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PowerPoint Ninja

The PowerPoint Ninja Blog covers practical PowerPoint topics, tips, and tricks. 

• Bullet Point Therapy
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• January 2013
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Apr 27 2010

What Makes an Image Good for Presentations – Part I

Lots of photos are taken, but few are chosen. (c) Thinkstock

If you’ve read any presentation design books lately ( Presentation Zen Design , Slide:ology , etc.), you’ve probably decided to use more images in your presentations. However, you may still be wondering if the images you’re selecting are good, average, or lame. Using more lame or average images in your presentations is about as helpful as adding more bullet points or animations to your PowerPoint slides.

“Good” can be extremely subjective or relative. Just because you’re using an image from a stock photography site doesn’t mean it is automatically good. If you’re using a stock photo in your presentation, you should have the quality basics covered – e.g., higher resolution (not pixelated), adequate size, professional-looking (proper composition, lighting, contrast, color, etc.), and not distorted (stretched).

However, these quality aspects don’t guarantee that a stock photo will be effective for a particular PowerPoint slide. I believe the following two factors define whether a photo or picture is a good presentation image:

• Image relevancy: Does it support/reinforce the key point or message of your slide?
• Image uniqueness: Does the image stand out and get noticed by your audience?

Moving from left to right, the images get more relevant and unique.

If you use poor quality, overused/generic images that aren’t relevant to your message, these images end up being distractions . They don’t complement your message, they just get in the way. If your images are unique but not relevant or vice versa, they become decorations — ineffective accents to your message.

If you use interesting and relevant images, your presentation slides will become more potent and powerful. In some rare cases, the stars align and you find an incredibly powerful image. This “big bang” image may end up being the star of your show, ensuring a key point is remembered long after your audience has forgotten the title of your presentation.

Image relevancy

A good presentation image is more than just a good photograph or illustration as it also needs to match your message. An unassuming but relevant image can suddenly click with a particular idea or concept you’re trying to share. It can feel like finding a missing puzzle piece in your presentation.

Text and images often need to work together to deliver the desired impact. (c) Thinkstock

A potentially good image can fall a part if it’s not positioned appropriately with your audience. As a presenter, it’s your responsibility to connect the dots for your audience between your message and your image. Like telling a good joke, an effective presentation image needs a good setup and delivery . Proper positioning of the image to show its relevance to your topic can be achieved either verbally or with the right supporting text (e.g., title, quote, statement).

Determining how you’re going to present an idea or concept can be the most difficult and time-consuming part of building a slide. As you settle on an approach, you may want to consider whether your approach supports rich imagery . You may find some topics don’t give you enough options to find a really good image. When appropriate, I like using analogies or metaphors in presentations as they can provide you with richer, more memorable visual options.

This slide uses content staging to introduce each image one at a time to build up to the main point of the slide. (c) Thinkstock

Another consideration that impacts image relevance is whether you’re trying to convey too many ideas or points on a single slide . Many people advocate for one idea or key point per slide. When you’re presenting only one message on a slide, your images have to be pertinent to your message. You can create really powerful and memorable slides using this approach.

In some cases, you might use several images to build up to the main message. Using a content staging approach , you can use animations to introduce the images individually. In addition, the “one idea per slide” philosophy may not always be practical or applicable (i.e., time to find multiple images for multiple points, cost to purchase multiple images, creating a summary slide, etc.) so your image(s) should tie into one or two of your key points.

Image uniqueness

Your image may be relevant or related to your message, but does it stand out? Is it going to capture the attention of your audience? I feel there are two main areas where a stock photo can be unique: the subject of the photo and the composition of the photo .

Subject of the photo

The subject of a photo is the focal point of the image. The focal point or main subject may be a person, place, or thing. There are a number of ways in which the subject can make the stock photo more unique:

• Avoid tired images: You’ve seen “the handshake”, “the globe”, “the arrow/dart in the target”, and “the chess piece” a thousand times. Whenever possible shake it up and find something a little different.

Do you recognize these images from Office 2007 clipart? Similar images have been used millions of times in presentations, brochures, websites, etc. If possible, try to break the cycle or at least look for more compelling variations.

• Unexpected application: Rather than using the standard product- or business-oriented photos for your presentation images, could you use something more playful, retro, or unexpected?

This slide compared managing multiple report suites (web analytics) to shepherding sheep. (c) Thinkstock

• Realistic vs. fake: Almost everybody in stock photography looks beautiful. Most stock photos of business settings (e.g., people in a meeting room) look overly staged or contrived . I often wonder if the attractive model smiling at the monitor screen in stock photos would even know how to turn the computer on. Keep it real so real people can relate to your slides.

