A big welcome to guest blogger Courtney from Click It Up a Notch! She’s a whiz at photography and even does cool photo critiques where readers constructively criticize a reader-submitted photo. Today Courtney’s talking about five great ways to use photos in a blog post.
When it comes to blogging and photography you want your photos to enhance your post, not hurt it. There are several things you can do and avoid to make sure your photos are the best they can be for your blog post.
1. Create a Properly Exposed Image.
You don’t have to shoot on manual mode to achieve this. Make sure you have enough light in your image or use a flash so that your subject is properly lit. If you capture an image that you love but it is underexposed you can use a free program like PicMonkey to increase the exposure.
2. Use Composition to Draw in Your Viewer.
I could spend days talking about composition. In fact, I took a four-week photography workshop that was solely on composition. However, if you can master the “rule of thirds” you will see an instant improvement in your photos. When using the rule of thirds, place your subject/focal point in one of the thirds of the image. You do not want your subject to be in the dead center of your photo. The human eye is naturally drawn to one of the thirds of the frame so be sure to place your subject there.
3. Include a Photo in Each Post, if Relevant.
Unless you have been living under a rock you have heard about Pinterest. This site can be a huge traffic referral for you if you use it to your advantage. However, people can not pin your post if there is not an image or video in your post. The image doesn’t have to be a photograph, it can be a text image you create. Think about what you like to pin. Are most of your pins attractive and inviting photos? Yup, mine too!
4. Don’t Post Every Photo You Have Ever Taken.
I read a book a few years back by Scott Kelby where he talks about what photos to share. We all take way too many photos in this digital day and age. I’m guilty of this. Do your readers want to see 25 photos from your last vacation. Nope. Sorry.
Scott Kelby talks about how about half the photos you take are good and probably only about 10 of them are “Wow, that is amazing!” No need to show everything. Pick your very best ones that show what you did. You don’t have to show every single step to a craft or a recipe. Pick the best ones that get your point across. Personally, I try not to post more than 10 photos in any one blog post. Of course, I have some posts with more and some with less. That is just my general rule of thumb.
It is much better to have one or two amazing photos than to post eight so-so images that may bore your readers.
If you really want to include more photos consider putting them in a collage so save your readers from scrolling through so many photos. I realize this is hard especially if you blog about your family. It’s hard to narrow down pictures of your kids. I am there with you. It’s an impossible task to decide what to share. After time, you will get picker and it will get easier. Your readers will thank you!
5. Bigger is Always Better.
Now that you know a few tricks to make sure your post is full of awesome images that is going to enhance your post and not hurt it, enlarge those photos. Please don’t put up images in the smallest size. Oh, that pains me. You have this wonderful image and I can barely see it. Find out what the dimensions of your post width is and take advantage of that. You can use programs like Flickr to upload your image and pull the URL for a size that is good for your post.
When you get your post ready think about these 5 things to make sure your post and photos are the best they can be.
When I’m not chasing around my 3 little girls with my camera, I have my nose in a book to learn more about photography. Before the kiddos I was an elementary school teacher, so I combined my love of teaching and photography to create Click it Up a Notch. I really want to help you learn to improve your photos one click at a time.
Blog: Click It Up a Notch
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@clickitupanotch
Momcomm gives blogging chicks practical, can-do tips for writing, blogging and using social media (and sometimes a snarky rant).
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I'm a mom who loves marketing, photography and all things social media. I have two boys whose claim to fame is that they were born on the same day... three years apart.
Twitter: MommieDaze
says:
I especially like number four. Sometimes you come across those blog posts where it’s just photo after photo. After scrolling past 10 or 15 I just give up!
Colleen @ MommieDaze recently posted..That Day
Twitter: Dakotapam
says:
Yes, I agree! 1 good photo is far more effective than 15 variations on the same photo!
Dakotapam recently posted..Remembering 9/11
Agreed! It can be such a challenge though when it’s pics of your kids
Courtney recently posted..Facebook Page: 7 Ways to Make it Better
Very helpful! Thank you for this!
Lydia recently posted..You Need Momma Young Media’s Solutions for Blogging and Social Media!
I’m so glad to hear that!!
Courtney recently posted..Facebook Page: 7 Ways to Make it Better
Twitter: kimulmanis
says:
I’ve been a photographer for three years and I always love refreshers. Somehow, they always come with something new that I’ve been needing to learn. I am by no means an advanced photographer or a professional so anything I can learn is a huge help. Thanks for the great tips!
Kim @ Coffee Pot Chronicles recently posted..Class is Now in Session
You are welcome!!
Courtney recently posted..Facebook Page: 7 Ways to Make it Better
Twitter: ElaineSGriffin
says:
Great list! Good pictures are so lacking in my posts on my personal blog. I’ve really put it on the back burner, thinking “I’ll come back to it.” On my list to-do’s for to tomorrow is to at least sit down with my manual, so this is timely for me.
Elaine Griffin recently posted..Hello world!
You can do it!! Please let me know if you have any questions!
Courtney recently posted..Facebook Page: 7 Ways to Make it Better
Twitter: a_lifeofourown
says:
Great post! I love a post with photos, and although I know a lot of mine aren’t great, I try to never make a post without a photo. I also hate it when someone puts up a super tiny picture. It’s kind of like a tease.
Venassa recently posted..10 Activities to Keep a Toddler Busy
A tease! That is a great way to explain it!! Yes!
Courtney recently posted..Facebook Page: 7 Ways to Make it Better
Thank you! That was so very helpful! I had a lousey camera and struggled so! But I did have some success editing and cropping them. I will try Picmonkey.
Your tips are great!
Blessings! Linda
Don’t get discouraged! Give Picmonkey a try! It may be exactly what you are looking for
I need to work better with the rule of thirds. It really makes such a difference!
I promise if you keep practicing it, it will become so second nature you won’t even realize you are doing it!
Courtney recently posted..What to wear in Family Photos-September 2012
Twitter: TeaInEngland
says:
This was really, really helpful for me – the world’s worst photographer! LOL
The one skill I really need to grasp is knowing what size image to use in my blog posts. Most of the time, I use a biggish picture as the Featured image, and then the next size down for pictures that are in my post. I think sometimes I am guilty of using too many images … but gosh darn it, England is SO beautiful, how can I resist? LOL
I will say that I intend on utilising my website’s Facebook Fan Page Photo section for all those ‘extra’ pictures that are relevant and interesting, creating an individual folder to correspond with each blog post. Maybe this would be a tip others could use?
Thanks again,
Denise
That is a great idea! I love using your other social media outlets to still share your images without overloading your reader!
Courtney recently posted..What to wear in Family Photos-September 2012
This is kind of a given, but you’d be surprised at how many blogs fail because of irregular updating.If someone stumbles upon your blog and sees a link outdated by weeks, they may never come back. Offer something fresh–even if it doesn’t really speak to that reader–and they’re more likely to return.
Jennifer recently posted..tinnitus
Twitter: Farbrent
says:
You know, it never occurred to me to make the pictures bigger. Now I feel like a dunce. Someone recently told me NOT to put a picture in the first paragraph b/c that messed up search engines….true or false?
Heather Novak recently posted..Nice Kids in Nice Stores: 3 TIps To Help Toddlers Behave Well