Anyone can take a great photo ~ shoot usable webs images, using our tips
A great photo on the homepage needs to capture the visitors attention and you don’t need an expensive camera to do it. Your smart phone can take great photos as long you follow some basic rules.
Some common mistakes people make are: insufficient lighting, blurry shots, and too much going on in the photo.
Tips on taking good web photos:
- Avoid clutter ~ pay attention to what is in the foreground and background. Clear off counter space, remove small items and only use one or two pops of color.
- Good lighting ~ you can’t lose shooting outdoors, or if indoors, bring in extra light.
- One-item focus ~ items larger than reality always wins. If you screen tap on the item your shooting, it’ll sharpen the subject.
- Contrast ~ try to achieve darks and lights with vibrant colors and bright white space. White space is a good thing and as bright as possible.
- Aim ~ capture more ground or floor and less sky/ceiling. If inside, it will make the room look larger. Stand further away than you would normally for the full-width, wide angle. Try turning your camera sideways!
- Cropping ~ don’t zoom in to crop your photo, it will lower the quality. Take the full picture and crop it afterward for the best resolution.
Basically you don’t want to spend a lot of time editing a photo. If you can get a better shot in taking the photo, the less time spending sitting at the computer. When choosing multiple images, a consistent color palette is important.
Different iPhone photo settings:
- Photo – This mode is best for general images. Make sure to tap on the screen for which area you want in focus
- Portrait – This mode is for profile shots. It sharpens the person and blurs the background.
- Square – This mode is best for social media posts like Instagram
- Pano – Panoramic photos are wide best for website headers and full-width images.
Good example: The main element is off center. Lots of white space — good for full-width homepage image. The angle of the van is in the ‘Z’ format which pleasantly directs the eye.
Stock photo resources
If you’re not able to take photos, here are some great stock photo resources: