CollageCraft How to make a photo dump collage for Instagram
Open Templates, go to Creative, pick Photo Dump, Big Photo Dump or Scattered Polaroids. Fill the slots, tilt or resize a few of them, export square. All three layouts are free and work well for everyday posts.
What is a photo dump layout?
A relaxed batch of everyday pictures — coffee, a sunset, a mirror selfie, a ticket stub. People usually post it as a carousel, but one collage with the photos scattered like prints left on a table does the same job in a single image, and it's less work than ten carousel slides.
The look only works because the slots overlap and sit at slightly different sizes instead of a strict grid. That's exactly what the scrapbook-style layouts in CollageCraft are built for.
Which templates fit a photo dump?
| Layout | Photos | Shape |
|---|---|---|
| Photo Dump | 5 | Square |
| Big Photo Dump | 7 | Square |
| Scattered Polaroids | 3 | Square |
| Stacked | 3 | Square |
| Mood Board | 4 | Square |
| Taped Memories | 3 | 4:5 portrait |
A crown on the card doesn't change anything — they still open and export free. If scattered isn't your look, Recap has tidier month and year layouts instead.
How to make a photo dump collage, step by step
- Open the Templates tab and tap Creative in the category row.
- Tap Big Photo Dump for seven pictures, or Photo Dump for five.
- Tap the photo-plus icon at the top and pick the photos. They fill the slots in the order you select them.
- Swap two photos by touching and holding one and choosing Swap With…, or replace one with Replace Photo.
- Select a photo and use Rotate to tilt it; pinch to enlarge a favourite so it overlaps its neighbours.
- Tap BG for a paper-like colour or pattern, and Stickers or Text for a date or a caption.
- Tap the share icon, choose 2K under Quality and tap Save to Photos.
Square at 2K is 2,048 x 2,048 px, and 1,080 x 1,080 px at HD — same shape Instagram shows untouched in both the feed and your profile grid.
Collage or carousel?
There's no single right answer here. A single collage shows everything at a glance and works as a story post. A carousel lets each photo breathe at full size and gets more swipes. Nothing stops you doing both — post the collage as slide 1, then your favourite individual shots after it, all from the same Carousel tab.
Tips for a dump that reads as planned, not dumped
- Mix distances — one close-up, one wide shot, one detail, one face, not four photos taken from the same spot.
- Pick one colour thread, or just run Presets over the set so uneven lighting stops standing out.
- Leave some background showing. Overlap is the point, but a photo buried under two others just looks like a mistake.
- Give the strongest photo the biggest slot — it's the first thing anyone's eye lands on.
Where this trips people up
- Picking a layout with fewer slots than photos. Slots are fixed per layout; Big Photo Dump's seven beats forcing nine into five.
- Mixing up a strict grid (a different category, Grids) with the scattered look you actually want.
- Exporting a portrait layout somewhere a square is expected. Check the shape before you fill it.
Questions and answers
Are the photo dump templates free?
How many photos fit in a photo dump layout?
Can I make a photo dump video?
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