Pocket Photos Made Easy: Practical Tips for Good Pictures
A particular difficulty in product photography is the so-called “pocket photos.” For example, if you want to properly stage handbags and shoulder bags, you will notice that many bag models do not simply stand alone in a light tent or on a pedestal. But there are some helpful tips for this.
The right positioning for pocket shots
Let’s take, as an example, a little shoulder bag or shoulder bag that we want to photograph for our online shop. Someplace this bag in the hollow of the light tent. Unfortunately, the models look a lot too flat and not very appealing. The shoulder strap is then fixed quite unnaturally at the top edge. When designing the picture, the actual bag only takes up the lower part of the photo. The viewer is distracted by the narrow shoulder strap. Unfortunately, you cannot put the bag down, as it tilts over due to the small floor area. For very small pocket models, this can be fixed to the hollow on the rear side with a pin to occupy an upright position. However, most models are much larger.
A tailor’s doll as assistance
Bags are best photographed so that the viewer sees them in action. Quite realistic is a tailor’s doll. This is provided with a garment, which offers a good contrast to the bag. The shoulder bag is then fixed to the shoulder of the tailor doll with a pin so that it cannot slide down. In addition, you should choose a white wall or door as much as possible as a background. With a spotlight or sufficient lighting, the bag should be well illuminated.
But the tailor doll can also be set up outdoors against a suitable background. In daylight, the shots succeed even better. The image section is chosen so that the bag fits completely and format-fills the photo. As a rule, the portrait format is best suited here. The result looks as if someone is carrying the bag on their shoulder. The contents of the bag must be stuffed with some paper to reproduce in good shape. You can do without a flash or even different lighting if you work with a tripod.
In addition to the total shot, you should also photograph special pocket details, i.e., important applications, such as buckle closures and accessories. Maybe there will also be a human model willing to hang this bag. Many bags have different sides, so it is advisable to photograph both sides of the bag. So on the outside, additional zippered outer pockets can be seen, and on the inside, perhaps a great pattern.
Additional photo editing is often useful
If the background is not pleasing, it can be cut out with appropriate photo editing software. The cropping function professionally detaches the bag from the background. Nevertheless, the shoulder of the tailor doll or model should remain a little visible.
The inside of the bag is important to many viewers
Most of the bags come with an elegant lining and an interesting interior layout. Of course, customers also want to see this in the photos. For these detailed shots, the bag can, in turn, be placed in a light tent. The front side is folded as far forward as possible so that as much of the interior as possible can be seen. With appropriate illumination, only the inlet of the bag should be photographed. Only the pocket opening may be visible as a border. With a little practice, perfect pocket shots can be made.
Light Tent Comparison: the Best Photo Tents with Lighting
A photo tent with lighting is the ideal solution to create product shots. These light tents offer you a white background in front of which you can place your articles. Thanks to additional lighting, you benefit from shadow-free and low-reflection photos.
Light tents are available in different sizes. You can either fold them up to save space or put them back together like a tent. In the following guide, you can find out about the four best photo tents with lighting.
Photo Studio FOSITAN MK90
The FOSITAN MK90 photo studio* is a modern light tent with 126 LED light beads and many accessories. Thanks to the integrated transport bag, you can store and transport this light tent in a space-saving manner. It is ideally suited for mobile use.
Features
The FOSITAN MK90 photo studio has dimensions of 90 x 90 x 90 cm (W x H x D). The basic equipment includes
- The actual photo tent
- 126 LED light beads.
- Four different backgrounds
- A brightness dimmer
- A light distributor
- A user manual
The LED lighting of the FOSITAN MK90 photo studio is formed by modern LED light beads that reach a color temperature of 5,500 Kelvin. This enables you to achieve much more flexible lighting and precisely align the light on the subject. Drop shadows are avoided here. The basis is a sturdy steel frame. The light tent presents itself with a solid design and can be equipped with four backgrounds. A small hollow groove ensures a shadow-free image progression.
Simple to use
You can set up and dismantle the FosiTAN MK90 photo studio with just a few simple steps. A practical bag is available for transport. Place your motif in the colored hollow. It is not necessary to align the lighting as with other light tents. With a DSLR, you have to use a real tripod.
What do customers say about this light tent?
The position MK90 photo studio has been rated almost completely positively by customers. Here, the extensive accessories were first praised. The shots succeed so well that they hardly have to be post-processed afterward with image processing. Likewise, the different colored backgrounds were praised. Even without instructions, this photo studio is immediately ready for use.
Result:
The FOSITAN MK90 photo studio* is characterized by good build quality. In addition, you get plenty of accessories for almost every use in this set. Thanks to the individually adjustable LED light beads; you can rely on a shadow-free and extremely bright illumination. Of course, this light tent is also quick and easy to set up and dismantle.
Focal length and shutter Speed when photographing with a light cube
If you want to take your product pictures in a light tent, you probably ask yourself which lens or focal length is best suited. The focal length of a lens is usually given in millimeters. For example, with a focal length of 28 mm and below, one speaks of a wide-angle lens or a short focal length, and with a focal length of 200 mm and above, of a telephoto lens or a long focal length. Normal lenses have a focal length of around 50 mm. The objects to be photographed in a light cube are at most 40 to 50 cm away from the lens so that any normal lens or a small telephoto is completely sufficient. The normal lens is the best choice to get an image scale of 1:1.
If you do not need the front cover of a light tent and photograph the product from a greater distance with a telephoto lens, you will notice that the object is much sharper from the background.
Telephoto lenses have only a shallow depth of field, which positively affects the image design. The only disadvantage is the slightly wider distance when photographing from the light tent. If, on the other hand, very small motifs are to be photographed format-filling, they can also be taken up close with a telephoto. However, macro lenses or normal lenses with intermediate rings are better.
What about the shutter speed?
Aperture and shutter speed regulate the correct exposure of an image. The aperture is responsible for the amount of light that may fall on the image sensor of a digital camera. One speaks of a large aperture when the f-number is small.
For example, aperture F2.4 is a large aperture, while aperture F11 is a small one. On the other hand, the shutter speed regulates the exposure time and is measured in hundredths of a second. To get the right exposure for a picture, you need to know how the aperture and shutter speed work together.
For example, if you set the aperture to F5.6 and the shutter speed to 1/60 sec., this would be the same as if you had an aperture of F4 and a shutter speed of 1/125 sec. It would be discontinued.
This is the doubling effect. The only differences are in the depth of field. With the same shooting distance to the photographed object in a light tent and with the same aperture setting, for example, F8.0, we get a higher depth of field with a short focal length in the wide-angle than with a long focal length in the telephoto range. In this way, the subject can be cleverly depicted sharply while the background blurs into a blur.
Which values are suitable in practice for light tent shots?
If you want to take high-quality product shots, you first need to use a tripod with a remote shutter release. Based on the aperture, it is now individually selected whether you want a large depth of field range or not if the background is also photographed sharply. Select aperture F11, for example. If only the subject is displayed sharply, select aperture F2.4.
Since enough light should always fall on the image sensor for correct exposure, the shutter speed is adjusted under normal photography conditions. In a light tent, we have constant lateral lighting. Therefore, a long shutter speed can be easily selected. Especially with an aperture of F11 or F16, the exposure time can last 2 to 4 seconds. Therefore, the tripod is also needed for these shots, as you can no longer shoot from the hand here.
What Is a Hot Shoe Adapter? What Do You Have to Pay Attention To?
Many modern digital cameras have an integrated flash and can also be operated with a plug-on flash. The most important requirement here is an appropriate hot shoe. Hot-shoes with and without contacts are used on cameras.
The main task is using an external flashlight device, which is much more powerful than the integrated flashlight. This is synchronized and triggered via the center contact and other contacts with the camera. In addition, a flash shoe is also used to attach camera accessories.
Camera accessories for hot shoes
- Camera lights*
- Spirit levels*
- Rangefinder*
- Exposure meter*
- Remote*
- optional viewfinders
I have also used the flash shoe as a mounting point on the camera. Quite practical, I found an optional viewfinder, as I did not always want to look at the rear display. The actual hot-shoe shape is standardized according to ISO 10330 and therefore forms the basis for all possible clip-on accessories. However, I have noticed that the contacts for triggering a flash are executed differently by each camera manufacturer. This raises the question of what task a hot shoe adapter has.
What is a hot shoe adapter, and what is it needed for?
In many cases, a hot shoe adapter produces a flexible ball head holder. In the lower part of such an adapter, a plastic plate can be inserted exactly into the camera’s hot shoe. On it, for example, there is a ball head holder with an individually adjustable ball head. This can be a tripod thread with a 1/4 inch diameter. Theoretically, I could use it to operate two cameras on top of each other at the same time or attach a studio light or a studio reflector to the screw thread. I only have to note that no contacts to the attached device are passed on via the pushed plastic plate.
I also found various aluminum adapters that can be plugged directly into a hot camera shoe. In a bracket like that, I can easily attach a studio lamp. The deferred adapter is secured to the hot shoe using a clamping screw and ensures a firm lamp attachment.
In addition, I also found the real hot shoe adapters, which can not only be easily pushed onto an existing hot shoe but also transfer the contacts precisely. These adapters are needed if, for example, I want to use a flash from a completely different camera manufacturer on a Canon SLR camera. For example, the contacts on a Canon camera are designed differently than on a Sony digital camera. I can therefore use these special adapters if I also want to use the contacts for flash synchronization at the same time. In addition to the plug-in adapters, there are also those with spiral cable extensions so that I can easily operate an external flashlight device. Otherwise, the simple hot-shoe adapters are completely sufficient for most plug-in devices.
What do I have to pay attention to when buying a hot shoe adapter?
If you are interested in such an adapter, you should first check what kind of flash shoe is mounted on your camera. In addition, you have to decide whether only clip-on accessories or flashlight devices should be used on this flash shoe. Inquire about your camera’s bitz system. In addition to the original TTL exposure metering, which transmits the measurement results to the hot shoe contacts for the flashlight device, I also find the so-called pre-flash measurement in modern SLR cameras. Canon E-TTL, Nikon D-TTL or I-TTL, Pentax P-TTL, and Sony ADI.
This information is important when looking for a hot shoe adapter for different systems. However, the standard ISO measurement for an adapter is sufficient for attaching a studio light, a remote release, or a viewfinder. The contacts are not needed in this case. I find it advantageous that the different hot-shoe adapters are already available quite inexpensively compared to the other photo accessories.
Result
Hot shoe adapters are available for a wide variety of applications. I can put these directly on an existing flash shoe. In addition to the contactless ISO adapters, there are also those with contact transmission. The latter is primarily used for the control of special flashlight devices. Otherwise, I can attach all sorts of accessories, from a spirit level to a rangefinder or a camera light to an optional camera viewfinder. I think it’s nice that the different hot-shoe adapters are relatively inexpensive. Most adapters are in the price segment of around 10 euros.
How to Create Product Photos for Online Shop
If you want to run your online shop, you should use meaningful product photos. Most use a modern digital camera that offers a resolution of at least 10 megapixels. If you look at these photos on your home computer with an image viewer, you will be impressed by the wealth of detail.
Unfortunately, many shop operators make a mistake uploading these photos directly from the camera to their online shop. Some will wonder why the number of visitors is missing, even though the photos have been so great. Here it is due to the loading time. Even with a fast Internet connection, photos need enormous resources to display an image from the net. Not every visitor is so patient that he waits until such photos are presented. As a photographer, you should take a look at the file size. Not infrequently, the photos are several megabytes in size. This, of course, slows down the loading time.
Images must be compressed for online use.
Under no circumstances should anyone use RAW files as image material on their website. These go beyond all limits, especially since even the smallest RAWs can be more than 15 MB in size. But JPGs can still be too big. Image compression provides a remedy. Thus, an original photo can be compressed via an image editing program for a website appearance without losing the important image details. Many programs offer a menu item with which an original photo can be optimized with just one click. A file size reduction is also carried out immediately in this procedure. However, you should keep in mind that a fast loading time must not detriment image quality. To optimize the loading time, either the side lengths of an image can be adjusted, or the image quality can be reduced. Everyone should figure out how far this optimization can be used on their product photos in test mode.
Free software to optimize images with one click.
- Photo size
- Tinypic
- The Grandiose Image Reducer
Product photos for an online shop with small preview images
An alternative is to design the online shop so that the products are displayed as thumbnails or very small product photos in the product list. If a customer is interested in this and clicks on the product for more information, the photo can be displayed larger. If, for example, photos are to be displayed next to the text on a page, 300 pixels would be sufficient for the page length. If the photos are displayed in a gallery without a magnifying view, then 500 pixels is recommended as a page length. If photos are displayed in an enlarged preview window, the page length may be 1000 pixels. These are rough guidelines.
Be considerate of users with slow transmission speeds.
If you want to reach as many customers as possible, you should keep in mind that a full DSL speed is not always given in rural areas. Many customers also view the pages on a tablet or smartphone. Here, too, slower transmission speeds are usually given. An important reason for image compression is image theft. The larger a photo is on a page, the better the quality. This, of course, makes it more appealing to download and use this picture for other things.
10 Best and Free Ways to Driving Traffic to Your Website
Building a website is only half the battle. For your page to find a sufficient number of visitors, you need to know how to drive traffic to the site. This article will show you how to drive traffic to your website faster with paid advertising and organic promotion.
How to drive traffic to the site
- Tell your loved ones about the site
- Be active on the platforms where your target audience sits
- Run paid ads and use free coupons
- Create exclusive offers
- Appear on similar resources
- Invite guests to your platform
- Work with influencers
- Create an account on Google My Business
- Submit your site to online directories
1. Tell your loved ones about the site
Before launching the site, show it to your friends and relatives. Listen to their comments and make adjustments to the finished version.
Send messages to your contacts.
Tell your Facebook friends, LinkedIn contacts, and email about the site. Use personalized messages, describe the site in detail, and avoid marketing jargon. Your message should be friendly and personal and not look like a clichéd email marketing campaign.
Share the link to the site on social networks.
Write a post about launching the site. Let your friends comment, like, and share it on their pages to increase engagement. To make your post visually appealing, use a social media post editor.
Send a newsletter to the contact database.
This is a good way to reach a wider audience. Using Gmail, you can easily sync your contacts with a free email marketing tool. After that, you need to set up the mailing list layout and send it.
2. Be active on the platforms where your target audience sits.
Create a list of online platforms that your target audience visits. Start being active there. Leave comments and make posts every day. So users will be interested in your site and product.
If you consistently leave valuable feedback and thoughtful comments, moderators are more likely to notice you. This will help establish contact with them and open the way for possible collaborations.
Check out the discussions on Quora and Reddit. Their people are looking for answers to questions about very specific topics. This makes them ideal platforms for showing off your professionalism.
3. Run paid ads and use free coupons.
Plenty of advertising platforms offer free coupons or discounts for new users. New offers are coming out, so make sure you take advantage of all platforms.
Such coupons will provide an opportunity for experimentation. It will be easier for you to choose what works for your site and what doesn’t without spending a fortune on it.
4. Create exclusive offers
Find communities, channels, or platforms with the right audience for you. Contact the person who manages a particular platform and offers cooperation. They will often be happy with such an offer, and users will be happy to receive a coupon.
5. Appear on similar resources
Contact the owners of online resources suitable for you and offer to write an article for their website or blog. You can also become a podcast guest or a member of a Youtube video. So you will have the opportunity to increase your authority in the industry and share a link to the site.
6. Invite guests to your platform
By inviting others to create content on your platform, you can easily fill your site with rich and interesting content. This is suitable for a blog, podcast, video, and other media types. Chances are your guests will be promoting content to their audience, which will lead to more traffic.
7. Work with influencers
Create a list of influencers whose interests overlap with your brand. Offer them cooperation. Try partnering with a few to see which influencers are doing the best.
8. Create a Google My Business account
If you have a physical address, then a Google My Business profile will increase your chances of appearing in search results. When someone searches for a business in your area, chances are your details, and website link will be among the first to appear.
A completed profile helps the business look more professional, and past clients are more likely to leave reviews, photos, and ratings. This helps strengthen your online image and drive more traffic to your site.
10. Submit your site to online directories
There are many sites, directories, and other platforms based on user-generated content on the web. Many people visit these resources, so this is a great chance to increase awareness.
