Taking Photos with Aspect Ratio Versatility

How to Shoot One Photo for Every Social Media Platform

Creating photos that look great across platforms is essential for social media success. Since each platform has its preferred aspect ratio, planning your shots with versatility in mind ensures your content looks polished everywhere.

Common Social Media Aspect Ratios

• 1:1 (Square): Instagram, Facebook

• 4:5 (Vertical): Instagram feed

• 9:16 (Portrait): Stories, Reels, TikTok

• 16:9 (Widescreen): YouTube, Facebook videos

• 2:3 (Portrait): Pinterest, some Instagram posts

• 1.91:1 (Ads): Facebook and LinkedIn ads

Tips for Capturing a Versatile Photo

1. Start with a Wide, High-Resolution Photo
Shoot in a wide ratio like 4:3 or 3:2 at the highest resolution. This gives you flexibility to crop without losing quality.
Tip: Always use the highest resolution available on your camera or phone.

2. Center Your Subject for Easy Cropping
Keep the subject near the center so they remain visible across square, portrait, or widescreen crops.
Tip: Use the rule of thirds to keep shots visually balanced, but ensure key elements stay in the center zone.

3. Leave Extra Space Around the Subject
Add breathing room around your subject to allow for flexible vertical and horizontal crops.
Tip: For vertical crops (9:16), leave headroom. For horizontal (16:9), give space on the sides.

4. Watch the Edges
Avoid placing key elements near the edges of the frame—they may get cut off when cropping.
Tip: After shooting, check the image edges to ensure nothing critical is at risk.

5. Take Multiple Shots
Capture the same scene from various distances and angles for more cropping options.
Tip: Use burst mode or shoot a sequence to give yourself flexibility during editing.

6. Use Editing Tools to Resize and Refine
After shooting, crop and adjust images using photo editing apps for each platform’s format.
Tip: Save separate versions in different aspect ratios so you're ready to post anywhere.