We aren’t necessarily afraid to admit it: graphic designers often like our own work, and if we’re criticized, we can become overwhelmed, discontent, and even offended. Often times this means we’re relying entirely on our individual abilities as an illustrator to create graphics for our projects. However, this doesn’t have to be! For example, there about 507 different reasons to use photographs in your design projects. They’re an effective, simple, and emotional way to illicit a response from your users—and all without even lifting a sketching pen!

 

  • Pics Sell: We aren’t talking about that kind of photograph, but if you’re creating an eCommerce design for a client, why not include as many pictures of the actual product as possible? Consumers by and large feel more comfortable purchasing an item if they’ve been able to get a good look at it. That’s just common sense, and when creating just such a design, feel free to inundate the viewer with quality product snapshots to draw their interest. Don’t worry—you can still flex that creative muscle with a bit of javascript sliding!

 

 

  • Images Go Places: We know it’s cliche, but photographs really are worth a thousand words. In design terms, you can often say a lot more with a single photograph than you can with pages and pages of copy. Why is this? Simply put, it’s because users are conditioned to respond to images. We live in a visual world, and when presented with a strong image, we can’t help but react. If you give a monkey a banana, he will eat it. If you give a man a photograph, he will talk about it.

 

 

  • Photos Tell Stories: Lastly, it’s always a good idea to use a photograph in your design when you want to relate a story to the viewer. With copy, if you’re looking to relay an engaging narrative to the end-consumer, you’ll have to do it with lengthy prose. With an image, however, all it takes is clever placement on your part. Are you highlighting a product that’s designed to save stranded hikers on the side of a mountain? Include that photo of strapping young people cuddling up in the snowstorm while clutching the item. The user immediately fabricates a narrative for the piece, solidifying the product in their mind. This form of design is longer lasting than text, and provides a much deeper emotional response.