Attention Self-Published Authors: Source High Quality Stock Photos from Dreamstime

Hey there, fellow authors! Let’s chat about something that can seriously level up your content game—stock photos. If you’re writing a book that can benefit from visual imagery, running a blog, launching a brand, or just trying to get your message out there, visuals are key. Enter Dreamstime, your new best friend for high-quality stock images.

Here’s why you should consider using stock photos and how they can help you shine.

1. Budget-Friendly and Professional Appeal

Let’s face it, hiring a pro photographer for every single photo shoot is not exactly budget-friendly. Did you know that Dreamstime has a huge range of affordable stock photos that won’t drain your wallet? With flexible pricing options, you can snag stunning visuals without sacrificing your savings.

2. Time-Saving Treasure Trove

Dreamstime has millions of images at your fingertips. Their smart search filters make it super easy to find what you need. You can quickly narrow down results by category, color, or even mood. This means less time scrolling and more time creating beautiful content that resonates with your niche audience.

3. Top-Notch Quality

Nothing screams “amateur” like low-quality images. With Dreamstime, you’re getting access to high resolution photos that look amazing. Whether you’re after vibrant lifestyle shots or sleek business images, you can count on finding visuals that match your stories. After all, your content deserves the best.

4. Diversity Is Key

Every author has their own vibe, and you want your visuals to reflect that in your storybooks and cover art. Dreamstime has an incredible variety of styles and themes, so whether you’re into minimalism, bold colors, or something quirky, you’ll find images that resonate with your unique aesthetic. Imagery helps you connect with your audience on a deeper level.

5. Licensing Made Simple

Image rights can be super confusing, but Dreamstime keeps it straightforward. Take advantage of flexible licensing options that cater to your needs. You’ll have peace of mind knowing you’re covered legally, which is a huge plus when you’re building your brand.

6. Always Fresh Content

Staying relevant is crucial in today’s fast-paced world. The great thing about Dreamstime is that they have over 200 million images and fresh images that reflect current trends and seasonal themes are added regularly. So, you can keep your content fresh and engaging, helping you stand out in the crowded digital landscape.

7. Support Creative Talent

When you choose stock photos from Dreamstime, you’re not just getting great visuals; you’re also supporting a community of photographers and artists. This platform is full of creative talent, and by using their work, you’re showcasing unique perspectives that can set your content apart. Plus, you get to be part of that creative community!

Conclusion

In a nutshell, stock photos from Dreamstime are a game changer for young entrepreneurs looking to elevate their content without breaking the bank. With a huge library of high-quality, diverse images, you can find the perfect visuals to connect with your audience and showcase your brand’s personality. So why not give it a shot?

Special Offer! 15 Free images from Dreamstime

Head over to Dreamstime, and start exploring the endless possibilities that stock photos can bring to your entrepreneurial journey! Happy creating!

Pantone Color of the Year: Very Peri

Recently announced by color experts at Pantone, 2022 Color of the Year is a beautiful shade of blue and violet red called Very Peri (periwinkle!).

Pantone Color Palette using Very Peri - HTB Website Design by Katharina Notarianni
PANTONE COLOR OF THE YEAR: VERY PERI

How to implement this color in your web design, publishing projects and products? First, you’ll need the web color hex code (#6667ab) or RGB (102, 103, 171) or CMYK (68, 64, 2, 0) so you can begin designing with this color. Read more great ideas about how to implement Very Peri in an article from Creative Marketing.

Design Your Color Palette

Pantone Connect is a free online interactive tool provided by Pantone so you can create color palettes using Very Peri.

Pantone Color Palette using Very Peri - HTB Website Design by Katharina Notarianni
Use Pantone Connect to create your own color palettes

Here are some interesting Pantone Color Palettes (click on an image to load the carousel for a closer look):

Featured images courtesy of Pantone.

Get creative! Post Your Project!

Have fun and let us know how you go with using Very Peri in your website design or publishing projects. We’ll post the best implementation of Very Peri here on our Facebook page.

Copyright 2021 Healing Time Books | HTB Website Design. All Rights Reserved.

Demystifying Stock Photo Sizes for Social Media

Stock photo sizes for any social media post

I love the brilliant colors of autumn!

Add some fall colors to your social media projects with HTBphotos ‘Fall Foliage‘ Series by John and Katharina Notarianni, available on Dreamstime.

HTBphotos fall foliage series available on Dreamstime
HTBphotos ‘Fall Foliage’ by John and Katharina Notarianni has been cropped and resized to 1200×1200 pixels for social media purposes.

Stock photo sizes for any social media post

Graphics, photos, and other visuals are a necessity when posting content on social media!

And with copyright concerns, it is best to either take photos with your cell phone, digital camera or even your iPad, or leverage the many reputable stock photography sources like Dreamstime, or design services like Canva. There are even high quality free stock photo sites like Unsplash.

The question is, now that you have the perfect image for your social media post, what size image displays correctly across multiple platforms? Is that even possible? Yes!

Keep It Simple Strategy

Square images are ideal for Facebook and Instagram posts. Square format also works well for LinkedIn posts – and can work for Twitter.

Easy 1:1 ratio (square)

Instagram and Facebook photos: 1200 x 1200 pixels

Pinterest Pins (repurpose from Instagram)

All profile pictures* (allows cropping to circle format): 500 x 500

YouTube channel icon*: 800 x 800

Best size for link posts

As you can see the featured image at the top of this post also from HTBphotos ‘Fall Foliage’ Series, has been resized to 1200×630 pixels which work perfectly for WordPress blog posts as well as for several popular social media platforms that have a similar size requirement: Facebook, Twitter and LinkedIn.

For specifics on all popular social media platforms, I recommend taking time to review Louise Myers’ Social Media Cheat Sheet.

Get noticed with a Video Cover

Facebook: Tell More of Your Story

Instead of a cover photo, now you can use a video. It can be 20-90 seconds and should be at least 820 x 312 pixels.

Louise Myers, Visual Social Media

HTB | Website Design

HTB | Website Design designs, develops and hosts mobile friendly business websites. E-commerce, SEO and Social Media packages available. Please contact info@healingtimebooks.com to request a free 15 minute consultation.

What Makes A Website Great!

Is it time to update your business website?

Does your website inspire action? If the answer is Yes! then your website is doing it’s job.

If not, what can you do to make it better? Ask yourself:

Can anyone find your website?

  • are you on the map, as they say? Can search engines find your website?
  • does your domain name represent your brand?

Is it easy to use?

  • is it pleasure to click around?
  • does it look good on a mobile phone or tablet?

Does it present you and your business in a credible way?

  • are there reviews or testimonials about you?
  • does it list your credentials on the About web page?

Can the visitor easily buy or request your product or service?

  • do you have an email opt-in request?
  • do you have a contact form to request your service?
  • do you link to a shop where it is easy to buy your product or service?

Is it current or out-dated?

  • Does your website represent your current business focus?
  • does the platform get updates or upgrades frequently enough to keep up with the changing internet landscape?
  • can your website handle sudden increases in traffic?

If you answered NO! to any of the above questions, it might be time for an overhaul of your website.

Here are some steps you can take:

  1. Define the goal for your website – what do you want the visitor to learn, experience, buy etc.
  2. Streamline it so it is easy to use and content loads quickly
  3. Brand yourself. Evaluate whether you are consistently using your brand across all platforms – website, social media, email communications, etc.
  4. Make it mobile friendly – view it on your phone and tablet as well as on a laptop.

Need help?

If you don’t have time to do this all by yourself, we invite you to request a free consultation to help you achieve your goals.

Just fill out our online Contact Form, or by sending us an email at info@healingtimebooks.com

HTB Website Design by Katharina Notarianni for SEO

HTBphotos presents the ‘Easter Bunny Series’ of stock photos

Find HTBphotos stock photos on Dreamstime.com for your social media, website and print needs.

