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Good images are vital if you want to be a professional blogger. Unfortunately this is not always an innate talent. When I first started blogging my images were terrible! I cringe when I think back to those blurry photos that I took with my really crappy cell phone, but it was all I had and now almost 5 years into my blogging journey I have learned a few tricks about making great blog post feature images. I also upgraded to a real DSLR camera. All of which has helped to make my blogging images about a million times better.
If you are new to blogging and can’t yet afford to buy a great camera don’t worry there are definitely some ways you can work around that. Here are a couple of ideas for helping to up your blog feature images:
First, I write about family, parenting and motherhood over her quite often. I detest school pictures and so every year I budget money for a professional photographer. By purchasing these images and the full digital use associated with them I have been able to create some great blog features images.
Like this article I wrote about why I still nurse my 2 year old.
Or this post explaining why I just can’t stay in touch.
Both of these posts, went viral on Facebook and have been shared many, many times since they were originally shared. Keep in mind that each platform has their visual alignment preferences. Horizontal images like this are fabulous for most social media outlets except Pinterest, which prefers long and vertical images.
If professional photos like this are not something you can afford right now. Here is another way to make great blogging images.
Use PicMonkey !
All of the blogging feature images you see above were created using PicMonkey. Recently I finally became an affiliate for PicMonkey because I love their service that much. Using PicMonkey in my blogging images has literally made me money and so I cannot say enough good things about signing up to receive the full Royal services. If you use the following offer to sign up I will receive compensation, so thank you!
I mentioned above that you need to keep in mind how to format your pictures across various social media platforms. I do this by creating both a vertical and horizontal image for all of my posts. This way right within the post I have a way for my readers to share the image they want in the alignment that works best for each platform. This is important because each of those shares helps to get more eyes on your posts and blog.
Here is the pinnable image for this post. I did this by first grabbing a great image off of Unsplash and then using the collage element within PickMonkey.
Here is the horizontal image I created that works best for Facebook, my home page and Twitter.
Lastly, don’t forget to watermark your images! You don’t want your hard work or the images of your family being stolen and used elsewhere without your permission!
I hope this tutorial has helped!
Stay Happy! Stay Informed!
Love,
Jen
Go ahead and share this post, you know you want to!
Comments
What great advice and seriously think yow know I am a big fan of PicMonkey and now also been using Canva for my images, too :)
Janine Huldie recently posted…How To Make The Best DIY Girly Tutu Tulle Easter Basket
Thank you! I have never actually tried Canva. Might be time to do so!
Jen recently posted…Make Amazing Blog Post Feature Images
See, I’m lazy and this is entirely too much work for me. Oh wait, I don’t make money off my blog so all is good. That was a close one.
Have a fabulous day Jen. ☺
Comedy Plus recently posted…The Doorbell
Haha! Close one indeed :)
Jen recently posted…Make Amazing Blog Post Feature Images
Hi Jen, I love the simplicity of PicMonkey, it really is so easy to use and if I didn’t already subscribe to it I would by definitely be clicking on your link. I really must check out Unsplash, but I do like using my own images (especially since getting my DSLR camera).
xx
Debbie recently posted…Two Years And Still Blogging
Aww you are the sweetest! I could not survive without PicMonkey! Do try Unsplash it is amazing!
Jen recently posted…Make Amazing Blog Post Feature Images
I love PicMonkey. And Canva too. What’s really funny is that I’m a professional photographer and I hadn’t a clue how to make blog images. I’m still learning! My food photography has been passable, at best. ha! What would my photography teachers say?
But then have me take a photo of a child and all bets are off.
Tamara recently posted…Two Words: Scallop BLTs.
Ugh food photography! I can cook, but those pictures are hard! I need to take a class. I think you are doing pretty swell with all of your images. Keep up the good work, oh and go ahead and take more pictures of those hash brown breakfast nachos while you are at it!
Jen recently posted…Make Amazing Blog Post Feature Images
I’ve shamefully neglected pictures on my blog, but I’m changing that. I love PicMonkey :)
Akaleistar recently posted…10 Ways to Make March Awesome
You go girl! Good luck on the image journey.
Jen recently posted…Make Amazing Blog Post Feature Images
I too CRINGE when I reflect back on my older posts and images. I can’t believe how bad things were. I kinda want to delete some of them but I like the reminder of where I came from! Great post!
True enough, we all had to start somewhere right? Plus my husband tells me that if we delete those old posts it makes Google mad, because they don’t like holes. So I guess we should keep that history for sure :)
Jen recently posted…Tech News: Kiddle, Facebook Updates And More
My blog photography style can best be described as “keeping it real.” I’m here to make the rest of you look good. ;)
Jenny @ Unremarkable Files recently posted…Out of the Stone Age… Sort Of
Haha! You are hilarious! I like how you roll :)
Jen recently posted…Tech News: Kiddle, Facebook Updates And More
Thanks for sharing! I love sites like Unsplash because they offer free photos for you to use when you can’t always take your own, etc. Plus, I’ve been trying to use Picmonkey more. I have the free service at the moment, but it’s still handy for making quick buttons, etc. for features and the like.
ShootingStarsMag recently posted…Two Graphic Novel Reviews: Secret Coders + Little Robot
It really is handy. I had the free service for a long time too, but I love all of the great features you can get with the Royal package and I use it so often the small investment feels like nothing!
Jen recently posted…Tech News: Kiddle, Facebook Updates And More
Call me old fashioned, but I just can’t step away from Photoshop! PicMonkey is great for a few things, like quick collages, but I’ve been burned by them too many times. (Several of my crisp DSLR images ended up getting blurry after processing through PicMonkey) Definitely going to have to check out Unsplash. I’ve tried to take as many of my own stock-style photos as possible, but I don’t always have just the right one, you know?
Leslie recently posted…They Live On In Us
I lost my fancy version of Photoshop quite a few years ago and I miss it. Someday I might sign up for that again. Yes take a look at Unsplash, they are fab!
Jen recently posted…Tech News: Kiddle, Facebook Updates And More
These photos are beautiful. What is your take on PicMonkey vs. Canva. Do you use both? Which one do you like better?
Caryn recently posted…Easy Recipe: Healthy Chocolate Mousse
Mostly PicMonkey, I love them! My husband has even converted to PicMonkey for quite a bit of his web design images. I have heard good things about Canva though.
Jen recently posted…Tech News: Kiddle, Facebook Updates And More
Your readers might like to take a look at my website http://BusinessImagesFree.com which has 30,000 free images for use on blogs. There are images with text already on them or do a search for copyspace and find images with space for text.
Well, you’ve read my blog enough to know I suck at this. I know I should do it. I have a PicMonkey account, a premium one, in fact. So why am I so lazy?? ;)
April recently posted…When We Met Matthias: Story of a Military Family