App for journalists: PhotoGrid, for creating eye-catching images on Instagram

Credit: Pixabay

What is it? PhotoGrid is an application to tell stories on Instagram with a range of templates and backgrounds to make your content stand out.

Cost: ‘Freemium’ - free, with premium options (£27.99 a year or £4.49 a month)

Devices: iOS and Android

How is it of use to journalists?

Instagram is now the fourth most downloaded app of the 2010s with half a billion people using Instagram Stories every day. Younger generations in particular use vertical content platforms, such as Instagram and TikTok. To attract and engage this audience, PhotoGrid helps you create photo and video collages and enhance content for social media.

Getting started is simple and does not require an account.

To make a collage, select Grid and select photos or videos from your Camera Roll. You can also choose pictures on the royalty-free image site Unsplash; however, there is no search function, so you could be scrolling for some time to find the right image.

As you select images, the app will suggest different layouts for your content at the top of the screen. You can either select one of these collages or click the More icon for different options. Many are available for free while others are only available to subscribers of the app's Premium service.

If none of the existing templates appeal to you, PhotoGrid also allows you to create your own collage templates. These can be made by clicking Templates from the app's main screen, selecting My Works and pressing Start to make a customised template. You are then able to choose from a range of icons for photos to appear in.

Once you have selected a collage option that you like, you are able to customise the image by moving images around and adding filters, stickers and text.

To make sure the image is optimised for the platform you are posting on, you can change the ratio by pressing the Ratio icon and choosing the correct dimensions.

You can also change the background colour and the thickness of the border between the images using the icons at the bottom of the screen, and you can move the different panels around by clicking any one of the photos and pulling it in the direction of your choice.

You can also use stickers, draw function, text and speech bubbles to further customise your content.

PhotoGrid's watermark will automatically appear on your projects but it can be removed by clicking it and selecting the remove icon, or by going to Settings and un-checking Watermark. The latter option will ensure no watermarks automatically appear on your future projects.

When you are happy with your image, click Next at the top right of the screen. You will then see the option to export the image directly to Instagram.

The app offers extra filters, backgrounds and stickers, which can be bought with points collected for completing certain tasks, such as posting your creation on Instagram. Redeeming 'PG points' requires logging in to the app. 

Alternatively, all of these, as well as importing your own watermark and removing ads, can be done with PhotoGrid's Premium service.

PhotoGrid is also available in different languages for free, including Spanish, German, Russian, Hindi, Korean and Japanese. You can change the language used in the app by clicking Language in the Menu.

Picture credits: Mousetrap Media/Christina Jansen

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