Exclusively available on Dreamstime.com, explore the new HTBphotos ‘Easter Bunny Series,’ a collection of stock photos featuring rabbits and bunnies. Have a look and see what suits your social media, website and print project design… So adorable!

Stock photographs from HTBphotos ‘Easter Bunny Series’ are exclusively available on Dreamstime

Tips for using stock photography

Here are tips from an article by bossproject.com ‘5 Ways to Successfully Use Stock Photography on Your Website.’

  1. Start with the Design – Define your brand colors and style. Once you have the design in place, it’s much easier to narrow down your search and find the right images for your project
  2. Choose the Right Photos – choose stock photos that fit your brand colors and style
  3. Customize Your Images – add text to create fun graphics
  4. Get some SEO Going – use keywords and keyword phrases as well as captions or alt titles
  5. Add in some of Your Own Images – have a professional, branded head shot made to use on your website and across social media so people know who you are

Get 10 Free Stock Photos

New to stock photos? Get started now with Dreamstime’s offer of 10 free stock photos! And, your purchase helps fight COVID-19! Dreamstime is donating 5% of all purchases to WHO’s COVID-19 Solidarity Response Fund

Want help with updating your website?

Contact HTB Website Design for a free consultation.

Your purchase helps fight Covid-19!

Help fight COVID-19 and Get 10 Free Images Trial with Dreamstime

Looking for photos of Spring blooms for your print, website or social media project? We can help.

We are pleased to present HTBphotos ‘Spring Blossoms’ Series of stock photos by John and Katharina Notarianni, available exclusively on Dreamstime.com.

Get 10 Free Images Trial with Dreamstime (https://www.dreamstime.com/#res16409905)

Your purchase helps fight Covid-19! We are donating 5% of all purchases to WHO’s Covid-19 Solidarity Response Fund when you sign up for a free trial with Dreamstime.

Get 10 Free Images Trial with Dreamstime (https://www.dreamstime.com/#res16409905)

Celebrating the photographic works of Walter Huber on National Camera Day

June 29th is National Camera Day. When you look around, do you see something that inspires you? Take a snapshot with your cell phone and share it with the world!

Technology has brought the world to life through Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, etc., all wonderful vehicles for sharing our experiences in realtime. The opportunities for self expression offered by the camera are limitless.

Today we’d like to celebrate the works of the late Walter Huber : photographer, who had an uncanny ability to explore the contrast of light and dark in a beautiful way, mixing reality with mystery.

‘Tulip 1’ by walter huber

Walter preferred black and white photography so that he could print his own images and exercise more control over the contrasts. He used several cameras over the years to explore his craft: a Hasselblad, a Leica Flex, a 1930 collectible Leica and a 4×5 format view camera.

Walter created images that revealed his depth of insight and his great appreciation of life’s mysteries, and towards the end of his life, in the late 1990’s, he also dabbled in digital photo art just as technology was beginning to transform the industry.

We invite you to visit walterhuberphotos.com to enjoy his photos, or snap some of your own, whether with a camera or cell phone, on National Camera Day.

Contact us if you need a website.

HTB Website Design by Katharina Notarianni

Introducing Sevenfold Home for luxury linens

HTB is pleased to introduce our new client, Sevenfold Home, who has come to us for social media marketing and SEO services.

Based out of Portland, Oregon, Sevenfold Home is the online seller of exceptionally good hotel-quality luxury bed and bath linens. which are made of 100% long staple combed cotton. Great products, great people. And the bed linens they offer are silky soft.

“In 1997, we started our company to bring a higher standard of linens to the hotel and resort market. Over the years, we saw that hotel guests wanted the touch of our fine linens in their homes. Sevenfold Home is our response to you, our valued customer.”

Michael Davison, Founder

Sevenfold recently moved into direct-to-consumer sales with their online store to make it convenient for anyone to order from them. Their retail customers now have access to the same hotel-quality products Sevenfold still provides the hotel industry.

To find out more, visit www.sevenfoldhome.com.

Special Offer: Free Shipping on orders of $200 or more