How to Become a Food Blogger
A food blogger is a calling that combines a love of writing and cooking. Interesting articles with recipes will help you gather an interested audience around you, earn credibility in the industry, and even find a new source of income. In this article, we will tell you how to become a food blogger:
- Create a food blog without the help of a designer.
- Set up content production.
- Attract new readers.
How to start a food blog:
1. Come up with a name
2. Choose a platform
3. Create a website
4. Come up with content
5. Optimize SEO
6. Get promoted
7. Monetize your food blog
1. Come up with a name
This step may sound trivial, but choosing a blog name is an important strategic decision. A sonorous and memorable name will become part of your brand and help you stand out from your competitors. Experienced food bloggers choose names that somehow reflect the theme of their sites. Examples are the vegan blog Green Kitchen Stories and the food blog Budget Bytes, which specializes in inexpensive recipes.
2. Choose a platform
To run a blog efficiently and smoothly, you will need a website-building platform and good hosting. The good news is that you don’t need any design skills to work on most platforms.
3. Create a website
Before you become a food blogger, you need to decide on the concept of your future blog. Do you need a landing page or a full website? Minimalistic design or abundance of graphic elements? Perhaps you want to add an online store to your food blog or set up a feedback form? To make it easier for you to create a website, Cloudretouch has created a library of professional design templates. All of them are free and already customized for the needs of a food blogger. For example, this template has an email subscription form, and this one has a social media panel for those who want to combine traffic on both platforms.
Please note that all templates can be changed to your needs in the visual editor: for example, change the color scheme, change the font, or completely redesign the page structure. Another important element is the creation of a logo. Like the blog name, the logo will increase the site’s visibility and favorably affect your brand. With a free Logo Maker, you can create a logo with the help of a designer – answer a few questions and choose your favorite logo from dozens of suggested ones.
4. Come up with content.
A beautiful design will help grab the reader’s attention – but only high-quality and useful content will make them come back to your food blog repeatedly. Here is what will help you fill the site with interesting and memorable texts:
- Create a content plan. Decide on key goals: attracting traffic or monetizing your blog. Determine the target audience and describe what topics will be most interesting to your potential readers. This information will help fill the blog with relevant recipes and articles to bring a steady stream of users and conversions.
- Create a posting schedule. It will help to release articles on time and evenly distribute the workload. In addition, readers are more willing to read a food blog updated regularly.
- Be original. Bright headlines and intriguing descriptions grab readers’ attention and increase engagement.
- Add high-quality images. Good images are important for any profession, especially for a food blogger. No one will read the recipe for even the most incredible dish if it is accompanied by blurry and dark photos from the phone. The image should be “appetizing,” – so, if possible, use good optics and studio lighting for photos of your dishes.
5. Optimize SEO
SEO is the process of optimizing a website to appear in the top lines of search queries in Google and Yandex. The more people who see your site in the Top 10 search engines, the more potential readers you will attract to your blog.
Start by looking for relevant search terms that people can use to find your blog. They are also called keywords. For example, if you run a food blog with low-calorie recipes, good keywords might be “easy meal recipes,” “diet ideas,” or “weight loss recipes.” Use programs like Ahrefs and Semrush that show you if your chosen keywords are popular with users.
Once you’ve compiled a list of keywords, try to organically mention them in your blog posts – especially in headings and subheadings. This will help search engines notice articles and show them to users for the right queries.
6. Get promoted
In many ways, the success of a food blogger depends on the number of subscribers. Some of them will find you themselves – however, for real growth, you need to promote your blog in various ways. For example:
- Social media. Announce new articles on Facebook, Instagram, and TikTok, run contests, and publish exclusive content like step-by-step video recipes.
- Email newsletters. Email marketing is a great way to keep loyal readers and attract new ones. Send weekly emails with thematic collections of recipes and articles. Remember – you can only send emails to readers who have given their consent. Therefore, we recommend adding a subscription form to the blog.
- Networking. Collaborating with other food bloggers and inviting guest writers to your blog is another good way to increase your site’s visibility.
7.Monetize your food blog
Exclusive content, advertising banners, online sales, affiliate programs – many ways to start making money on your favorite business. We have detailed the ways to monetize a blog in the article How to make money from your blog?
