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Let's Talk About Stock Photography
July 5, 2022
When you hear the words “stock photography” what comes to mind? A family with beautiful white teeth smiles on a white background? Two people in business attire pointing and smiling at a computer screen? Or maybe a silhouette of a person at sunset with their arms raised up like Rocky Balboa?
These are all the generic and sterile types of stock images that first come to my mind when I think about stock photography. These images of unrealistically happy people that have no emotional connection to the viewer have been around for decades, but thankfully, over the past couple years I’ve noticed a shift in the stock photography world that pushes back on the old school generic stock photography style and embraces natural, real-world images that actually relate to the viewer.
Is stock photography that looks real and genuine expensive? Absolutely not! Here are two of my favorite stock photography websites that focus on real, genuine content where anyone can download images from for free.
Here you will find an array of great images to use if you’re looking to elevate your design projects by using stock images that can connect and are relatable to your viewer.
Here are also three questions I ask myself before choosing a stock photo.
1. Is this photo going to relate to the viewer?
Say I need to find a photo of a mom and child for a design project. The design project is a digital ad for moms who like to spend time outdoors with their children. From the design brief I already know we're not going to pick any studio shots of a mom with children and not inside the home either. I’m going to be looking for a photo that is outdoors with the mom and child doing an activity together so moms looking at the ad can be inspired by what they’re seeing.
2. Is the photo appropriate for the demographic?
The design brief says the target audience is new moms with young children. That’s pretty self-explanatory. Staying in the vain of young mom with young children is best. Probably wouldn’t want to have senior citizens or businessmen in the image I’m looking for.
3. Does the photo work for the design?
The design brief says the ad will be 1920x1080 pixels. So, I’m looking for a landscape or rectangle image to fit into the ad space. This is important information to know before looking for a stock photo because stock photos can either be vertical or horizontal. There have been many times I’ve found the “perfect” photo for my project just for it to be the wrong orientation from what I needed.
There can be many more questions to ask before choosing a photo but these three are a great place to start!
Whether you are a CMO or an entrepreneur, knowing which Adobe program to use for video editing can make all the difference in the world. Both Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects offer powerful tools that can be used to create stunning videos. But which one should you use? Let’s take a look. Adobe Premiere Pro Adobe Premiere Pro is a timeline-based video editor designed for traditional editing and post-production workflows. It can be used for everything from basic video editing to complex multi-cam projects, allowing you to quickly and easily cut, trim, and combine clips with precise control over frame rates, sequences, and titles. While it does not offer as many in-depth graphic tools as After Effects, it does have more than enough features to make any project look professional. Adobe After Effects While similar in name to Premiere Pro, After Effects offers a completely different set of tools and capabilities. This motion graphics tool allows users to add 3D objects, special animations, and visual effects to their videos. After Effects also has the ability to create cinematic titles and realistic transitions that can take your videos to the next level. Both programs can be used in tandem through Adobe Dynamic Link, allowing you to have the best of both worlds! The choice between Adobe Premiere Pro and After Effects will ultimately depend on what type of editing work you need to be done. If you’re looking for traditional video editing capabilities with precise control over sequences and titles then Premiere Pro is the way to go; however, if you need more advanced features like 3D objects or special animations then After Effects is your best bet. No matter which one you choose, both programs will provide all the tools necessary for creating stunning visuals that will captivate your audience!
Many business owners are starting to understand the importance of blogging and how it can help grow their businesses. Having an active blog can be an invaluable tool for any company looking to increase engagement with customers, boost website traffic, and establish credibility online. Here are the top three reasons why your business should be blogging. 1. Establish Credibility Having a blog is a great way to build credibility in your industry and demonstrate your expertise in the field. You can use your blog to showcase the knowledge you have about your product or service and provide helpful information to readers who may be considering doing business with you. Sharing relevant, quality content on your blog will also help you become an authority figure in the eyes of potential customers, giving them more reason to trust you as a reliable source of information. 2. Increase Website Traffic Using SEO-friendly keywords on your blog posts is one of the best ways to bring more visitors to your website. Writing blog posts regularly will also help drive more organic search traffic as Google recognizes that your website is regularly updated with fresh content. This type of content marketing strategy will not only draw more attention from search engine algorithms, but it will also encourage people to spend more time on your website as they read through each post—a key factor for ranking higher in search results. 3. Improve Lead Generation Creating valuable content that’s useful for readers can also help attract potential customers who are interested in what you have to offer. Adding interesting visuals like images or videos can make it even easier for customers to engage with what you have written, which can lead them further down the sales funnel towards conversion or purchase. You could also consider adding call-to-action buttons at the end of each post that link back to other pages on your website such as product pages or contact forms where visitors can submit inquiries about what they’ve read on your blog post. Blogging is an essential part of any digital marketing strategy as it helps businesses reach out directly to their target audience and establish credibility as an authority figure in their industry. Regularly posting quality content that includes useful information and visuals is one of the best ways to draw attention from both potential customers and search engines alike—ultimately leading to increased website traffic and improved lead generation opportunities for businesses looking for growth online. If you want success for your business on the web, then having a blog should definitely be part of the plan!
