The document provides 4 strategies for improving photos on websites: 1) Understand what makes a great photo through elements like moment, light, and emotion. 2) Know that users engage with real photos of people and prefer large clear photos over small or staged photos. 3) Determine photos that fit the site goals and message. 4) Sources for photos include taking your own photos after training, or stock photos that meet the above criteria. The document encourages testing photos on users and provides tips for creating quality photos for a website.

1. Top Strategies for
BETTER PHOTOSon Your Website
Melissa Eggleston
melissa@melissaegg.com

3. "I know it when I see it.”
- Supreme Court Justice Potter Stewart
in Jacobellis v. Ohio (1964)

4. 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

5. • 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

6. What makes
a great photo?

17. Moment
LightEmotion

18. “If your pictures aren’t
good enough, you’re not
close enough.”
- Robert Capa
Photojournalist

22. Background
–
ideally
contribu1ng,
but
at
least
not
distrac1ng

23. Add
Craig
B
photo
edited

27. Hemming and hawing
= rejected

28. How do people
engage with
photos online?

35. Real
Images
Are
Scru1nized

36. Give
me
some
real
bakers!

41. 41

45. 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

46. What makes
a great photo
for your website?

54. 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

55. Where do we
get great photos?

57. What if we need
to do it ourselves?

58. 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

59. • 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

60. Q&A

61. 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
(melissa@melissaegg.com)
3. Perhaps win a 30 minute
consulting call

62. Let’s Keep Talking
Email: melissa@melissaegg.com
Twitter: @melissa_egg
Blog: melissaegg.com/blog