Photo layout app series makes it easy to post panoramic photos to threads

Image credits: series

Series is an iOS photo app that helps you lay out photos in creative ways for posting on social media, and is now becoming a must-have companion app for users who post photos to Instagram threads. Threads lets you view images full screen, and with the right format, you can even share full screen seamless panoramas of your photos.

Because of this, some users are already experimenting with different aspect ratios and creating new formats, such as splitting photos so users can click and swipe them in full-screen mode, like artist Pete Halvorsen. I'm trying.

Image credits: About Pete Halvorsen's thread (Opens in new window)

This prompted series developer Ryan Carver to add new tools, specifically one called TH+, to address the needs of Threads users to ease this process.

Carver has a background in photography and design, previously leading product development at photo-sharing app VSCO and co-founding Typekit (now Adobe Fonts), which was sold to Adobe. However, for the past four years, he has been working independently as his iOS developer, focusing primarily on the series.

In fact, Carver told TechCrunch that the original inspiration for the app came from his own photography, which he curated and designed for a gallery show in 2019.

Image credits: series

“From that experience, I wanted two things: one, a better tool for exploring visual relationships between images, and two, an easy way to share multiple images. “To make it happen,” he said. “The Instagram carousel has become that canvas. It's a great format for sharing multiple images in a unique layout,” he said.

He originally created Series as a tool that could be used to design for social media such as Instagram carousels and TikTok. The app offers a variety of tools to combine photos and videos, as well as easy-to-use margin and edge controls, the ability to create backgrounds with layered photos and videos, and a diptych to tell your story. It offers features such as flexible layouts to convey your message. In addition to triptychs, you also have the option to post carousels and more.

Image credits: series

Carver says the best way to use Series is to add a few photos and explore the different layouts it offers to tell a visual story, including photo pairing, stacks, grids, and carousels. It states that this is true.

But after seeing how Threads supported full-screen panoramas, Carver added the new TH+ frame ratio to the series within days of Threads' launch, he says. This feature has since been discovered and used by Meta employees. CTO Andrew Bosworth (@boztank) posted an impressive Everest panorama that garnered over 7,000 likes and 180 replies.

Since then, many Threads users have started experimenting with the panoramic option, which takes a single image and spreads it across multiple panels for users to swipe through. Some people put the complete image at the end of the carousel.

To access the TH+ frame ratio, series users must upgrade to a Pro subscription.

This $15/year package also comes with a number of other advanced tools, including the ability to import and layout three or more photos and videos at once. Ability to split content into three or more panels in an Instagram carousel or thread. High resolution export. Ability to export videos up to 60 seconds long. Ability to preview Instagram posts or stories before exporting. Custom templates let you save and apply your favorite looks. Power tools for complex layouts. Custom app icon.

Image credits: Series app screenshots

Since releasing version 1.0 in December 2019, Series has attracted approximately 5,000 monthly active users, approximately half of whom are paid members. The app was updated to version 2.0 in December 2022 with support for video and other layout options, followed by the addition of TH+ frame ratios in his July release aimed at Threads users. I did.

The app then caught the attention of Instagram head Adam Mosseri. He responded to a request from Series on Threads and asked if there were any Threads developers who could talk to app makers.

“We're working on tighter integration, including faster workflows, better previews, more layout options, and more,” the series of posts says.

The app is free to download on the App Store, with in-app purchases available, and supports both iPhone and iPad.