I have been creating my own images for my blog for the past 8 months now and there are so many things I have come to realize. In the past, the simplest way was creating a post, and downloading a themed image online to match the content.
This was something I did for a really long time, until I began to have issues with images that had watermark or copyright issues. With watermarked images, it was difficult to get curated by initiatives or incubation programs on the Hive blockchain. Some watermarked pictures are not easily detected, while others are, but it eventually doesn't sell originality.
However on the chain, we do not have issues with using GIFs and images that aren't ours especially if we source them back to the original owners, but i have come to learn from strict curating initiative that one of the reasons why people might create good contents and never get curated is because of the images they've used and how it rendered the originality of their content null and void
For example, in 2020, I was a sports writer back on sportstalk it was difficult to get an apprioprate image that didn't have copyright. Because of that, I dropped writing sports. The niche required one to have original images.
Another scenario is thatlive pictures of a sporting event you've witnessed. It was difficult to get images as this, because most sporting contents I had we're based on European football and this was more difficult.
The Limits Of Free Images
Of course, there were free stock image downloading websites like pexels and pixabay but this has its major downside.
Downloading from these places creates a limit, this means that, when you click to search for an image that might match your blog post, if the images cannot be found, it'll link you to another website, where you'd have to pay to remove the watermarks.
These aren't bad either, but what's the was essence? Why not use the money to get canva pro and eventually design or have control over how your blog images would appear, the choice of effect, graphics and aspect ratio would signal more originality.
Here's my collection of images looking like an NFT
Aspect Ratio; Promoting Hive Off-Chain
Talking about aspect ratio, this is very important it was recently that I even began to understand the Importance of aspect ratio on blog images. For example 16:9 is a good aspect ratio for blog images and this is because it aids the promotion of Hive, especially if one is sharing these contents outside of Hive.
Apart from this, aspect ratio creates aesthetic effect, this might actually differ from different contents. So, it's favorable to use 16:9 aspect ratio especially for the first images, then other aspects ratios for subsequent images.
Using free website makes it difficult to get an exact themed image for your blog and as well as suit the aspect ratio you might want. For this reason, creating one's images would feel better. Having a good application and a good camera would facilitate this For this main reason, I actually began using Canva, I could determine the aspect ratio and so many other things
Down the line, I decide to buy an iPhone, I got the 12 for about $800. The main reason was to create a series or a collection of original images spread around different themes. This would enable me to take pictures, modify them as well as use Canva to finally create the final effect I want for my posts.
Start The Journey
I have taken some really stunning images for my blog in the last six months. One of the advantages of crafting one's images is that the images themselves are like a source of inspiration I do a lot of finance contents, sometimes a cool image of an empty wallet i've taken and modified by canva can bring an inspiration to create a post.
One thing is, canva has limited graphics that can be applied, unless you decide to unlock canva pro. (This is what I'm planning to do, but giving a foreign app access to my credit card is still something I'm skeptical about.) If you haven't decided to unlock canva pro on the other hand, it'll be difficult to create an original concept without bringing in your own images for modification.
I remembered, @starstrings01 marvelling at my finished products. It takes a long time to 100% make your blog original and this is something content creators on the Hive blockchain must strive towards.
Interested in some more of my works?
A Personal View Into The Meaning Of Spirituality (ecoTrain QOTW)
Why You Couldn't Create Good Contents In 2021, Why You Still Wouldn't In 2022.
A Psychoanalytic Dive Into Incentivized Loyalty
The Nigerian/African Disposition On Marriage As An Endowment
Living & Living Unintentionally (The Financial Repercussion)
@Josediccus, your brother-in-pen & heart
I'm hoping to reach more people who are broken at heart and spirit, so share on any platform or reblog