If you’re a healthy living blogger, you are bound to have some photos in your blog. Sometimes you might buy or steal your pictures, but you are bound to snap your own too, of your food and exercise things. However, what about other photos? Friends, family? A lot of pets? (Um, a healthy life should include humans too.)
But your friends (even furry ones) and family are important to you so it’s natural you want to show them off. However, before you start going photo crazy take some time to think….
1. Always ask if you can post a photo of someone else. Maybe if you’ve been blogging for a while and people will just kind of assume OK, this will be posted. However, asking never hurts. When I was posting pictures of a race, I asked the three other runners if they were OK with it. Maybe they don’t want pictures of themselves looking sweaty and gross floating around the internet when they are in a professional setting.
2. Make sure you look like yourself. I remember reading a blog after a blogger meet-up and her first statement was “some people looked nothing like their photo.” Yes, we want to post the best pictures of ourselves. However, if your “best” was six years ago when you had long red hair and wore a size two…and you currently have short brown hair and extra curves…consider showing what you REALLY look like. Healthy comes in many shapes and sizes and it’s a positive thing for people to see that.
3. Just because you don’t care now doesn’t mean you won’t care later. So you accidentally got drunk, took your top off, and rode a mechanical bull. Your abs might look ripped and your hair might be blowing in the (mechanical) wind, but is that something you really want forever in the blog world? Even if you don’t care about future employers or future mothers-in-law, do you want your blog to be trashy? Avoid looking like a MySpace page.
4. Keep it to a minimum. Just as with food photos, one or two will suffice. I don’t need to see you and your BFF smiling with beers, then making faces at each other, then hugging in front of the restaurant, then an individual of you by the taxi, and an individual of her inside the taxi.
5. As always, make sure it’s relevant. Nothing bothers me more than reading an awesome recipe then seeing a picture of your cat doing silly things. If you’re doing a life update, go ahead and show off your dog’s sweater. However, if you shove it at the beginning of a body image or running routine post, I’m not going to read it.
I love knowing a bit about the blogger’s life if I’m a dedicated reader. I think a well-placed personal photo can enhance your blog. So, when she says something about how her husband cooked, I have an image in my head. When she says she took her dog out for a run, I can picture it. But just as I don’t need to see a photo of your oatmeal every time you mention it, I don’t need to see a picture of your cat every time she does something cute. This is your blog, not a Facebook album. Save it for Picasso.
Do you guys like seeing the personal photos in every post or do you prefer the every once in awhile approach?
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{ 5 comments… read them below or add one }
I just wrote about this on my blog. I like seeing pictures, but I don’t need to see 5 pictures of someone’s dog in every one of their posts, or their husband/boyfriend. I think people need to draw the line with what goes in their personal photo albums and on their blogs.
Looking at the picture then asking yourself if it has to do with the content and philosophy of your blog goes a LONG way.
I love seeing pictures in posts. Generally after 5 (unless they are pictures to go with a step by step recipe) I don’t really want to see anymore.
My blog is still kinda new so I always ask my friends if they are ok with having their pictures featured. Sometimes if I have multiple pictures I will even let them choose which one they want me to post.
I think less is more. One picture of each item is usually sufficient. But some blogs post pictures of the same bowl of oatmeal from three different viewpoints. I think that’s unnecessary. I also agree with you about choosing personal pictures wisely. Some are just for me and not for the whole world.
Lisa´s last post ..A Different Kind of Sunday Steak Night
I went to a few networking events this month and I was very suprised at how many people look nothing like their pictures online. I agree – use an updated one. I changed my hair color a few times this year so I tried to update the picture frequently (or use black and white photos).
I am one who is totally guilty for pimping out my dog but I agree with most of these. ESPECIALLY the one about friends, significant others, etc. Yes, I know you and your friends went out. I don’t need to see pictures of when you got there, flipping through the menu, debating the choices, waiting for dinner, funny faces, eating then happily full. And I don’t need to see a picture of SO holding the food or rubbing bellies. If you said it was good, I trust your judgement.
Tiffany @ Simply Shaka´s last post ..A Tale of Two Pineapples