Photographer Instagram Bio

This is a helpful guide discussing how to write the perfect photographer Instagram bio.

While this guide is tailored toward photographers, the same principles and ideas apply to other artists and creators.

In this post, I am going to cover what you as a photographer should have in your Instagram bio to ensure you have the perfect photographer Instagram bio.

Following these simple steps on my own Instagram bio has allowed me to book clients through Instagram and for clients to find me through Instagram.

Having the perfect photographer’s Instagram bio is important not only for business but for the overall impression of you as a photographer.

In fact:

According to a study done by the Missouri University of Science and Technology, it only takes users less than two-tenths of a second to form a first impression!

With users already forming an impression about you and your profile within that short of a time span, we have to make sure our Instagram bio is ready-to-go.

Let’s dive right in.

The 3 steps I will be covering today are:

1. Name (Account Name and Profile Name)
2. High-Quality Profile Image
3. Content Within Bio

1. Name (Account Name and Profile Name)

Your name is very important and is one of the first things people see when they land on your profile. The name you choose is also what appears in the search results when people search for you.

When people search for your name, Instagram indexes both your account name (also known as your Instagram handle) and your profile name.

Account Name (Instagram Handle)

Your account name is important for search query sakes and for your personal branding. Branding is very important to any business.

The name you choose is a part of your brand and not only will the name you choose make a memorable impression, but it will also allow your customers/clients to know what to expect from your business/company.

For branding purposes:

I recommend choosing an account name (Instagram handle) that is simple and free of any extra “fluff” if possible such as excess periods or underscores.

You can either go with just your name or you can also add in the word photography as well. If your name is too long, you can also just shorten it to “photo.”

In my case:

I chose just to go with my name because adding in the word photography would be too long. I also had to add in a period within my name because my name without any periods was already taken — but that’s a story for another time.

Profile Name

Your profile name is where you can really get creative with it. You can go multiple ways with this one.

I’ll give some examples:

If you already have your name within your account name (Instagram handle) then you could just add in a creative nickname or something fun that people know you by.

My favorite example is how Jessica Kobeissi just writes “j.ko” within her profile name. How artistic right?:

You could also just choose to list your name out again just to keep everything consistent.

If you are already fairly well known and popular, then this could be a good option because if people are searching for you, then you know they will only be searching for your name.

It also keeps everything looking clean and organized in my opinion. Here is an example from Alessio Albi:

Now a creative way I have seen people use the name field is to actually write out what location and what type of photography you specialize in.

What do I mean by this?

Here is an example of a wedding photographer in my area. In order to attract more clients, she has written “SoCal Wedding Photographer” as her profile name to attract any clients that search for that keyword within the Instagram search bar.

Pretty clever right?

The choice is up to you. If you are a photographer in a small area and you specialize in a specific niche such as weddings, then the above option may be the best option to attract local clients!

If you use photography just as an online portfolio and are just trying to grow a following and become an influencer, then the first two options could work for you if you are trying to create an artistic profile.

Now let’s talk about the importance of having a high-quality profile photo.

2. High-Quality Profile Photo

Your profile photo, just like your account and profile name, is a part of your brand.

Having a high-quality profile photo can make all the difference.

Your photo should be recognizable, memorable, and unique to you and your art.

Since the screen space allowed by Instagram for a profile photo is very small, we have to ensure we capture all the essentials within the tiny space provided for us.

Just as we would ensure our photographs look a certain way, we also have to ensure our profile photos follow our own guidelines as well.

Here are some things to remember when deciding which profile photo to use for your profile.

I. Focus

We want our profile photo to be in focus and not be blurry. Having a blurry photo within your profile picture could cause you to lose credibility with your users.

Your profile photo doesn’t have to be very sharp, just do not have it be blurry.

This is especially important if your eyes are visible within your profile photo.

Capturing the eyes and ensuring your eyes are visible within your profile photo can allow users who land on your page to feel more connected to you.

They say the eyes are the windows to the soul. Because of this — ensuring your eyes are in focus on your own profile photo is very important.

Also, if you do not post any images of yourself within your profile and only of your subjects, people may want to see who is behind the camera. Your profile photo is your chance to show them.

Here is an example from one of my favorite photographers @jessicawhitaker:

II. Style

Since your profile photo is a part of your brand, you will want your profile photo to also reflect the type of photography you practice.

For example, if you are a portrait photographer who specializes in creating artistic portraits, then your profile photo can reflect your style. Here are examples including my own profile (@ey_nate) and two of my favorite artistic portrait photographers (@alessioalbi & @jessicakobeissi)

Here is a great example from @iamwinter who is a cinematic & portrait photographer who color grades all his photos to have a bluish-green tone. His profile photo reflects his style:

In conclusion:

To get the most out of the small circle Instagram provides us for our profile picture, make sure your profile photo is high-quality, in focus, and reflects your personal brand/style and you will be set up for success.

Now let’s discuss the actual content within your bio:

3. Content Within Bio

The content within your bio is very customizable and this is where you have the most artistic freedom to express and add the final touches on how your overall brand and profile will appear.

The content within your bio is where you get to position yourself as a photographer and stand out from the rest of the crowd.

Within the content in your bio, you can define your location, the services you offer, your niche, and a sentence or two to show your true self!

You want to ask yourself:

What makes you unique from other photographers while also keeping your target audience in mind?

This is especially true if you use Instagram as one of the main ways to find clients.

Here is an example from a wedding photographer I follow @peytonmariahphoto:

Peyton is a wedding photographer so she finds a lot of clients through Instagram and vice versa. She does a great job of listing her location and giving a brief sentence on her unique value proposition.

This lets all the users and clients that land on her page know what she is all about and what makes her different from other wedding photographers.

Other crucial elements to include in your bio are your website URL (if you have one) and an email for people to reach you.

You also want to make it clear that potential clients and users looking for collaboration photos can contact you at any time with a clear call to action:

It’s important to also have fun with your bio and add in your personality. This can be accomplished using emojis, line breaks, or other creative characters that represent who you are as a photographer.

Just remember that your bio should directly correlate to the style and mood created by the photos on your Instagram feed.

Concluding Remarks

In summary:

The best photographer’s Instagram bios all ensure their account and profile name, profile image, and content within their bio effectively communicate their brand.

These 3 elements can help you position yourself uniquely among other photographers while also adding character to your Instagram profile.