
You can add a small border (Elements - Gradients).
Now load a photo of a person with no background on top of all layers. The task is to make part of the photo go beyond the circle, sometimes you need to slightly increase the photo with transparency.
It turns out such an interesting effect.
How to put a photo or picture on Instagram ava
On the phone
Open your Instagram account, click on the "Edit profile" button.
At the very top above the name and nickname is a circle, click on it.
Then New Profile Photo.
You can take a photo or upload from the gallery. If the photo is prepared in advance and taken in the correct aspect ratio (1:1 square), then the avatar is immediately cropped into an even circle. You can enlarge or reduce the photo, for example, make the main elements in the mug larger. When everything is ready, click "Next".
You can apply a filter to a photo or edit it. In the editor, you can work on alignment, brightness, contrast, saturation, color, add shadows, blur or sharpen. When finished working on the photo, click "Next" again.
On a computer
On a computer, everything is a little simpler - open your profile and click on the avatar itself.
Then click "Upload photo", the rest of the steps are repeated as in the previous paragraph.
How to change your avatar
To change your photo, use the same sequence of steps as when you first set your avatar — go to "Edit profile" and click "Change profile photo".
Tip : do not change photos too often, firstly, it annoys subscribers, and secondly, you may not be recognized. It is better to immediately choose a good photo, with the expectation that it will stand on the avatar for several months. Then you can replace it with something else.
Article in the topic : How to beautifully design a page on Instagram
How to view the avatar in full size
You can’t see the avatar photo in full size on Instagram - if you click on it, nothing happens. But there is a free third-party service that solves this problem - Gramotool. You need to enter the user's nickname in the input field and press Enter.
By the way, in this application you can also watch stories and highlights anonymously.
The web version of the service may be unstable, so it is better to download the Gramotool application to your smartphone right away.
Search works in the application - you can enter the whole nickname or the first letters, and then select the desired account in the list.
Open the desired account. There are 3 sections - Stories, Highlights and Avatar. We need an avatar.
A full-size photo opens and can be downloaded to your phone.
Why this function is needed:
- just curious to see the full photo;
- I want to see the details of a successful avatar in order to make a similar one;
- need to understand how to properly crop a photo for an avatar.
Conclusion
Choosing an ava for Instagram should be approached responsibly - you shouldn't put anything on the photo, because this is the face of your profile.