How to Choose the Perfect Background for a Site
Any designer knows that choosing a background is indispensable for creating a website. The background is the foundation of the design; it helps evoke certain emotions in the reader, serves as a frame for images, and helps convey a certain concept.
The article will talk about the most popular backgrounds for websites and their impact on users. We will also give some tips on choosing a background and using it in website design.
What is the background for the site?
In web design, the background is the most basic element. The right background can play a decisive role in how visitors perceive the site’s content. So his choice should be approached thoroughly.
The background for the site can be an image, color, or pattern. The right background will help highlight the right parts of the site, set the tone for the brand, and improve the page viewing experience.
There are two main types of backgrounds:
- A solid background covers the entire screen.
- An accent background is a background that surrounds only important content, such as images or parts of the text.
Types of backgrounds for the site
As web design trends evolve, so do the options for choosing backgrounds. Below you will see examples of different background images and techniques with a description of their benefits.
gradient background
The trend for a gradient background began back in the 90s and did not lose its relevance. The gradient looks stylish and allows you to combine and mix different colors.
Regardless of the gradient style, color is at the center of this background design. You can create a unique color scheme by adding unusual colors or having the background in your brand colors.
Monotone background for the site
A monotone background helps create an organized and readable web design. You can choose any existing color. Make sure the hue matches the branding of the site. The background color should reflect and complement the brand concept just like the rest of the site.
animated background
By adding a video or animated graphics to the background, you can keep the attention of site visitors for a longer period.
Remember that motion can easily distract users, so animated backgrounds must be used with care. For example, a video can be a great way to introduce users to a brand, and animated graphics can add a modern touch when used correctly.
Tip: Try parallax scrolling if you don’t want to make the background fully animated but still want to add dynamics to the page. This is a web design technique where the background moves slower than the foreground, creating a 3D effect.
Graphic background
Graphic backgrounds can complement website content and help tell a brand’s story.
It’s important to choose graphics that go with the theme of the site’s design and won’t confuse users.
Background with patterns
In modern web design, there is a huge selection of different patterns for the background – from minimalistic to complex and ornate. It is important that the background does not look too “noisy” and does not distract attention from the content. If you’re choosing a complex pattern, try using muted colors. So the design of the site will be balanced.
Texture background
The textural background of sites resembles a tactile surface. Such a background can add volume to the site without the risk of distracting visitors.
When choosing a textural background, make sure it matches the elements in the foreground.
Photo background
This background is best suited for an event site or blog where a visual presentation is needed to accompany written content.
Before choosing a photo for design, there are several aspects to consider. First, it must be high-quality to look good and load quickly. Then think about how you want to position the photo. It can be pinned to accompany users as they scroll or set as the main image where it will show up on the fold line.
What makes a website background good?
Using the tips and tricks below, you will better understand what results from striving. Of course, website design is a journey full of trial and error. So feel free to test different designs when adding a background to your site.
Follow Design Principles
The background will affect the balance, contrast, and hierarchy of the entire site. Knowing this, you will be able to make more strategic and creative decisions that will result in a seamless design with a flawless user experience.
Ensure readability
Readability is a must for any web design. Sites with large images, bright colors, and overloaded animation in the background often interfere with readers and distract them from viewing content.
For the site to be readable, combining the background with the correct typography and size is necessary. Readability can also be achieved by using a color palette or adjusting the background’s contrast.
Follow the same style.
The background of your site is an opportunity to support the corporate identity. The website’s background color palette should include the brand colors and be consistent with all other materials.
Make a mobile version.
More than 50% of global Internet traffic comes from mobile phone users. Therefore, the site should look perfect on a computer and a smartphone screen. In the case of background, this means that you need to choose an image that scales well on a small screen without losing quality.
Follow the quality
Regardless of whether you have a video, graphics, or photo in the background, the main thing is that the site’s background is of high quality. The best format for backgrounds is JPEG, while SVG can be used for resizing and scaling.
Naturally, high-quality images and videos are heavier than usual, so you must compress the file to keep the page speed and functionality.
What Is Parallax Scrolling?
