Here’s a quick way to improve the design of slides that include some text and a photo. This type of slide is very common. But it doesn’t look very striking.
Here’s the principle: Make the photo touch 3 sides of the slide. When you do this, your slide will look bolder and clearer. The impact will increase. And it will simply look better. There are 3 ways to make this photo touch at least 3 sides of the slide:
1. A vertical image covering 1/2 of the slide
2. A horizontal image covering most of the slide
3. A horizontal image covering the entire slide
Try making over your picture slides in this way. You’ll be pleased with the results! Leave a comment and let me know your experience.
Great tip. Now I know why you instantly grabbed the image and moved it to the corner! What a striking difference that makes!
Thanks Ellen.
Glad you like it! Yes, it is a quick way to make a big difference on the slide.
Ellen, what an influential MVP you are! Thank you sharing the 3-side rule. After reading your suggestions, I immediately changed the slides I’m using for a presentation at a university next week.
I will think of you during the presentation. My best to you for continued success.
Ellen, what an influential MVP you are! Thank you for sharing the 3-side rule. After reading your suggestions, I immediately changed the slides I’m using for a presentation at a university next week.
I will think of you during the presentation. My best to you for continued success.
Charlotte, thanks for your kind comments. Good luck with your presentation next week!
Thanks Ellen – that’s how I explain to people what I mean by “make your photos much bigger!”
I really liked your 2-minute video on this subject, which I’ve linked to from my blog.
One person asked about having the image on the left and text on the right. What are your thoughts on that? (See comments at http://remotepossibilities.wordpress.com/2012/01/10/learn-4-pro-slide-layouts-in-2-minutes/)
Never knew I had so many options. Thanks for sharing your knowledge.
Craig,
Thanks for linking to my blog and the video. I answered the question about why we usually put the text on the left and the image on the right as a comment on your blog. I also gave 2 exceptions, when I think it could be the opposite.
Marcie,
Glad to help!
This is really a fantastic tip! Quick to do, and visually effective.
I’ve maximized all the previously centered images in my presentation (5 of them), and it looks much more impactful and stylish now.
I like this 3-side rule and advocate original 4 placements of images. But regarding images on the right – I always place them to the left if they are not tight to/related to text content.
The reason for that I explained in (native language only) video:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-lMibWJoDvY&t=65s
or if I put it in English simple reasoning:
Western cultures read text from top to bottom and from left to right. If there is an image on the right, the eye will change a focus to it than return back to left and again to image on the right – causing a lot of unpleasant feelings and/or confusion for several viewers/listeners.
If the image is on the right, eye path will be natural from left (image) to right (text being more important).
I would probably reverse text and image for cultures reading from right to left. But again, if an image is strongly related to a text and now de facto scaling of image fullscreen is your choice, then text placement doesn’t matter a lot. As long as it’s supported by good presenter!
Matt,
The logic sounds good, but if you follow that, for all slides with just an image and a slide title, you’d put the slide title on the bottom because people read from top to bottom. Do you do that? I do it occasionally, but mostly put the title on the top.
I’ve made a similar argument that the presenter should stand to the right of the screen from the point of view of the audience. That way they can look at the slide first and then move to the right to pay attention to the presenter. But no one agreed with me.
Dear Ellen,
Are you the author of ACAD books 15 yrs. ago?