Guide · Photo dump

How to make an Instagram photo dump that looks curated

A good photo dump is 6–10 photos in one carousel with one format, a strong first slide and a consistent edge. Put landscape shots on a margin instead of cropping them, mix in a slide with two stacked photos, and export every slide at the same size — 1080 × 1440 (3:4) is the safest.

Five rules for a photo dump

Start with the strongest photo. The first slide is the only one most people see in the feed — and it is the tile on your profile.
One format for all slides. Instagram uses the first slide's format for the whole carousel. Pick 3:4 or 4:5 and keep it.
Don't crop, mat. Landscape photos on a portrait slide get a margin instead of losing their sides. Equal margins on every slide make a random set look intentional.
Vary the rhythm. Between full-bleed photos, place a slide with two or three smaller ones (Strips) or a close-up detail.
End on a quiet one. A detail, a texture or a wide shot closes the dump better than another highlight.

Making it in Postfolio

Open the free web app or the iPhone/Android app, choose Post 3:4 and add all photos at once — each lands on its own slide. Tap a photo → Margin for an even mat (or read more on white borders), use + Add → Templates → Strips for slides with two or three photos, and export. Nothing is uploaded, nothing is watermarked.

Photo dump sizes

Format	Size	On the profile
3:4 portrait	1080 × 1440	Shows in full
4:5 portrait	1080 × 1350	Trimmed left and right
1:1 square	1080 × 1080	Trimmed top and bottom

All formats in one place: Instagram sizes 2026.

Questions, answered straight.

How many photos can an Instagram photo dump have?

Up to 20 slides per carousel. Most photo dumps work best with 6–10: enough for a mood, short enough that people swipe to the end.

Which format should a photo dump be?

3:4 at 1080 × 1440 if you want the cover to show in full on your profile; 4:5 at 1080 × 1350 if your feed is 4:5. Keep every slide the same format — Instagram crops the whole carousel to the format of the first slide.

How do I fit landscape photos into a portrait carousel?

Put them on the slide with a margin instead of cropping: the photo sits on a white (or coloured) mat, so nothing is cut off. Postfolio's Margin does this in one tap for every slide.

Can I put two photos on one slide?

Yes. Strips stack two or three photos on one slide or place them side by side — good for detail shots in a dump.

Is it free?

Building the dump, borders, strips and exporting single slides are free, with no watermark and no account. Exporting a long carousel in one go and the full template families are part of Pro, a one-time €4.99.

Try it on your own photos.

The web app is free — no login, no watermark, no time limit. Your photos never leave your device.

Open the free web app App Store Google Play

iOS and Android: free download, full editor. Pro is a one-time purchase — never a subscription.