The meeting images on the left feel staged or contrived. The images on the right feel more genuine as though a snapshot was taken at a real meeting. (c) Thinkstock

• Exaggeration: There’s a difference between something pretending to be real (unsuccessfully) and something that makes no attempt at being real. An exaggeration can really stand out and emphasize a key point. Use your best judgment with embellishments as they can come across as tacky or cheesy.

The image on the left relies on some Photoshop tricks and comes across as a little tacky. The image on the right emphasizes how we can feel overwhelmed with tasks and projects.(c) Thinkstock

• Focus on people: Garr Reynolds and Carmine Gallo mention that audiences respond positively to images with people, especially faces. Putting a human face on your presentation can help your audience better relate to your message, products, or services. Tip: Use pictures of people that match your audience. If your audience is more business casual, don’t use images that have people in suits and ties.

Close-ups of faces can really draw your audience into your message. It's funny how this model looks a little like Owen Wilson. (c) Thinkstock

• Tell a story: One well-chosen photo or group of photos can tell or imply a story that your audience can relate to. Stories are some of the most powerful ways for getting ideas to stick .

Each of these images is like a self-contained story. They need less explanation or elaboration to tie into your message. (c) Thinkstock

• Evoke an emotion: When appropriate, you can use photos to elicit an emotional response from your audience. Whereas logic helps people to draw conclusions, emotion gets people to act.

Real images are going to evoke emotions more readily than stock photography. This photo from Haiti captures a great moment in the relief efforts. When working with photos from flickr, be careful to respect the photographer's rights.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/dvids/ / CC BY 2.0

• Humor: Life is already too short and painful to put your audience through slide after slide of boring, lifeless content. If you’ve ever seen Seth Godin present , he effectively uses thought-provoking and humorous images throughout his presentations to engage his audience. You can too.

Stock images are more dependent on the setup and delivery to be funny. Most real-life photos like the two bottom images can stand on their own (from Strangefunnyworld.com). However, be careful with low resolution images and make sure they still tie into your overall message.

I’ve covered how good presentation images need to be both relevant and unique. I’ve showed how the subject can make images more interesting.

In Part II of this article, I’m going to look at the composition of the photo. Composition refers to how a photographer takes a picture in a specific manner to emphasize a focal point in a photo. The subject of two photos can be identical, but how a photographer composes the picture (e.g., rule of thirds, angle/point of view, framing, etc.) can make one image more compelling than another.

• PowerPoint and the Quest for the “Big Bang” Image
• PowerPoint Graphics: Clip Art or Pictures?

Tags: Garr Reynolds , Graphics , images , photos , relevant , Seth Godin , Stock photography , stock photos

Comments (10)

10 Responses to “What Makes an Image Good for Presentations – Part I”

Wow, that is a lovely, comprehensive summary. Great post.

Love the concrete examples! A very clear and helpful post for those struggling with the concept of images in slides.

Excelent post!!! Waiting for part2!

I love this post! I think we’ve come a long way from text-heavy, bullet-riddled powerpoint slides but man, I am getting seriously sick of the whole totally cliche stock photo with 2 words over it thing… April

[…] Dykes offers two articles (part 1 and part 2) on how to decide whether an image is good for your presentation. If you’ve read any […]

[…] en wil je weten wat een goede foto maakt voor je presentatie, zie ook deel 1 en deel 2 van What Makes an Image Good for […]

[…] esempio l’ottimo PowerpointNinja dedica due post all’argomento, il primo dedicato ai tipi di immagini più efficaci in una presentazione, il secondo alle tecniche di posizionamento ottimale sulle […]

Good point about the cliche images. Sometimes if something is photographed beautifully, you can get away with it, though. For example, a client recently supplied me with a slide that had a line drawing of a four piece puzzle.The art was ugly, but the client was insistent on using this visual metaphor. I went to IStock photo and found a great substitute. It was a black and white 3d rendering of a puzzle that had a lot of dimension to it. Somehow, this superior graphic, when inserted in to the presentation, didn’t look nearly as cliche.

I agree. I’ve found interesting, cool photos that could be considered cliche. Sometimes it just comes down to using good judgment. There are no rules that can’t be broken when something just works for your message and audience.

[…] Choosing good images for presentations — This blog post has excellent advice on finding relevant, potent images for your presentation. […]

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What is Memorial Day? The true meaning of why we celebrate the federal holiday

For many Americans, Memorial Day is more than a long weekend and an unofficial start to the summer season. The real meaning of the holiday is meant to honor all U.S. soldiers who have died serving their country.

Originally called Decoration Day, Memorial Day's history goes back to the Civil War. It was was declared a national holiday by Congress in 1971, according to the U.S. Department of Veterans' Affairs.

