I have moved my blog, media and entries to my new domain at http://www.hartmancreativedesign.com. I will continue to post copies of entries here for another two weeks. After that, ALL posting will be done via my new website. You can subscribe to my blog there–same content, same writer, same everything. Just new home. Thank you!
Image galleries are one of the most versatile storytelling tools WordPress provides its users. It’s a simple feature, basically used for displaying several pictures together either as a slideshow or in a grid. This is a great way to add content and make your site more interesting. Nobody likes a Website that’s all text. Text is boring. Images add flavor and personality.
Beyond displaying your images, however, galleries have the potential to act as storyboards for events, products and people. Choose images that have something in common; the subject, the theme, the style, and then arrange them so that they tell a story that has a beginning, a middle, and an end.
Look at the pictures in the gallery below (from my portfolio page):
These were taken in the autumn of 2013 at an apple cider-making party I went to with some friends from my church. In my case, this gallery is meant to display my photography and digital art work, but you can follow the story of the apple’s journey to become cider by the way the pictures are chosen and arranged. The first image sets the scene, the second shows the apple in it’s original form, and each image following is another step in the process to rendering (yummy) cider.
They are like a storyboard, showing the major steps in sequential order to tell a story. Of course some of the smaller steps and details are left out–you want a storyboard, not a manga book–but the gist is there. This method of storytelling can have a multitude of uses on a business Website. Use it to show an event or fundraiser, take a tour of your shop/factory/restaurant, explain a process or share a personal journey.
The human brain can process images infinitely faster than text or written language. Effective use of image galleries can not only increase the dynamic of your site, it can also tell your story in ways unattainable with words alone.
What do you use galleries for on your site? How do you use them for creative storytelling?
Hartman Web and Design 