Striking pictures leap from a page and grab the reader by the throat.
They demand attention, illustrate a point and reel a reader in.
So why the ruddy heck are so many blogs laid out pictureless like telephone directories?
Am I being unrealistic? Maybe. I’ve worked in the media for more than a decade and I’m used to thinking text plus pictures. Not everyone is wired that way. Fair enough.
Yes, through blogging you swiftly publish content. Being able to chuck stuff up is a strength.
But please, remember that a dowdy looking page may not ever get read.
Look at Linda Jones, or Jayne Howarth or Lee Jordan.
They’re a good marriage of words and pictures. You’re drawn into them.
FIVE things to do to add pictures…
1. Use your own pictures. It’s surprising what good images you have. Particularly if you are David Bailey.
2. Use Creative Commons pictures Flickr.com is a brilliant resource but it’s also a community so remember to be polite. If you are looking for a shot of a farm gate search ‘Farm + gate + creative commons.’ You’ll get some interesting results. Creative commons gives you permission to use a pic so long as you observe certain conventions.
3. Free to use stock image websites. Help yourself so long as you sign in. You’ll have to pay for the best ones. Not so best are usually free.
5. Don’t steal. Yes, it’s tempting just to save to desktop but it’s better not to.
Picture credits: