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Are your Images too Photoshopped?

Mon, 07 Feb 2022 18:04:05 GMT

I sent this gif to my sister with the text, “I’m testing the Photoshop line.” She promptly responded, “Ya crossed it.”

I agree 1000%. When has the Photoshop line been crossed? Ya know it when you see it.

Here’s the thing, people know what I actually look like IRL so using a majorly Photoshopped image of myself is pretty inauthentic. But where is the line? Everyone wants to look their best. Most women wear at least some makeup every day. Other people get Botox, lasers, and fillers as part of their beauty regimen. Does that make a person inauthentic?

For this series of pictures, I took a plain photo of myself - unslept, unshowered, sans makeup and morphed it into something more aesthetically pleasing. Does it still look like me? Nope, but I’m curious. If you were to divorce the face from the person you know, how would this change someone’s impression of you? Not knowing me personally, if you were to judge the first image of me, what would you think? How about the last image?

Research has shown that the sleep deprived individuals appear less healthy, less attractive, and less intelligent (Torodov, Face Value , pg. 208, 2017). Research has also shown that the more attractive men are, the more competent they are perceived to be. This relationship is also true for women, but only to a certain point. (Stay tuned for more testing on this topic. I find it utterly fascinating.)

When people tell me they don’t like Photoshop, I don’t usually take them literally. For anyone who has ever taken a RAW photo, you know that it’s much like a film negative. You typically still make a few exposure adjustments either globally or by dodging and burning selectively. You may also make adjustments to the color temperature, contrast, and saturation. All of these adjustments take place even before the “Photoshop” work begins. For a great summary on image context and user expectations when it comes to photo manipulation, I suggest you read this page on fotoforensics.com .

So, when people say they don’t like Photshopped images, I take it to mean that they don’t like someone they know not looking like themselves as a result of digital manipulation. It’s sort of the visual equivalent of autotune. This manipulation often involves reshaping facial features and bodies in a manner that crosses some as yet to be quantified - but definitely recognizable - line. The other instance in which people don’t like Photoshopped images is where a human being ceases to look human. This can give a person an almost alien or cartoonish appearance. Or it could result in someone having something be anatomically incorrect with their face or body. Has anyone else seen the country music bill board with the Miranda Lambert bobblehead and tiny arm? For more hilarity, check out these Photoshop fails .

Obvious photo editing errors aside, where is your line? Mine is likely around the middle image. It still looks like me but could be a version of me on a well rested day. And I’m ok with that. The third image is just….odd

Juicero: The $400 Solution to a Problem Nobody Had

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 22:07:05 GMT

I like juice as much as the next person but...

Imagine a juicer that could change the world! Yeah, neither can I. But that didn’t stop Juicero or its founder who likened himself to Steve Jobs (Recode’s Kara Swisher). I don’t remember where I first heard about this spectacular fail, but it is definitely a good story with a very valuable lesson

Juicero, founded in 2013, offered a sleek $700 cold juice press (later repriced at $400) that pressed fruit and vegetable packets into “juice.” That’s basically it. It had a lot of hightech moving parts and components - DRM and internet connectivity. And it looked great - sort of like if Apple made a juicer.

Google Ventures backed it as did notable VCs to the tune of $116M. There was definitely a market for pure vegan drinks, but the flaw was in the product conception. Did anyone ever ask if this product solved a problem? Nope.

It soon became evident that people could simply squeeze the juice packets into their glass, and do it faster than the Juicero. But this was after the product had already been released. It’s easy to make fun of something that is so obvious, but I can see how it might have happened. It’s sort of like how people just went along with the notion that WeWork was a tech company, not a property leasing company.

I don’t know if Juicero ever did any user testing of their product. I can’t imagine it was terribly effective if they did. Maybe they asked all the wrong questions? Maybe the fatal flaw was in seeing themselves as a tech company, when tech was just a part of their product but not the driving innovation that could sustain a company. I’m not saying you can’t make a better juicer. But I’m also not saying there’s definitely a business case to try to either.

I could imagine working at a place like Juicero, where people are so excited and blinded by their enthusiasm that they miss the forest for the trees. It’s definitely a cautionary tale not to lose sight of the bigger picture.

How Stock Photography Could Be Hurting Your Brand

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 21:43:54 GMT

At some point you’ve likely used or thought of using stock photography to tell your brand story. What could possibly be the drawback?

The images are not specific enough to represent your products.

If you sell a physical good, this is a no-brainer. You need images of the actual product you’re selling. You also need to build familiarity with your store/office (if you have one). Are the items in your photos recognizable to your place of business? If you show a pile of gift wrapped items, is that the gift wrap paper you use in your store? If it is, your customer will have more familiarity with you when she walks through the door and sees it. But in addition to this, you need images that create a mood and an identity around your products. You need images that tell your customer what “people like us” is. When you post a picture about a larger concept such as relaxation or health, is your product incorporated into it? A pretty picture in and of itself says nothing. Our world is awash in beautiful imagery but connecting the dots between what you do, what the customer wants and expects based on your imagery takes more thought.

The images do not show you.

This is a big one. Stock photography sites don’t feature you. Unless you are particularly masterful at lighting, photography, and Photoshop, you probably aren’t compositing yourself into these photos. How much does your audience want to see you at work, doing your thing? It’s probably a lot more than you’d think. This is especially true for personal brands or for solopreneuers. People love to see behind the scenes. They want to pull the curtain back and see how the magic is made. If you let your audience into your world, they will feel a connection with you and trust you

The images are not location specific.

Does your business cater to a location specific audience? If most of your clients live and work in the Minneapolis metro area, showing that you too are in Minneapolis is important. For example, if you were to post an article about traveling to Thailand, would you include the stock picture of a young woman’s feet on a white sand beach beach or would you use a picture of you in Minneapolis setting off with your suitcase? The former picture itself is beautiful, but it tells the customer you don’t care enough to make something more specific to your brand. The latter option looks much more intentional. It also connects to your audience because they can recognize the location, they can relate to the picture. Ugh! February in Minnesota! Get me out of here! Obviously, once in Thailand, post pictures of you in Thailand.

The images are not processed consistently across different platforms/photographers.

There are a million and one ways to take and edit pictures. You want a consistent look across your social media outlets and your website. When you pull images from multiple sources, keeping the look and feel cohesive is time consuming. Some people prefer a less contrasty, lighter look, while others prefer more grit. Some people prefer warmer imagery, some cooler. A study by Loyola University, Maryland found “ color increases brand recognition by up to 80%. ” The list goes on. A consistent look in your images is one part of the larger umbrella of brand consistency that tells your audience you are trustworthy, that they should know what to expect from you.

Using stock photography might shortcut the strategic work of developing your brand .

What are the consistent colors, look, and feel of the imagery you put out? Why? These are, at a very basic level, ways to build brand consistency. How do these choices help drive sales/conversion rates? Do you have a plan for the visual communication of your brand? These are big questions that need serious thought.

Your competitors are using similar images .

If you decide to use a stock photo site, do image searches to see who else is using the photographs. A competitor could be using the same images and that doesn’t serve to set you apart. Shutterstock has 1.4 million people marketing with their images . Getty images has 1.5 million customers And Pixabay has a 1 Billion+ users . True, there are a lot of pictures, but there are also a lot of users.

Your customers are more visually sophisticated than you are giving them credit for.

There’s a high likelihood that your customer recognizes stock photography for what it is: non-specific. In 2020, customers are very sophisticated image analysts. They can recognize when different brands are using the same picture. Customers can also easily tell when you are using one stock image occasionally among many non-stock photos, especially when the images are next to each other. The lack of a consistent look damages trust.

Stock photography can be cliched and even possibly very weird.

While I won’t say this applies to all stock imagery, there is certainly a risk here. For a good laugh: https://www.buzzfeed.com/daves4/unexplainable-stock-photos.

Information Architecture, My Local Library, and Amazon

Sat, 07 Aug 2021 21:43:53 GMT

Information architecture is really a recursive process of human behavior that plays out in real life.

I promise information architecture isn’t as boring as it sounds. It’s actually a way of experiencing and navigating through the world — literally. Ok, I’m gonna date myself, but here goes.

The Dewey Decimal system. Those numbers and letters on library book spines. This system is still in use because it does work pretty well, depending on what you want to experience. I still occasionally go to the library, much like I still occasionally go to brick and mortar stores. But I go to these physical locations for very different reasons than I go to their digital counterparts. I go to the library to take in the space itself and I like the walk I take to get there.

The Minneapolis Public Library is a beautiful space that is open and light filled, modern with its use of glass and super high ceilings. I go there to mainly physically wander rows of books in a place that feels uplifting. If I’m searching for books by authors I like, I find the section (crime novels) and the authors (Matsumoto, Seicho, Henning, Mankell). I rarely look for a specific book title because the library usually only has a limited number for a given author and, many times, they’re already checked out. But I can also browse other authors in the area, and more broadly, books that fall under other categories, possibly on different floors. What the physical library is not good at is allowing me to readily see books within a category, recommending books I might be interested in based on my past browsing behaviors, and having every book by an author available.

The number of times I’ve found surprising, awesome, and relevant books based on Amazon’s recommendations are too many to count. I can go down just as many rabbit holes and more because I am presented with personalized recommendation after recommendation. I can’t speak for all local libraries, but my local public library is not as effective at this as Amazon is purely through their site. It might be because people who go to the library just ask librarians for recommendations and people who use the library site are only searching for very specific books. I don’t know for sure, but there’s a different search experience at play. It would take more research to know who likes it, who does not, and why.

I like both systems. When I’m in the mood for a walk, I’ll include the library on it — maybe even some Free Little Libraries on my way to it. When I feel like staying on the couch, Amazon is it. Finding what you’re looking for depends on the experience you want; it’s more than just categories and labels. It’s sitting on the couch vs. going for a walk.

Zillow: The Farting Around App

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:10:29 GMT

When endless daydreaming is made even easier.

It’s Saturday morning and I’ve got a fresh cup of coffee in one hand, phone in the other. My dog is snuggled up on the couch next to me and all I have is time…non productive time. This is a feeling to chase after.

I often quote Kurt Vonnegut when I say. “We are here on Earth to fart around, and don’t let anybody tell you any different.” And that’s exactly what I like to do on Saturdays though the irony does not escape me. Kurt Vonnegut would undoubtedly disagree with some of my methods. He was, practically speaking, more of an old school type of guy with a keen sense of technology’s negative future impact on society. But I appreciate a mix of old and new. That’s why I like to fart around on Zillow.

By now you’ve probably seen the SNL Zillow skit I love so much because it strikes a chord with how I use the app (though not with respect to romance thankfully). Obviously, I am not the only one using the app for things other than simply buying a house.

What I love so much about Zillow is that I can basically use it as a form of entertainment. To me, it’s much less about finding a home to buy (for which I have used it) as it is to daydream, to virtually fart around. Sometimes I daydream about a fixer-upper, or wonder what a Minneapolis home would cost in NYC or Seattle — hint: A LOT more. I like to peruse historic mansions in Duluth, MN because I’ve driven by them but haven’t had the opportunity to look inside. Zillow lets me do all of this. The Zillow app makes this seem even more informal, relaxed. If you’ve ever worked with real estate agents, relaxed is not the first way I’d describe working with them — No offense. They’ve got a job to do too. I’d even venture to say it’s possible Zillow weeds out “ Looky Loos ” from their side so it might actually be mutually beneficial.

But this is not to say Zillow only provides personal satisfaction, there is definitely a social aspect to it. At least for me. You can add a shopping partner or just message homes to friends and family which I do all the time. I have 3 sisters and we all like farting around on Zillow.

I guess, to sum things up, what makes Zillow so great is that yes, you can use it to seriously buy a home, but it’s also personally and socially satisfying in totally different ways. I think this is what separates a good product from a great one.

What are your favorite products for farting around that can also “get things do ne?

Quick Study: Headshot Rating

Tue, 03 Aug 2021 18:10:28 GMT

How do you know if your headshot is saying the right thing to the right person? You might just need more than one.

I dabble in photography, and even take some headshots from time to time. Alas, there are a million ways to take a picture, so I find it helpful to ask some questions first.

Where do you plan to post the pictures?
How do you want to be perceived? What attributes do you want to show?
What is your professional title?
Who is your audience?

These few questions can give me a lot of information about how to photograph you. Photography is a visual language that can convey intended and unintended statements. I prefer to use intentional statements.

The above images are of a Health and Wellness Coach. Each one sends a very different message. Image 1 is a selfie screenshot from an IGTV video with a woman wearing a branded sleeveless top. Image 2 is a professional headshot in athleisure wear and a branded baseball cap. Image 3 is another headshot (possibly even a portrait) in a long sleeve, ruffled, dark shirt, without a hat. In all three images the woman is wearing glasses. These are not the only differences among the pictures, but they are probably the most noticeable. So, what can we discern from the scores?

I used the site Photofeeler.com to conduct these tests. When I emailed them, they said most respondents who use the site are from the US and Canada, some are from Europe and very few are from elsewhere. That is really all I know about this population, so take it for what you will. I’ve considered using sites like SurveyMonkey.com and paying for targeted results, but they are somewhat cost prohibitive. Ack, one day!

So, let’s take a look at the results I do have. All images tested under the “Business” profile are ranked on three attributes: Competence, Likability, and Influence. I consider competence, likability, and influence to be valuable in work as a Health and Wellness Coach, so I think they mean something here.

Image 3 is, overall, the most successful. It scored 9.6 in Competence with a confidence interval of 9.2-9.8, 9.5 in Likable with a confidence interval of 9.2-9.7, and 9.6 in Influential with a confidence interval of 9.3-9.8. All three traits were in the top 5% of all scores on the site.

New PImage 2 scored lower in all three categories - 5.9 in Competence with a confidence interval of 5.4-6.5 , 7.8. in Likeable with a confidence interval of 7.1-8.5, and 7.3 in Influential with a confidence interval of 6.6-7.9 A helpful feature of Photofeeler.com is that the tests include a comments section where people leave feedback about what they like and dislike in the picture. Among the comments of Image 2 were :

One theme that sticks out is the focus on tattoos. I’m from Minneapolis, so I think it’s fairly common to see people with tattoos in all lines of business, but maybe this isn’t the case elsewhere? Maybe the tattoos could even lend MORE credibility to a Health and Wellness Coach in certain markets - like Portland, Oregon, Minneapolis, MN or Los Angeles? I would love to know the answer to this question…...cough…..SurveyMonkey. Without knowing for sure, I think it’s best to keep in mind who your audience is where you are posting your images. Image 2 might work well for giving a talk at a Crossfit gym whereas Image 3 would undoubtedly do better for a talk at a corporate healthcare event. It’s easy to infer that image 1 should probably not be used for either of these purposes.

Now let’s look at the comments from Image 3:

Possible areas of improvement could be made in posing (since some people think the posture could be improved) and in wardrobe choice. Maybe this picture could use more color? Again, I’m not certain color would be appropriate in a very corporate setting, but it may be a very good choice for other settings. More testing needed! Overall, the comments are pretty positive.

Now for Image 1:

Aaaaand...

People had a lot to say about this picture. It’s not all that surprising that this image was rated lower. It was not taken professionally- it’s a screenshot of a selfie video. What I think is surprising is the impact it illustrates next to the other images - particularly image 3. The pictures we use of ourselves matter. They matter at least as much as if you were to walk into a business conference in your pajamas. It’s not sending the right message. Please read that last sentence again. The right message - not a bad or good message. There are instances when a selfie might perform better (more on that later) but this isn’t this one of them.

The final thought, which you undoubtedly had cross your mind too, is that people have biases. Some people, apparently, are not tattoo fans. Does that mean you should hide them? I think it means whatever you want it to mean. It’s information that you can use in a variety of ways. Maybe you double down and address this bias in your brand. Maybe you know that your tribe has tons of tattoos so it’s a good thing! It’s up to you! That’s what information is for. It gives us more thoughtful choices in how to communicate who we are.