Although Veterans Day in November also honors military service members, Memorial Day differs by honoring all military members who have died while serving in U.S. forces in any current or previous wars.

The late-May holiday has also evolved into an opportunity for Americans to head to the beach or lake , travel to see friends and family , or even catch a Memorial Day parade .

Here's what to know about the history and the reason behind why we observe Memorial Day.

Memorial Day weather: Severe storms could hamper your travel, outdoor plans for Memorial Day weekend

When is Memorial Day?

One of 11 federal holidays recognized in the U.S., Memorial Day is always observed on the last Monday of May. This year, the holiday falls on Monday, May 27.

Why do we celebrate Memorial Day?  

The origins of the holiday can be traced back to local observances for soldiers with neglected gravesites during the Civil War.

The first observance of what would become Memorial Day, some historians think, took place in Charleston, South Carolina at the site of a horse racing track that Confederates had turned into a prison holding Union prisoners. Blacks in the city organized a burial of deceased Union prisoners and built a fence around the site, Yale historian David Blight wrote in  The New York Times  in 2011.

Then on May 1, 1865, they held an event there including a parade – Blacks who fought in the Civil War participated – spiritual readings and songs, and picnicking. A commemorative marker was erected there in 2010.

One of the first Decoration Days was held in Columbus, Mississippi, on April 25, 1866 by women who decorated graves of Confederate soldiers who perished in the battle at Shiloh with flowers. On May 5, 1868, three years after the end of the Civil War, the tradition of placing flowers on veterans’ graves was continued by the establishment of Decoration Day by an organization of Union veterans, the Grand Army of the Republic. 

General Ulysses S. Grant presided over the first large observance, a crowd of about 5,000 people, at Arlington National Cemetery in Virginia on May 30, 1873.

This tradition continues to thrive in cemeteries of all sizes across the country. 

Until World War I, Civil War soldiers were solely honored on this holiday. Now, all Americans who’ve served are observed. 

At least 25 places in the North and the South claim to be the birthplace of Memorial Day. Some states that claim ownership of the origins include Illinois, Georgia, Virginia, and Pennsylvania, according to Veterans Affairs.

Despite conflicting claims, the U.S. Congress and President Lyndon Johnson declared Waterloo, New York, as the “birthplace” of Memorial Day on May 30, 1966, after Governor Nelson Rockefeller's declaration that same year. The New York community formally honored local veterans May 5, 1866 by closing businesses and lowering flags at half-staff. 

Why is Memorial Day in May? 

The day that we celebrate Memorial Day is believed to be influenced by Illinois U.S. Representative John A. Logan, who was elected to the U.S. House of Representatives as a Democrat in November 1858, and served as an officer during the Mexican War.

It is said that Logan, a staunch defender of the Union, believed Memorial Day should occur when flowers are in full bloom across the country, according to the  National Museum of the U.S. Army.

Congress passed an act making May 30 a holiday in the District of Columbia in 1888,  according to the U.S. Congressional Research Service.

In 2000, the National Moment of Remembrance Act – which created the White House Commission on the National Moment of Remembrance and encourages all to pause at 3 p.m. local time on Memorial Day for a minute of silence – was signed into law by Congress and the President.

What is the difference between Memorial Day and Veterans Day?

Memorial Day and Veterans Day both honor the sacrifices made by U.S. veterans, but the holidays serve different purposes.

Veterans Day, originally called “Armistice Day,” is a younger holiday established in 1926 as a way to commemorate all those who had served in the U.S. armed forces during World War I.

Memorial Day honors all those who have died.

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Fostering an Inclusive and Equitable Workplace

"Before attending Women in Semiconductors, I was unsure what to expect from the semiconductor industry or if I would be able to get involved in the field with my skill assets. I was surprised to find that events such as WiS exist within the industry and that they are actively giving people the support, resources, and empathy needed for a successful career. I am now more confident and invigorated to join the semiconductor industry."

- Deanna Ko, Ph.D. candidate in Mechanical Engineering at Rensselaer Polytechnic Institute and first-time attendee

It has been almost a decade since SEMI leadership was approached by a SEMI member with the idea to host a program focused on supporting women in the chip industry. The first Women in Semiconductors (WiS) program, held in 2016, drew 60 people to hear from two speakers, one a man who shared that he didn’t have to worry about childcare because his wife didn’t work outside the home. 

Reflecting the growing strength of the movement to address challenges for women in the workplace but also help them succeed and move into positions of leadership, Women in Semiconductors (WiS) 2024 reached record attendance of nearly 220 with six speakers. Better still, a record 15% of men attended the event in Albany, New York – a testament to the importance of the topic and the growing understanding that, as an industry, we cannot leave any talent behind for us to continue to thrive.

