Emily Blackwood, author at the Backlight blog

How to use iPhone Portrait mode for near-professional portraits: Header image

How to use Portrait mode on iPhone for near-professional portraits

As Apple’s popular device has grown increasingly technologically advanced, iPhone photography has skyrocketed. With features like HDR, Live Photos, and Night mode, iPhone’s sophisticated camera has given millions of amateurs…

The full guide to Instagram Live for iPhone photographers (Header image)

View Post

How to go Live on Instagram in 2021

If you’re a photographer, you’re probably used to staying behind the camera. But if you want to build an authentic, transparent relationship with your social media followers, you’ll need to…

How to take the perfect selfie with your iPhone: Header image

View Post

How to take a good selfie with your iPhone

Gracing your Instagram followers with a photo of your face is a far more daunting task than it should be. Even if you’re satisfied with your appearance in the mirror,…

View Post

The 21 most popular TikTok songs of 2021 in one playlist

TikTok is all about sound. From funny voice-overs to catchy mashups, popular TikTok songs help videos go viral on the platform and land a coveted spot on the For You…

View Post

The ultimate guide to Instagram Stories for photo and video creators

Instagram Stories are one of Instagram’s most popular in-app features. Thanks to the wide variety of GIF options, face filters, and colorful stickers, the creative possibilities are endless. Photographers and…

View Post

How to block someone on Instagram and unblock them later

Instagram aims to promote more virtual connection and social interaction — but that doesn’t necessarily mean everyone will always get along. Now and then, we all come across users whom…

View Post

How to repost on Instagram and why you should

Instagram was built for social connection. While commenting and liking another account’s post is a great way to show some love, the best way to increase your engagement with other…

View Post

How to add music to an Instagram Story, with and without stickers

In 2018, Instagram introduced the option to share music on Stories, allowing users to add their favorite songs to their photos and videos. This move allowed Instagrammers to access thousands…

When is the best time to post on Instagram, and is there a peak time? (Header image)

View Post

When is the best time to post on Instagram, and is there a peak time at all?

The best time to post on Instagram has long been debated by influencers and social media experts. In the past, studies collectively concluded the prime times and days for active…

View Post

How to make viral TikTok videos as a complete beginner

There are many reasons why TikTok has become one of the most popular social media platforms today. Some of the factors contributing to its success, just to name a few,…

View Post

The 10 best TikTok filters and effects, and where to find them

In addition to viral dance videos and hyper-specific niche communities, TikTok is also celebrated for its fun filters and cool effects. In fact, unlike Instagram’s limited selection for posts, TikTok…

View Post

A guide to the ideal Instagram profile picture: Size and best practices

While it may be small, your Instagram profile pic is a prominent part of your personal brand. It’s the first visual introduction that new visitors to your page will see,…

View Post

5 easy ways to add a white border to your Instagram photo

With the rise of various third-party apps and tools, there are thousands of ways to edit your Instagram photos. While some users layer their pictures with cool filters or colorful…

View Post

How to create multiple Instagram accounts and switch between them

Sometimes, one Instagram account is not enough. Whether you’re starting a business, managing a feed for your job, or just want a place specifically reserved for showcasing your photography, it’s…

View Post

What’s Instagram Reels? The guide to the new Instagram fad

It’s no secret that video is the medium of the future. Viral snippets and live recordings have made their way to every social media platform, including Instagram. While the app…

View Post

How to find and use cool Instagram fonts for your bio and posts

When it comes to social media platforms, Instagram leads the pack in terms of creativity. From pop culture GIFs to collage grids, the artistic possibilities are practically endless. So it…

View Post

How to take the perfect mirror selfie with your iPhone

In the world of social media, different photo angles and reflections can mean different things. And while mirror selfies may have started as flash-heavy self-portraits snapped in front of the…

View Post

How to schedule Instagram posts on iPhone and on desktop

While Instagram may have started as a simple photo-sharing mobile app, it’s grown to become one of the most influential social media platforms in the world. Users have found incredible…

View Post

How to delete an Instagram post: The tricks you didn’t know

Ah, the glory days of early 2010s Instagram. Back when using the Valencia filter on every photo was hip, and getting 25 likes was more than enough. Nothing was curated…

