How to Grow Your Photography Instagram with Reel Hooks that Actually Work

Blog by Jada Parrish | | 02/17/25

Instagram can sometimes feel like a crapshoot—like you have little to no control. And to a certain extent, that’s true. The algorithm is constantly changing, new features are popping up, and it’s hard to keep up.

But the truth is, while you can’t control the algorithm, you can control your mindset—how you view social media and the community you want to build around your work. Shifting that perspective can change everything. It can help you start producing content that gets the engagement and reach you’ve been hoping for.

From Losing It All to 50K Followers: Our Instagram Comeback Story

David and I used to be wedding photographers. We spent almost eight years growing our Instagram account to over 10K followers. I posted almost daily, we ran giveaways, held contests, and even spent money on Instagram ads. The account was getting close to 15K followers.

Then, one day, it was gone. Our Instagram account was deleted—no warning, no explanation. Instagram said we could appeal, which we did—over and over—but we never heard back. After a month of frustration and no answers, we decided to cut our losses and start fresh.

We had already started transitioning our photography business toward more creative work, so we took this as an opportunity to completely rebrand. And in less than two years, we grew our new Instagram account organically to over 50K followers—without running a single ad or spending a dollar on growth.

What Changed? My Mindset

I stopped looking at Instagram as a place to simply show my work and started seeing it as a space to build a community around the work I love. I studied Instagram Reels, developed creative hooks, and focused on making content that sparked real engagement. But the biggest change was how I viewed social media as a whole.

Now, I want to help you do the same.

How to Think About Creating Content

When creating content, focus on making sure it does one of these three things:

Inspires
Informs
Entertains (Humor)

These are the three main reasons people share content. If you want your follower count to grow, you need people to organically share what you create. Whether your content moves someone to take action, teaches them something new, or gives them a reason to laugh, these are the sparks that generate engagement and encourage others to share your work with their own audience.This is exactly how you should approach your content creation, and my 30 Reel Hooks for Photographers will help you create content that hits these three goals.

Free Download: 30 Reel Hooks for Photographers

I’ve crafted 30 Instagram reel hooks specifically for photographers. These are the same strategies I used to grow our account to over 50K followers in just two years—completely organically.

I know these hooks work because I’ve tested them myself, and now I’m sharing them with you—for free. My goal is to help you grow your social reach and build a real, engaged community around your photography.

What You’ll Get in the Free Guide:

30 Instagram Reel Hooks made specifically for photographers
A script to help you create a strong introduction reel
Links to example reels you can draw inspiration from
Tips for creating reels and capturing content that connects with your audience

My Challenge to You

Give these reel hooks a try! Whether you post every day or aim for two reels per week, the goal is to stay consistent. Track your progress, and after using these hooks, look back to see how much your account has grown.

Ready to level up your Instagram? Click here to download 30 Reel Hooks For Photographers (that actually work!).