"I know it when I see it.” - Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart
in Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964)
4 Strategies
1. Understand what makes a great photo 2. Know how users engage with photos online 3. Determine great photos for your website 4. Figure out how to get these photos
• DO: Content strategy, content crea1on (text, photos, graphics) and user experience research
• LOVE: WordPress and its community, photography, art, teachers and other people who are passionate about what they do
• HATE: Rota1ng carousels/sliders on websites, cold weather and whining
About Me
What makes a great photo?
Moment
Light Emotion
“If your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.”
- Robert Capa Photojournalist
Background – ideally contribu1ng, but at least not distrac1ng
Add Craig B photo edited
Hemming and hawing = rejected
How do people engage with photos online?
Real Images Are Scru1nized
Give me some real bakers!
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1. Prefer large photos to small photos
2. Study real people
3. Ignore stock or staged photos
4. Like to look at faces
5. Look where faces point them or may emotionally connect with direct eye contact
6. DO NOT LIKE CAROUSELS
Website viewers
What makes a great photo for your website?
1. Is the right size 2. Fits the space well
3. Meets your audience’s needs in
addition to your goals
4. Reflects the chosen message
A Great Photo for Your Website
Where do we get great photos?
What if we need to do it ourselves?
1. Take a live photo class
2. View great photos (NY Times, newspapers, magazines)
3. Practice shooting yourself
4. Ben Long’s book or class on lynda.com
5. Do not host an event and shoot photos at the same time, please
DIY Tips
• UNC-Chapel Hill Journalism School Professors
• Nielsen/Norman Group E-Newsletter
• 100 Things Every Designer Needs to Know About People by Susan Weinschenk
• Articles found though online searching
• Personal experience running usability tests and shooting photos
• shouldiuseacarousel.com
Sources
Q&A
Audience Challenge
1. Now that you know the inputs, find a really great photo online
2. Email me the link and tell me why you think it’s a great photo ([email protected])
3. Perhaps win a 30 minute consulting call