Parallax scrolling was first talked about in 2011, and it immediately became widespread and popular among web designers. Web design trends have come and gone, changed and evolved, but parallax has always been a sought-after effect.
With the advent and widespread use of HTML and CSS, it has become much easier to create more interesting and memorable elements for the design of Internet pages, including landing pages.
When building a website, parallax is a great way to add depth and dynamics to a site. Today’s post will talk about parallax scrolling and show examples of beautiful websites using this effect.
What is the parallax effect?
Parallax is a visual effect in which the background moves slower than the foreground object. Thus, the impression of volume and depth is created, the site is animated, and the user gets a more immersive experience when working with it.
To get the parallax effect, you need three components:
- A background or object in the background that moves more slowly;
- An element in the foreground that moves faster; an object that moves faster;
- An action that triggers a movement is scrolling or moving the cursor.
Parallax Examples
01. Mild design
Emilie de Grosbois is a Montreal-based artist and founder of Mild Design. Her portfolio site strikes the eye with an impressive technique: she uses a series of complex full-screen images that follow each other like an unfolding scroll. Through parallax, the transition from one image to another becomes smoother, a logical connection is created between them, and a complete visual story is obtained.
02. Nolan Omura
Nolan Omura is a Hawaii-based photographer and videographer specializing in underwater photography. Look at how he used parallax – the right overlay of elements on top of each other gives the impression that the photos are alive. It certainly adds interest to his amazing work.
Nolan divided the site into broad strips and used each to showcase his pictures and videos. It smoothly replaces each other, as if waves are rolling on the shore.
03. Chris Covert
Aerospace engineer and designer Chris Covert has created a bold and eye-catching portfolio website. The design and interactivity of the site allow you to show personality, skills, and work experience in a new way – creative, innovative, and bright. What could have been just a dry list of enums has become an example of a modern CV.
Chris posted a snapshot of his printed resume as a massive element on its own in the center of the screen. When scrolling, the user opens it step by step, which creates a stunning visual effect.
Everything on this site is thought out to the smallest detail, which again proves its creator’s professionalism and talent. In addition, visitors and potential employers can download a PDF version of the resume.
04. Ivy Chen
Designer and illustrator Ivy Chen created a unique portfolio site using the parallax effect – an illustration turns into an image and vice versa. It turns out to be magic, and the visitor is immediately involved in the site as in a game: what will open next?
05 Industrial Jewelry
Jewelry designer Hila Carney created an interesting effect using parallax – while the side images change each other when scrolling, the central one remains in place. Only at the very end does it leave to make room for the text, and the user immediately concentrates on what is written. This is exactly how the user is completely immersed in the site.
06. Barco Sorriso
The site’s vibrant illustrations and overall palette create a fun and welcoming vibe for this non-profit site. The blue part – the ocean – gradually changes to the forest and resembles cartoons or video games.
07. Karlie Kloss
This sleek and minimalist website is the perfect portfolio for supermodel Karlie Kloss. The website’s color scheme consists of calm and clean colors such as white, gray, and black, while a large amount of negative space creates a feeling of air and lightness.
08. Hana Knizova
London-based photographer Hana created a website that presented her work as a strip of interchangeable images using the parallax effect. At the same time, the images act as a website menu, creating a unique navigation system where each image leads to a separate internal page.
The photos on the main page introduce Hana’s various projects. They show how the photographer works – from reportage shooting to photoshoots for future parents.
09. Protea
Creating a website for a restaurant is a complex process, if only for this reason. The layout and content should be as attractive as possible because the smell and taste cannot be conveyed through the screen. The owners of Protea restaurant did a great job – their site is based on a block template that allows you to show as many images as possible of the dishes, the interior of the restaurant, and the surrounding Napa Valley.
10 Frankie Ratford
A bright, lively, and playful site for a graphic designer who travels and works remotely from all over the world.
10 Email Etiquette Rules Every Professional Should Know
We send dozens of emails every day. Sometimes these are very short messages, for example: “Let’s go to lunch?”. Sometimes – mailings, with the help of which you present your business or website. When there are a lot of letters and time is short, we begin to rush and make mistakes. Usually small, like a typo, but sometimes some can harm your reputation and ruin your relationship with a client or employee.
