We’ve all been there. You’re scrolling through Instagram filters trying to decide what looks best on your photo of your cityscape view from the office. Lo-Fi? Hudson? They all look good! You settle on your first choice, add a witty caption, geo-tag it and voila! It’s published. Then the sinking feeling sets, in... you totally should have gone with Sutro! Here’s my guide to Instagram filters, helping you avoid that Insta-regret.
Each filter actually works best with certain types of photos, the trick is finding out which to use.
Amaro: Amaro’s increased exposure makes the colors a little harsher. It looks best with darker photos, and makes them look like they’ve aged out in the sun.
Rise: Rise adds a warm, golden glow to your snapshot so it’s perfect for making a beach look sunnier and your pale winter skin tanner.
Hudson: The icy cool tint is great for highlighting shadows. Use it on modern architecture to make buildings and cityscapes look sleek.
X-Pro II: High contrast and sharp edges make colors pop with X-Pro II. It looks good on a lot of different types of photos, so channel your inner Andy Warhol and make a dramatic collage.
Sierra: The name is the key to remembering this high exposure, low contrast filter. Sierra is made for landscapes and will wash out human skin tones.
Lo-Fi: Comparable to an auto-enhance tool, Lo-Fi makes photos more saturated and warmer. It’s best for making your food pics look mouth-watering good.
Early Bird: This sepia tone filter makes photos look like they’re straight out of an old time Western. Use it on landscapes and shots of your hipster friends.
Sutro: Perfect for punk groupies, Sutro essentially darkens the photo by burning the edges and dramatizing shadows and highlights. It makes any picture look Gothic and edgy.
Toaster: Like a sunspot on the middle of screen, Toaster adds a burnt, aged quality to photos. It’s best used when you want to highlight something or someone in the center of the frame.
Brannan: Brannan combines metallic tint, high exposure and contrast to give a shadowy-sepia tone to pictures. It adds drama to still-life portraits.
Inkwell: How is it that everyone looks better in black and white? If you’re totally stumped by all other options, this monochromatic filter is a safe choice.
Walden: Walden’s soft light and yellow tint has a way of making things look cuter. Use it on puppies, babies and anything else that makes you say “Awww!”
Hefe: Hefe is much like Lo-Fi but with a lower saturation. It helps enhance pictures with already vibrant colors like food or bright flowers.
Valencia: This subtle filter fades out color without washing it out completely. It looks good with stills like houses and buildings.
Nashville: Nashville’s warm, almost pinkish filter make you look at the world through rose-colored glasses. Use it on romantic pictures of you and your partner watching sunsets.
1977: Like the name suggests, this filter makes photos look like they’re in your parents’ photo albums from the 70s. It’s best used on close-ups of three-dimensional objects.
Kelvin: Kelvin’s warm temperature and high saturation can be hit or miss. It works best on photos with lots of light, giving it that late, summery feel.
Annie Johnson
