Lifestyle
The Top Photo Editing Trends This Summer Will Give Your Instas A Sun-Kissed Glow
by Marisa Casciano

The warm weather brings a ton of new inspiration for social media that you'll want to get on board with ASAP. If you're anything like me, you're obsessed with Instagram, and follow all of those travel and lifestyle bloggers who always create such amazing #content. The summer 2018 photo editing trends on Instagram will have your feed looking just as lovely.

This summer, you're showing off your adventures. You're documenting every beach day and s'more with a sweet snap, and making sure your followers know you're living your best life. All of the best editing apps for Instagram have been downloaded to your phone, and you're figuring out just how to enhance those blues and pinks to create your own cohesive social media style. Yes, some may say you're extremely dedicated to perfecting your Instagram, but bloggers are basically doing the same. So, it's OK, right?

Personally, I don't see one problem with it, and can always be caught reworking a picture in Lightroom for hours on end. Sometimes, it's necessary to put down the screen. But when it comes to the photo editing trends on Instagram this season, you'll want to pull out your phone and get with the 'Gram.

01The Warm Preset

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Warm weather means your 'Gram needs to look a little sun-kissed. The colors need to be bright and have a slight pink and yellow tone, and if there's a scoop of ice cream in the shot, it wouldn't be so bad. Think of it this way: Your social media has to capture the essence of summer.

You may have heard of editing presets by now. But if not, essentially, they're like filters for your photos that can be used within the Adobe Lightroom app on your phone. If you use them consistently, your feed ends up looking very cohesive, and a lot of the tough editing work is done for you, too. Bloggers such as Aspyn Ovard and Jaci Marie Smith have preset packs you can purchase. They're my favorite for landing this warm look, particularly for summer.

02The Polaroid

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Will Polaroids ever go out of style? Honestly, in summertime, this vintage-inspired editing trend always comes back around. Yes, you could post your photo in the shape of an average square. But, this trend is exactly what your feed needs to look a bit more fun and flirty for the sunniest season of the year.

Currently, I've seen this look within Instagram stories, and also directly on people's feeds. There's a feature on the Unfold app you can use to get the frame. I'll throw a photo I took by the beach into it, and then just crop it accordingly for a good 'Gram.

03The Soft Fade

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Give your photo a soft fade for summer, if you're looking to be on trend in the social media world. You can do this right in Instagram or VSCO, or mess with the lighting curves in Lightroom to get that slight haze in the sky. Truth is, it just makes your photos warmer and gives them more of an approachable feel. There are no harsh edges or sharpened details, and even bits of contrast aren't as bold.

Especially for those sunset photos or any shot with a lot of different colors, this fade can create a consistent tone. It'll blend the ocean into the clouds, making every picture feel sort of like a daydream.

04The Teal And Orange Look

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Have you heard of golden hour? Well, with the teal and orange editing trend, every photo looks like it was taken in the perfect glow of a sunset. You can capture this coloring with a preset, or you could manipulate the shadows and highlights yourself to get the ideal 'Gram. You'll tend to see this trend used mostly by bloggers such as Lauren Bullen and Hailey Marie.

Although your photos will look like they've been edited, it'll bring out the artsy side in you this summer for sure. After all, you've already been booking trips like a blogger, and you'll definitely want to pull out those teals in the water of Bali.

05The Overexposed 'Gram

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Summer is the brightest season of the year, and not just because of the sunshine. Yes, there's a lot of light shining through the windows and creating the perfect atmosphere for selfies. But, people's moods are also a lot more positive, and that can be captured with the overexposed trend.

This look essentially means you're making your photos brighter. You're eliminating a lot of the shadows, and bumping up the highlights and whites to be a lot bolder. As a result, any details tend to have a lot of contrast, and the entire picture just pops on your feed. When your followers are scrolling, they will surely stop to give you a like for another stunning 'Gram.

06The Sharpened (And Adventurous) Shot

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Where some people are fading their colors this summer, others are enhancing the details in their very earthy-inspired photos. They're pulling out the leaves, and single streams of a waterfall with just a bit of sharpening, and boosting the contrast a bit, too. This look is particularly good for your most adventurous shots, where you want to enhance the Earth and all of its natural beauty.

Truth is, this summer you'll be taking road trips and possibly going hiking with your besties. You've been planning on getting to the Grand Canyon's most secret spots, and hitting up a few national parks along the way. The best way to capture them for social media is with this trend.