Photographic Backgrounds Part 2
2nd edition — by Patrick McNeil — Jun. 23, 2006
The Design Element
As I previously stated, I am a bit partial to this category of sites. The
usage of a photograph for the background sounds like a terrible 1995 sort
of idea, but when you see fine samples such as these you instantly realize
how wrong that assumption is. Every one of these sites feels fresh and new
to me. Photographs are so much more organic then the typical web stuff. It
is truly remarkable to see how much impact they can carry when used in a
dominant way.
Although the background for
shiki.ca
is technically an illustration, it
fits in with the usage of the element. With this beautiful image the entire
purpose of the site is conveyed. You can't help but instantly know that this
site has to do with something Japanese. Little else is needed to get this
point across. So with a single element you not only get a beautiful eye catching
image, but you get insight into the site, not to mention a massive design
element to style the site around. The rest becomes the details to complete
it, all revolving around this center piece. Many times we would contain such
an element to a small box or frame. This would leave the rest of the design
to be filled out, and fluffed up, so in a way you could view this solution
as a form of minimalism. This connotation heavy approach is seen in most
of the sample sites.
The 2 Advanced site puts the background image
to a slightly different usage. It is all about atmosphere. Clearly this space
age image doesn't tell us what the company does, but once you realize it
is a creative agency you get the point. These guys are clearly a very graphic
and creative bunch of people.
The oartstudios.com site is a bit of an
exception to all this. Their background images seem more for aesthetic purposes
then anything. They are extraordinarily beautiful, and tie in color wise.
But beyond this, I don't see much meaning in them. The site however is a
joy to look at and I think this really demonstrates the potential in this
element. Connect the image to the content in some way, be it color, connotations,
subject matter, what ever it may be.
Another thing I can't help but notice
is how using a complex image in the background in some ways forces you to
have a less complicated foreground. The layout and design of the content
must be somewhat restrained to avoid the page becoming overly busy. This
is a wonderful side effect because it can actually make things easier to
flesh out. Designandimage.com demonstrates this balance perfectly. The content
which they have placed on top of the photograph is designed in such a way
so that it stands out well and balances things out. This is an absolutely
wonderful example of how this style can work. Also, I can't help but point
out that within seconds of looking at this site I knew it was not a stuffy
group of high brow designers. The power to communicate in this way can not
be underestimated.
I think I can sum this up by saying that the two most
important things to remember when using photographs are. First, always connect
the background to the rest of the site with color. For this to work well,
the colors across the board must be unified. Secondly, make sure you have
a balance between the background and foreground. With such a complex backdrop
you are forced to streamline the rest of the site a bit.
Sample Usage
