Whether you run a photography blog or maintain a community Instagram account, there is something to be said about the presentation and style of any image. The old adage that a picture is worth a thousand words can be very true in many cases, but only when the picture truly speaks to its audience. A quick image search for just about any topic will yield a seemingly endless number of photos, but are all of these photos equally captivating? If you are sharing images with the rest of the world and the success of your brand relies upon what people think of them and how many times they are shared, then it’s important to know how to get the most out of each image or photo. Below, we’ll share some helpful tips for doing just that.

An Emphasis on Quality

Above all else, the quality or resolution of an image is incredibly important. A high-resolution image is far more likely to be shared and enjoyed than one that is of low quality. In some circumstances, we have no control over the overall quality of the image (perhaps it was captured while in motion, or was captured by someone else). In these cases, you can play with the image to generate a better result. One common trick for improving the ambiance of a lower-resolution photo or image is to increase contrast. At times, even going black and white can generate a more interesting result, but the contrast between various colours is usually the better option when attempting to distract people from imperfections in an image.

Avoid Busy Settings

A photo that features ten different happenings at once can come across subconsciously as gibberish, as if we were tuned into a radio station that is pinging noise across the airwaves instead of a broadcast or song. While some forms of photography and images will require this effect, people tend to be more receptive and look at an image longer if it has a more singular focus. If you have an image that is busy but you’d like to help reduce the distraction, then use a photo editing program to add a focal point or adjust the depth of field in the photo. This is incredibly easy to do, will add a layer of professionalism to the photo, and may help better convey the overall theme of the image in question.

Embrace Relevance

Whether you are writing a blog post or simply sharing an image by itself via social media, there should always be relevance to what you post. Particularly true when the image accompanies other forms of content, repeating the overall theme of the content via the photo can be quite helpful. For instance, a blog post about new trends in 2015 may feature an image that depicts several of these trends in simple terms, while also including a headline that repeats or slightly rewords the article of the post. If you have followed the advice given prior about busy settings, then you should be able to combine some text overlay with the image without creating an image that appears to be pinging noise.