Why Instagram Is Social Media's Over-Achiever

Instagram is the over-achiever of the social media world.

Each week seems to bring new third-party applications for capturing, manipulating and sharing stunning images.

Last week, the photo-sharing platform introduced a new feature that gives users the option to upload multiple photos and videos in one post.

“With this update, you no longer have to choose the single best photo or video,” Instagram said in its announcement Wednesday.

“Now, you can combine up to 10 photos and videos in one post and swipe through to see them all.”

Adding multiple photos and videos is simple. To find the files you want to share, look for Instagram’s new icon. It resembles a picture of layered images, and at least for now, the icon reads “select multiple.”

“It’s easy to control exactly how your post will look,” Instagram said. “You can tap and hold to change the order, apply a filter to everything at once or edit one by one. These posts have a single caption and are square-only for now.”

Your followers will find it just as easy to navigate your multiple images. On the profile grid, the first photo or video of the new post will have a small icon, indicating there’s more to see.

Of course, this new tool is one of many to add to your Instagram arsenal.

Check out these additional tools for creating amazing images for your feed:

1. Font Studio (Android). If you’re looking to add quotes, artwork, and layers of different fonts, this app has it all. Font Studio has over 100 fonts, with more available for download. Rotate, enlarge, and shrink text to fit your image, or change the color of your text, alter the transparency, and add shadows.

Although the focus with Font Studio is on typography, you can adjust the brightness, contrast, saturation and blur of an image. When you’re masterpiece is complete, add one of more than a dozen filters.

It’s free in the Google Play store. Check out Font Candy for iOS devices for an app with similar features.

2. Slow Shutter Cam ($2.99, iOS). Before I pay for any app over 99 cents, I do my homework. This app is worth every penny. Slow Shutter Cam puts the power of a DSLR on your iPhone. For a free Android equivalent, check out Camera FV-5 Lite, or the pay $3.95 for the full version.

Slow Shutter Cam offers three capture modes. Motion Blur puts your camera in shutter priority mode for waterfall effects. Light Trail picks up on fast moving lights from cars and fireworks to create light stream effects. Low Light does just as the name suggests, picking up on every light source to create amazing images in the dark.

Other Slow Shutter Cam highlights include an unlimited shutter speed, real time image previews, freeze, blur strength and time-lapse controls.

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