In the age of digital marketing, businesses are increasingly relying on their online presence for success. If you want your business to stay ahead of the competition, you need to ensure that your website is seen by as many people as possible. Here are five strategies to help optimize your business’s online visibility in 2023 and beyond. Utilizing AI and Machine Learning Technologies Artificial intelligence (AI) and machine learning technologies are becoming increasingly popular as a way to improve customer service and enhance user experience. By leveraging these technologies, businesses can create more personalized experiences for potential customers that will increase their engagement. AI-based chatbots can provide quick responses and services without any human input, making it easier for customers to interact with your business. Additionally, AI algorithms can help businesses identify and target specific audiences more efficiently. Creating Quality Content Content is still king when it comes to SEO success in 2023. Quality content should be optimized with keywords that accurately reflects what users are searching for, which also helps boost rankings on search engine results pages (SERPs). Publishing content regularly will also help keep your audience engaged and interested in what you have to offer. Additionally, creating visual content such as videos or infographics can be an effective way to stand out from the crowd. Optimizing Social Media Pages Social media platforms have become a powerful tool for digital marketers over the years, so it’s important to make sure that all of your accounts are regularly updated with relevant content that resonates with your target audience. You should also take advantage of social networks' advertising capabilities; by creating targeted ads on these platforms, you can reach a larger number of potential customers who may not know about your brand otherwise. Additionally, social media influencers can be beneficial in helping spread awareness of your brand among their followers if they have an engaged following related to what you do or sell. Engaging With Local Communities Businesses should take advantage of local communities in order to increase their online visibility; this could include attending events or sponsoring charities within the area. Building relationships with other local organizations and individuals is key in order to gain more trust within the community; this type of engagement will lead people towards becoming loyal customers who will recommend your business or products/services to others through word-of-mouth recommendations or reviews online! Staying Up-to-Date With SEO Trends Search engine optimization (SEO) is constantly changing due to new updates from Google and other search engines; therefore, it’s important for businesses to stay up-to-date with all the latest trends so they don’t miss out on any opportunities! This includes performing regular audits on their websites and keeping track of backlinks as well as optimizing titles & meta descriptions so they appear at the top of SERPs when searchers query something related to what you offer! Additionally, utilizing voice search technology such as Alexa or Google Assistant can help businesses reach even more potential customers since these devices are used frequently nowadays! It's clear that optimizing one's online visibility requires dedication, hard work, skillful execution—and most importantly—continued effort over time! Utilizing AI and machine learning technologies, creating quality content tailored towards both humans and machines alike are essential components when striving towards gaining more organic traction online in today's ever-changing digital landscape! Furthermore, engaging with local communities & staying up-to-date with current SEO trends will ultimately give businesses a leg up against their competitors while ensuring they remain relevant throughout 2023 & beyond!
I recently performed in an alumni showcase for my old high school in Oconomowoc, Wisconsin. They have built a new performing arts center since many of us graduated and it was a chance for us to perform on the new stage. Being a performer has led me to this current role in my life as the owner of two advertising agencies. This show in my old hometown was a whirlwind of emotions, both good and bad, that got stirred up in everyone as we all worked through the rehearsals and performances. Here is a Facebook post I made on the group’s chat to share my feelings about our time together: As I sit here in the airport ready to head back home, I am reflecting upon this past weekend and people’s posts on Facebook. It’s obvious that this performance stirred up a lot of strong emotions about High School Theater in all of us. However, the question I have been asking is, “Why?” Why are these emotions so strong on our high school drama projects? I think because through drama and being involved in school shows… we encountered so many firsts . And these firsts get sorted into two main areas: theater firsts and personal firsts. For theater firsts: Is theater the first activity where you felt a rush after receiving audience applause? What about the extra screams for your scene-stealing role as that comedy relief? Did you learn to sing here? Did you learn the fundamentals of theater that you still use to this day (projection, staying open to the audience, not pulling focus)? Did you learn how to focus before you hit the stage? Did you learn to practice, practice, practice? Did you learn to respect all the roles involved with theater and not just acting? Did you save the show by ad-libbing a line when someone forgot theirs? Did you learn the show must go on…have you taken that approach with you into life? For personal firsts: Did you have your first crush or romance behind the curtain? Did you sneak your first drink at a cast party? Did you learn how to deal with different personalities? Did you develop a strong personality of your own? Did you come out of your shell with theater? Did you finally find a place where you felt you belonged? Did you bully someone? Were you bullied? Did you stop bullying from occurring? Did you make a friend? Do you still have the friends you made? Did you gain your first mentor? Did you let that mentor down? When we headed back behind the curtain on Thursday and Friday, these feelings and emotions of all of the firsts we encountered came rushing back or at least they did in me. I’m pretty sure in talking to many of you, they came back for you as well. High School Theater is the place where we encountered so many firsts. These firsts and how we handled our actions and emotions or vowed to handle them differently define us to this day. I am happy to have experienced many of these emotions and memories again. Some are frankly sad and hard to relive, because I could have been a much better person back then. I know I’ve grown and wish I could take back a lot of the things I did or said. Some memories have been funny and cathartic to remember because I was reminded about all of the good times I and we all had too. It's a good thing to journey back and remember the past, warts and all. It was a far, far better thing to experience the past again with all of you. Thank you.