When building a web page, it’s important to use all of the elements available to you as a designer. This includes the UX, design template, content, CTAs and photography (or imagery, which could include illustrations).
When you commission web design Surrey from an agency such as www.akikodesign.com/design/web-and-digital, your designer will weigh up the following considerations when choosing the right photography:
1. The Source of the Imagery
Good quality photography must be created at source and owned by the publisher, paid for or royalty-free. Otherwise, there can be copyright issues. Many businesses will commission their own imagery for a specific branded campaign or to reinforce their overall corporate brand.
2. The Overall Design
Good imagery should reinforce the overall design and add to it. Good design principles mean that the design must be compelling, direct the user towards a desired purpose and be visually appealing and coherent. This includes making sure that the design is uncluttered and ‘clean’, especially in Western cultures where this aesthetic is preferred for digital products
Good design also means ensuring that photos support the overall flow of the page and the direction of traffic – highlighting CTAs for example, rather than drawing the user’s attention away from them.
3. Choosing Cohesive Images
Imagery needs to work together as a suite and reinforce the messaging and overall design. This also means ensuring that images are designed to appeal to the target audience.
Usually, bespoke imagery is the best choice for achieving these goals. Stock imagery certainly has its place but it tends to be very obviously from a generic stock source, rather than commissioned for the brand itself.
4. Sizing of Images
A designer working on website design in Surrey will also consider whether images are correctly sized so that they don’t slow the loading time of the website. They will also ensure that the images all have alt tags included so that the site ranks for SEO.
These checkpoints will help you to use photography and imagery to the best effect on your website, to support good design principles.