Instagram tries to please photographers by testing fullscreen images

Instagram will soon start testing a new format for photographs, allowing users to post 9:16 images to the main feed that matches the full-screen videos the app continues to push.

The Meta-owned app has gradually pushed towards greater use of video, at the expense of leaving photography behind. However, it will soon make an effort so that photography can live alongside videos on the service on a similar footing.

Revealed during a weekly Ask Me Anything session, The Verge reports Instagram CEO Adam Mosseri said the app will be trialling 9:16 photos "in a week or two."

"You can have tall videos, but you cannot have tall photos on Instagram," said Mosseri. "So we thought maybe we should make sure that we treat both equally."

Previously, photographers destined for the feed were limited to a 4:5 format for shots, far from the full-screen aspect ratio used by videos such as Instagram's Reels. Users could previously post 9:16 images but only via Stories, which meant the images would disappear from view unless saved as a highlight.

Some creative photographers have also created Reel videos that are a few seconds long but only using one frame, giving the appearance of it being a full screen image post. However, due to using video, there is a loss in quality compared to an actual still image.

The announcement of the photography change may be a change in tactic for an app that is hell-bent on copying TikTok's features. After an initial attempt at a fullscreen interface that was disliked by photographers for overlaying elements and obscuring parts of the image, the app walked the interface back.

Part of the backlash was an unexpected complaint from celebrities Kylie Jenner and Kim Kardashian, who urged Mosseri to "Make Instagram Instagram Again," and to "stop trying to be TikTok." The message echoed a meme spread by photographers over the loss of prominence of still images on the service.

8 Comments

ihatescreennames 1971 comments · 19 Years

About 2 years ago

I’m not on IG and I had no idea full screen photos weren’t a thing. Seems dumb not to have that. Also, I am continually baffled by people that don’t rotate their phone to take or watch videos.

9secondkox2 3124 comments · 8 Years

ihatescreennames said:

I’m not on IG and I had no idea full screen photos weren’t a thing. Seems dumb not to have that. Also, I am continually baffled by people that don’t rotate their phone to take or watch videos.

The limitations of Instagram, from layout to capabilities have been an annoyance for a long time.

MacPro 19838 comments · 18 Years

ihatescreennames said:

I’m not on IG and I had no idea full screen photos weren’t a thing. Seems dumb not to have that. Also, I am continually baffled by people that don’t rotate their phone to take or watch videos.

100% agree.

macxpress 5910 comments · 16 Years

ihatescreennames said:

I’m not on IG and I had no idea full screen photos weren’t a thing. Seems dumb not to have that. Also, I am continually baffled by people that don’t rotate their phone to take or watch videos.

This triggers me when I watch people take photos of videos. Widescreen is where its at, especially when filming something. It also bugs the hell out of me when people film stuff at night with the FLASH ON! Today's cameras do not need the flash on both to take photos or record video at night. A place doesn't turn the lights out for an event so you can light the god damn environment back up with your fuckin' flash. It's so irritating.

crazyexcalibur 35 comments · 3 Years

ihatescreennames said:

I’m not on IG and I had no idea full screen photos weren’t a thing. Seems dumb not to have that. Also, I am continually baffled by people that don’t rotate their phone to take or watch videos.

Instagram has taught people to just hold up their phone to record to make things easier. So now every freaking video I see on TV is like peeping through a slightly open door. It makes me feel like I can’t see anything. I wish IG would let you do native widescreen.