Design Tip - Image Selection

One of my favorite parts when polishing off a website design is choosing the images. Images can 100% make or break your website. They reinforce the aesthetic and give your site so much interest! How do I source my imagery? I either use istock images or brand/vendor images.

Let’s start with do’s and don’ts while choosing istock images:

DO use well edited, lifestyle imagery.

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DON’T choose people looking cheesily right at the camera because a lot of these look like cheap stock imagery and I’ve honestly recognized istock people on other websites or even seen them on billboards in real life! “Oh my goodness! There’s generic Gillian from istock!”

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DO use candid moments if you want to show lifestyle imagery of people.

DO choose a selection of diverse images.

DO choose highly styled images if you’re going for a high end look.

DO use a person making eye contact on rare, rare occasion. Usually professional brand images do this well.

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Now let’s talk about how to group these images together, make your website cohesive and have the same tone throughout.

DO stick with the same tone whether it’s cool or warm. Here’s an example of warm tones.

DON'T show the same body part over and over again. Too many hands!!!

DO mix it up and show an arm, then a face then perhaps just jewelry on it’s own.

Lastly, I love using images from a vendor/brand especially if it’s all from the same styled shoot. The images will automatically go together perfectly. You could choose from any of these below for a curated look.