How to save an Instagram Story and download it to your iPhone: Header image

View Post

How to download an Instagram Story and save it to your iPhone

When Instagram first hit the App Store in 2010, it garnered a great deal of attention and soon became one of the world’s leading social media networks. But the best…

View Post

Instagram photo size guide: Stories, posts, and more

Gone are the days when Instagram users were limited to posting their photos only in the form of cropped squares. As the popular social media app has grown its platform,…

View Post

How to remove followers on Instagram, and what happens when you do

Nothing lasts forever — especially when it comes to Instagram followers. But, thankfully, you don’t have to wait for someone to unfollow you or delete their account to remove them.…

View Post

How to use Instagram Highlights to showcase your best Stories

Stories are one of the most popular features on Instagram — and for a good reason. Not only are they quick and easy to put together, but they’re a great…

View Post

How to be more photogenic: 15 secrets of photogenic people

There’s no denying the influence of social media in our lives today. No matter what career or industry you’re in, having an active and engaging online presence can lead to…

View Post

How to save Instagram videos or download them to your iPhone

Ever since Instagram opened the floodgates to media beyond still images, the platform has become a prime location for watching videos. From insightful tutorials to funny moments captured on camera,…

Why you need an Instagram business account and how to create one

View Post

How to set up an Instagram business account

Like many social media platforms, Instagram started as a humble way to connect virtually. But as its popularity steadily increased over the years — becoming one of the most used…

How to download a video from TikTok, with and without the watermark: Header image

View Post

How to download TikTok videos, with and without the watermark

Scrolling through your For You page offers up a smorgasbord of content to take in. With a few swipes of your finger, you could find yourself watching a confidence-boosting pep talk,…

View Post

How iPhone camera timer can help you take better photos

For far too long, high-quality photos were only available to the professionals — and the people with enough money to pay for them. But the rise of Instagram has resulted…

How to delete your Instagram account: Header image

View Post

How to deactivate your Instagram account or delete it for good

When it comes to social media, Instagram is the ultimate virtual connector. With stunning visuals and increasingly useful features, Instagram is easily one of the top social media platforms in…

View Post

9 Instagram Story templates to show off your photos

While Stories can be credited for fueling the creation of fun polls, long-form videos, and face filter games, the vast possibilities for creativity make Stories one of the most popular…

10 best iPhone photographers to follow for inspiration: Header image.

View Post

10 best iPhone photographer accounts to follow for inspiration

It’s no big secret that the iPhone camera has evolved drastically over the past few years. Between the increasingly intuitive features, accessibility, and high-quality images, many professional photographers have made…

How do you save Instagram photos to an iPhone, and is it OK to do so? (Header image)

View Post

How to save Instagram photos to an iPhone

Instagram is, without a doubt, the most popular visual platform of the modern era. With hundreds of thousands of beautiful, aesthetically pleasing photos available with just a swipe of your…

View Post

How to add a link to your Instagram Story, post, or IGTV video

The number of things you can do on Instagram has grown exponentially since the app was launched in 2010. You can add a GIF of Taylor Swift winking to your…

View Post

How to Duet on TikTok, and 5 TikTok Duet ideas

Thanks to its catchy sounds and viral dance moves, TikTok is the latest social media platform to blow up. Although it was first released back in 2016, this short-form video…

View Post

How to add music to an Instagram video post, Story, or Reel

It’s not enough these days to just post a photo on Instagram and call it a day. But with so many creative editing features — both within the app and…

View Post

How to use TikTok as a rookie: Watch, create, and go viral

If you haven’t yet downloaded the increasingly popular app TikTok, now is the time. This short-form video content app is rapidly on the rise and doesn’t seem to be slowing…

View Post

How to record a TikTok: The TikTok camera tutorial

If you’ve entered the world of TikTok, you’ve stepped into a world of viral dances, trending sounds, and niche communities. It can be a weird world to navigate, but one…

View Post

How to change your Instagram name, and is it a bad practice?

There’s a lot of room to be creative on Instagram. You can post aesthetically pleasing photos of your morning coffee, show off your music skills in your Stories, and display…

9 TikTok photography tricks to try and 9 photographer accounts to follow: Header image

View Post

9 TikTok photography tricks to try and 9 accounts to follow

While TikTok may be a short-form video app, it has recently been making waves as a major resource for amateur and professional photographers. From photoshoot tricks to editing how-tos to…

View Post

How to use IGTV as a photographer or video creator

Instagram may have started out as a platform for sharing heavily filtered still photographs, but since then, it’s transformed into so much more. With Stories, live broadcasts, and mini loops…

View Post

How to come up with the best Instagram bio

If Instagram is the gateway to online social connection, then your bio is your first impression. It’s what potential followers initially see when they stumble across your profile. And while…

View Post

How to post a video on Instagram: Tricks you didn’t know

There is no content format quite as entertaining as video. For years, Instagram advertised itself strictly as a photo-sharing platform. In fact, it wasn’t until the (formerly) popular six-second video-sharing…

View Post

How to make a video or GIF into a Live Photo on iPhone

It was only a few years ago that photos were just photos, and videos were just videos. But in 2015, Apple released Live Photos with the iPhone 6S series, and…

6 Instagram photo editors favored by Influencers: Header image

View Post

6 Instagram photo editor apps favored by influencers

Social media influencers didn’t even exist a few years ago. But witty captions and perfectly timed photos have created a new kind of celebrity. One who has thousands of followers,…

View Post

15 trending TikTok challenges right now and how to find them

If you’re not partaking in the latest TikTok challenge, why are you even on the app? All jokes aside, this short-form video social media platform truly is all about trends.…

View Post

10 TikTok editor apps that beat the native editing interface

While TikTok is praised for its dreamy filters and fun effects, like all apps, it has some limitations when it comes to its editing tools. That’s why the most popular…

10 authentic ways to get more likes on Instagram

View Post

10 authentic ways how to get more likes on Instagram

If there’s one Instagram metric that reigns supreme, it’s likes. Not only can the number of likes determine the overall success of a post, but having more of them can…

TikTok analytics: How to access them and what you can learn from them: Header image.

View Post

TikTok Analytics: How to access it and what you can learn from it

Your growth strategy on any social media platform is only valid if it can be accurately measured. While making it on TikTok’s coveted For You page is an obvious indicator…

View Post

How to do green screen videos on TikTok

To the delight of many, TikTok has made formerly difficult-to-get features — like professional filters and current song overlays — accessible on a single platform, which is one of the…

View Post

How to edit, hide, and delete comments on Instagram

Users in the early days of social media commented without the ability to edit. If an unsavory character left an awkward comment, it would remain there indefinitely. It wasn’t until…

View Post

The photographer’s guide to iCloud Photos on iPhone

If you’re the proud owner of an iPhone or any Apple product, you’ve probably heard of iCloud Photos. While there are dozens of innovative features and benefits of utilizing the…

View Post

The Close Friends list on Instagram: What it is and how to use it

When it comes to Instagram followers, most people subscribe to the idea that more is better. While growing your follower count can result in an increased number of likes and…

View Post

12 Instagram video editor apps for engaging Stories and posts

Instagram is no longer a simple photo-sharing app. Since its debut in 2010, Instagram has transformed into a massive multimedia social media platform used by people all over the globe…

View Post

20 music video apps to create epic videos on your iPhone

Video is the medium of the future — there’s no doubt about it. Creators and influencers have turned to video to make unique content that showcases their authentic voice and…

View Post

How to run an Instagram giveaway: Rules, ideas, and apps

Engagement is the name of the game when it comes to Instagram growth. And whether you want to find new followers or interact more with your current audience, giveaways are…

View Post

How to use Instagram ads to grow your photography account

Posting high-quality content, actively engaging with followers, and utilizing innovative in-app features will help you grow your Instagram account, but traditional strategies only take you so far. The hands-down best…

View Post

The 10 best Instagram apps for creating and posting on the go

With nearly a billion people actively posting, sharing, and tagging each other, Instagram has risen to the top of the social media game. If you’ve been a user since the…

View Post

Shadowban on Instagram: How to know if you’re shadowbanned and what to do about it

Shadowbanning is one of the most elusive and frustrating things that can happen to your Instagram account — especially if you’re trying to grow your following. And despite thousands of…

View Post

15 Instagram tips, tricks, and hacks only influencers know

Instagram can be a tricky beast to master, especially for those who are new to the platform. If expanding your reach and growing your follower count are among your goals,…

Follow Backlight