You can make the subjects of your photos glow.
Are you interested in learning about photo effects?
Welcome to the future, an age where pictures have become more important than words.
There are many reasons graphics are so valued and this guide to photo effects will teach you how to use them effectively.
Visual content can be understood by anyone regardless of their native language and is easily shared on social media.
The brain takes in a photo’s message faster, making graphics a preferable source of information for busy people.
Images on social media actually get more engagement than text*.
Therefore, the goal should be to spruce up photos that accompany the written information in order to increase reader engagement and social sharing.
This will lead to a greater awareness of your site which will result in increased traffic for you.
Fortunately, there are tools that exist today that make this not only possible but easy.
Welcome to my follow-up to How to Double Your Traffic Using Simple Photography Tips!
Factors such as images, color and layout, draw in the user in the first couple of seconds, creating that first impression that will keep them browsing your site or social media.**
2014 saw a rise in visual content, and 2015 even more so as the trend has continued.
The problem is that while many bloggers feel confident in their ability to inform their readers by conveying information through the written word, they lack the confidence to do it through the medium that’s trending today–graphics.
Note the comments I received from readers:
Photography is my weakness…
I’ve been working on creating a pinnable image, but I don’t have a lot of patience with my photography.
I know that my graphics are my weak point, but I struggle to make them better.
Photography is my nemesis. I am working hard on it, but I know that I have lots to improve.
How to Improve Blog Photography
With over 412,000 followers on Instagram, the odds are great that you are using the app.
Although it has a reputation for being used by younger bloggers, its special effects are amazing. Therefore, it has appeal for all content creators who want to supplement their information with graphics.
Before:
Since the special effects hadn’t been applied yet, the camera isn’t glowing.
After:
Early bird was the special effect that made the camera glow.
The special effect choices are under the photo.
As can be seen by the screen shot, there are many special effects that you click to see how your photo will look once you apply it. I counted over twenty choices of filters that apply those effects.
I chose “Early Bird” since it made my photo glow, and I wanted to use the word “glow” in the headline.
Apple Iphone
According to blogging guru Jeff Bullas, we are living in a visual culture, one where 2.5 billion people literally have cameras in their pockets.
This is due to the functionality of cameras on smartphones.
While this section will explore the special effects on the Iphone, Android users I know have expressed comparable results with the cameras on their phones.
Before
Special photographic effects can make this lackluster photo look more interesting.
After
Process was the special effect that changed the colors of the wall.
The box is blue to indicate special effects have not been applied yet.
My iPhone 5S has nine special effects to choose from.
Picassa
Update: I heard a rumor Picassa folded.
Picassa is a downloadable program used for photo editing. I know first-hand it can store many photos since I have the bulk of my blog graphics stored there.
Picassa is my “go-to” choice for special effects.
Before
Since my headline mentioned “Building a Blog”, I wanted to make it more obvious the wall was under construction.
After
Now that I applied the special effect, it’s clearer the wall is being built.
Before
I wanted the light bulb to look bright, so I applied a special effect.
After
I used a special effect to make the light bulb glow.
My article had to do with “smart” bloggers, so I wanted the light bulb to glow as if someone had a “bright” idea. By applying the special effect, the bulb looks brighter. Picassa even straightened the bulb for me.
This is Picassa’s photo-editing area.
The tool used to select the special effects is circled. My two favorite effects are Warmify and Saturation. I use those the most.
PIcassa enabled me to blur the photo, so I could write on it.
The StumbleUpon photo was one of my most shared photos on Pinterest. I had one other photo of a crockpot that I blurred. Both posts received higher than usual page views. Coincidence?
These are just a few of the many effects you can do with photos.
Wrapping Up: Photo Effects
In conclusion, I have chosen three popular platforms. Hopefully, you will have access to at least one in order to make your blog photos shine.
These special effects enhance your ability to be even more creative than your writing allows you to be. For many people, more creativity means having more fun.
Ten percent of photos taken by humankind occurred between May of 2011 and May of 2012.*** These numbers just get greater as the trend towards using visuals increases.
Related Post:
4 Simple Ways to Start Blogging More Creatively
Sources:
10 Reasons Visual Content Will Dominate in 2014*
The Importance of Graphic Design in Social Media**
6 Powerful Reasons You Should Include Images in Your Marketing***
