Instagram has become one of the most popular social media applications in recent years, and now that Facebook owns the company, sharing vintage photos with family and friends has never been easier. If you have a smartphone with Instagram capabilities, there's absolutely no reason why you shouldn't download the app, especially because it'll turn all of your candid vacation shots into retro images that all of your buddies will be drooling over.

Want to make the most of your vacation shots when you're staying at luxury rentals around the world? Here are some tips on how to shoot, tag and share your images from photography experts and Instagramming gurus:

Expect the Unexpected
Jennifer Sosa, whose travel images have earned her hundreds of Instagram followers, recently told Yahoo! News that you should "keep your phone close by and expect for something to happen."

You never know when a candid moment might pop up right in front of you. Rather than snapping your fingers and saying, "Shucks, better luck next time," you can keep your smartphone close by so all you have to do is whip it out when something interesting happens.

Take Dramatic Silhouettes
Instagram is perfect for silhouette shots. A smartphone doesn't take images quite as well as a high-end digital camera, and if you find yourself disappointed with these less-than-perfect images, you can instead take a silhouette. These photos are not only dramatic and profound, they're also relatively easy to capture.

You'll have ample opportunities to take a great sunset shot while staying at Caribbean villas, but if you put a subject in the center of the frame, standing right in front of the setting sun, he or she will become the fascinating focal point of your image.

Less is More
Sometimes, you don't need a filter to capture a truly magnificent Instagram photo. If the lighting is already perfect, whether there's an eerie haze falling over the streets of Florence, Italy, or the sun is peaking through the trees as you hike through the forests in Costa Rica, don't feel pressured to use Instagram filters. Sometimes, a photo is perfect just the way it is.

Use other Apps
Instagram might be a great photo sharing app, but it's not the best for editing images. What happens when your image comes out a little crooked? Or you want to brighten only a certain part of the photo? Other apps, such as VSCO Cam, lets you do a number of editing tasks within the palm of your hand, so you don't have to upload your photo to your computer just to straighten out the image.

With the right tools, you could be well on your way to being an travel Instagramming pro!

Are you interested in luxury vacation rentals? Contact Villas of Distinction today at 800.289.0900 where a qualified villa expert will help you explore which luxury villa best suits your lifestyle.