To keep your business correspondence on top, we have collected the most common mistakes when sending emails. Here they are:
1. You dial the wrong address
The most common and most annoying mistake. Imagine you want to send some pretty personal photos to a friend, but you automatically type in the address of your boss or customer. And only after the letter is gone do you realize with horror what has just happened. If it’s any consolation, each of us has been in this situation at least once: lawyers sent confidential documents to the opposite side, designers sent site layouts to the wrong client, etc.
Fortunately, in many mail services, for example, in the same Gmail, there is a function to unsend a message. Turn it on and specify a large time interval – it’s calmer.
2. You forgot about the investment.
You wrote that a file was attached to the letter, but you forgot to attach it. Another common mistake that often leads to misunderstandings and apologies. Therefore, it is better to check everything first, and only then send the letter. And to avoid questions from the recipient, we recommend that you list all the attached files right in the body of the letter.
3. You don’t think about decoration
The form of the letter should be given as much time as the content. With a free Email Builder, selecting the appropriate template and adding your text to it is very easy. No special knowledge is required – make sure that everything looks neat and beautiful.
4. You don’t include a subject line.
The letter’s subject performs approximately the same role as the text’s title. Next to your name, the recipient sees it and understands what you sent him: an invoice, the results of a meeting, a job offer, a website layout, etc.
Remember that the subject should be formulated so that, if necessary, a person quickly finds your letter convincing. He is interested if we are talking about, say, a mailing list.
5. You don’t save drafts.
If you like writing letters in text editors, then save often – otherwise, you risk losing all the text if the computer freezes. Or write directly in the mail service – then all your sketches will be automatically saved in the “Drafts” folder.
6. You do not follow the rules of courtesy.
Politeness in business correspondence is just as important as in life. Here are the basic rules that everyone and everyone must follow:
- Start and end your letter with common phrases. The degree of formality will depend on who you are corresponding with. If this is your boss or just an official, do not use “Hello,” “Bye,” or “Kiss.” And vice versa, if you are writing to a colleague or friend, you can do without the traditional “Respectfully.”
- Remain calm, even if the matter is extremely urgent and important. Nervousness and reproaches will not lead to anything good.
7. You don’t proofread the text.
Misprints can spoil the whole impression of the letter, so carefully reread the written text (preferably several times). If in doubt about spelling or syntax, go to grammarly.com. In order not to accidentally send an unfinished letter, first write the entire text in full and only then dial the recipient’s address. Another useful service is Glavred. It helps to clear the text of clichés and verbal garbage. Use it so that your letter does not look dry and formulaic.
8. You don’t include the right people in your email copy.
Let’s figure out who can even receive your letter.
- The To field is the primary recipient.
- The “CC” field is the person who will receive the copy. He does not relate directly to the issue under discussion but wants or should be aware.
- The “Bcc” field is the hidden recipients. You add them, but the primary recipient doesn’t see them. And here, you need to be careful: you can confuse Cc and Bcc, and then the recipient will think that he is being spied on.
Keep in mind that some people need to be aware of what is happening. You do not want to listen to reproaches on the topic, “How could you not add me to the copy ?! I worked on this project for two months!” If in doubt, add everyone who has anything to do with the issue. Maybe not everyone will be happy that they are distracted, but there will be no complaints against you.
9. You don’t subscribe.
You wrote “Respectfully, Masha,” and you think everything is in order, but the recipient of the letter sits and puzzles over who this Masha is. From a print shop? Or maybe an illustrator? In order not to make him guess, set up a signature, and it will be automatically added to the end of each of your messages. Include your first name, last name, company name, position, and contact information, including Skype or phone number. You can add your site’s address – although this is advertising, it is unobtrusive.
10. You choose the wrong time.
Writing letters at night is not the best idea. The first reason: you are probably terribly tired during the day, you don’t think very well and risk making all these mistakes. The second reason: the avalanche of morning mail will bury your midnight letter under it, and shortly the addressee will not see it. And the third: apparently, you have nothing else to do since you are writing business letters at three in the morning.
Our advice: if nothing important and urgent happens, send messages from Monday to Friday and during business hours – so your letter will not be lost among dozens of others.
