Photo Dumping On Instagram – How To Curate The Perfect Photo Dump
by Lauren Sanchez
This article was written by The Zillennial Zine’s fall editorial intern Lauren Sanchez. Find her on Instagram at @lauren.sanchezz. If you would like to share an article with The Zillennial, send us an email at thezillennialzine@gmail.com.
People are obsessed with wanting to make Instagram #CasualAgain and are using the trend of photo dumps to bring it back. Instead of flooding IG feeds with over-filtered photos, professional-looking shots and photoshopped-to-the-max selfies, users are bringing back a certain kind of “normal” when it comes to posting on Instagram. In place of these photos, they post pictures of whatever they want without feeling pressured to conform to certain algorithms or trends to gain followers and likes.
The photo dump trend on Instagram is a digital scrapbook-like curation of random photos that aren’t supposed to make sense sequentially. Instead of posting one single moment, a photo dump captures an array of small yet meaningful events, things and memories that are special to the particular user. And this photo dump trend has captured the attention of millions of users and even celebrities.
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I am all for making Instagram casual again– instead of focusing on likes and social popularity, positing whatever I want about whatever is going on in my life makes me view my social persona in a much healthier and freer light. And photo dumps are easily one of the best ways to not only step up your Instagram game but a great way to embrace your creativity and show everyone the moments in life that are meaningful to you. So if you want to partake in the trend and don’t know necessarily how to start or what to take photos of, here’s a guide on how to curate the perfect photo dump and what types of photos to include.
Start With A Selfie Or Picture Of You
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Who doesn’t like to post a picture of themselves? This part of the dump can be as simple as a mirror selfie in your bathroom or as extravagant as a picture of you looking over the New York City skyline on top of the Empire State Building. A hint for this type of picture: try to make it look as candid as possible! Try giving off a “caught off guard” type of attitude or try facing away from the camera to maximize the casualness of the aesthetic.
Add A Bouquet Of Flowers
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Flea markets, flower shops or even the flower section of Trader Joe’s, flowers will always make a great addition to the photo dump. Not only are they extremely vibrant and can add a pop of color to your photo carousel, but they make a great filler photo if you want more things to include in the dump. And flowers are one of the easiest things to photograph because they are everywhere!
Dinner With The Besties
Of course, you can’t have a photo dump without including your best friends! One of my favorite activities that I like to do with my friends is get dressed up, go to dinner and take pictures of us with our food, clinking our glasses of wine and vibing to the chaotic energy of a fully packed restaurant. And dinner with your best friends allows you to take a ton of pictures of small moments throughout the night– whether that’d be taking a picture of the best bread and butter you’ve ever had, laughing candidly at a joke your friend said or the demolishment of a slice of chocolate cake you all split for dessert.
A Fit Check
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Consider yourself to be a fashionista? You’ll definitely want to consider posting a fit check of your outfit in your photo dump. A fit check can help you be creative with your fashion choices and/or post a picture of a favorite item of clothing you got recently. Whether that’d be showing off a new pair of earrings, a funky hat or an outfit that you are proud of styling, a fit check would make a great addition to the dump.
Coffee Break, Please!
If you’re like me and cannot survive without a daily cup of coffee, then this one is certainly for you. Coffee posts are also another great addition to the dump. Getting a good cup of joe at your local cafe, admiring the latte art your barista made for you or posing with your iced coffee as you rummage through bookshelves can easily make a moment like this worthy of being captured.
Sunset Lover Forever
Sunsets are easily one of the prettiest things to ever exist on this planet. The orange, red and yellow colors and how the sky looks like cotton candy– how could you not think sunsets are beautiful? And with the sun setting a bit differently each day, you are guaranteed to have a unique photo of the sunset to add to your photo collection. Plus, they add a great nature vibe to the dump and a pop of color that photoshop could never create!
Let’s Get Blurry!
Haven’t you heard? When it comes to defying the norms of Instagram-worthy pictures, high-quality pictures are out and blurry ones are in. Blurry pictures definitely add to the casual and being caught off guard aesthetic, and can turn out really cool if done well.
A Current Book You Are Reading
For those who consider themselves to be bookworms, this one is for you. If you’re someone who likes to read a lot, cute pictures of the book you are currently reading can be a great photo opportunity. And if you like to read a lot, think of all of these photos as a little documentation of all the books you have read so far!
Film Is In And Here To Stay
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With the rise of film in recent years, the whole film aesthetic not only adds a nostalgic factor but a great artistic one as well. Film photos can be of anything which allows you to have as much freedom as you want with this. And if you don’t have a film camera, apps like DazzCam and Dispo create stunning and realistic film photos!
All in all, anything you consider artsy or worthy of photography can make a great addition to your photo dump. Photo dumps have absolutely no restraints. They are completely curated by you and based on your aesthetic and vibe. And with this little guide of how to curate pictures for a photo dump, you will be one step closer to mastering the photo-dumping trend on Instagram. But in the meantime, let’s start making Instagram a bit more casual again and happy creating!
What do you think about the photo-dumping trend on Instagram? What types of pictures are you going to add to your photo dump? Let us know in the comments below!