Since that first WiS, many companies have embraced diversity, equity and inclusion (DEI) as a way to increase business performance and promote greater equity among underrepresented workers. Yet work-from-home policies prompted by a global pandemic and embraced particularly by women have largely been reversed at many companies. Even before the pandemic, finding affordable childcare was a challenge for many families. With legions of workers required to return to office work, the struggle continues. More broadly, in a troubling trend, DEI initiatives in some states are being defunded and their sponsors even threatened with lawsuits.

Women in Semiconductors

Based on the challenges that women continue to face in the workplace, the WiS committee chose a theme that would resonate across the industry: Fostering an Inclusive and Equitable Workplace. The goal was to address the need for creating an inclusive workplace for women in the semiconductor industry, where promoting diversity, fostering inclusion, and ensuring equitable opportunities are crucial to attracting and retaining talent, driving innovation and building a strong and sustainable workforce.

Committee co-chairs Brittney Graff, Ph.D., Sr. Global Product Marketing Manager at Brooks Instrument , and Mayrita Arrandale, Senior Account Manager at Applied Materials , set out to create a program that would help attendees make meaningful connections, develop new soft skills, and recognize that they belong to greater network and community of women and allies. Their hope was that attendees would leave the event empowered and inspired to affect positive change in their workplaces.

WiS 2024 was sponsored through generous support from Axcelis , Energetiq , Entegris , GlobalFoundries , IBM , Kokusai Electric , NY CREATES , Onto Innovation and TEL .

Finding Support Through Spheres of Influence

A staggering one third of semiconductor employees in the U.S. will retire in the next decade, per a recent McKinsey report , Danielle Baptiste, Vice President and General Manager of Enterprise Software at Onto Innovation, noted in her WiS keynote address Harnessing Your Spheres of Influence, Cultivating Your Talent.

Baptiste shared her journey, an honest recounting of personal challenges that changed her in unexpected ways. She said that by looking at our spheres of influence, we can determine that we are not alone in facing life challenges, including those at work. We need to develop a personal board , comprised of respected colleagues, past and current managers, and friends – the people you can call on for advice or perspective.

Baptiste urged the audience to ask for help, advice, and have conversations with someone who might be able to offer you new insights. She encouraged everyone to celebrate success as well as enjoy the simple things in life. She encouraged attendees to understand the value of lifelong learning and be curious and discover the power and satisfaction of cultivating your spheres of influence, which includes giving back to others. 

Diversity is a fact, Equity is a choice, Inclusion is an action, Belonging is an outcome.

Valerie Wright, MBA, Director, Global DEI People Talent & Retention at EMD Electronics , guided the packed ballroom in a lively and interactive workshop on Inclusive: Building Bridges to Innovation, Belonging, and Success. Wright invited attendees to focus on three areas that were pre-selected from a registrant survey: Career Advancement, Strategies to Increase Visibility, and Identifying and Overcoming Barriers .

The energy in the room was palpable as Wright encouraged everyone to reflect and explore possible solutions to the focus topics. Following table discussions, Wright invited audience members to share insights on each area with fellow attendees. These included knowing when to walk away from a situation that cannot be immediately solved and reaching out to a senior person for an informal coffee chat to increase your visibility in your organization. Wright urged everyone to share what they learned at workshop with their teams to build a more inclusive workplace – a space where everyone feels valued, respected, and heard.

Valerie Wright of EMD Electronics gets audience feedback.

  Making a Positive Impact

“Workforce development is crucial for the future of our industry, but it's equally important to continually emphasize Diversity, Equity, Inclusion, and Belonging,” said Shari Liss, Executive Director of the SEMI Foundation in her opening comments as moderator of this year’s WiS panel Advocating for Real Change: Why Equity and Inclusion Need to be Everyone’s Concern . “By fostering inclusive environments, we not only build a stronger, more innovative workforce but also ensure that everyone has the opportunity to thrive.”

The panel included Stephanie Bojarski, Ph.D., Quantum Integration and Mask Design Manager at Intel ; Christopher Fontana, Vacuum and Pressure BU Manager at Brooks Instrument (a Division of ITW); Shravanthi Manikonda, Ph.D., Member of Technical Staff at GlobalFoundries; and Sarah McDonald, Application Engineer at Entegris. Liss led panelists through a list of questions submitted in real-time by audience members. Panelists reflected on a collective commitment to equity and inclusion and the exciting potential for meaningful change in the semiconductor industry workforce.

Panelists (left to right): Stephanie Bojarski, Ph.D., Quantum Integration and Mask Design Manager at Intel; Christopher Fontana, Vacuum and Pressure BU Manager at Brooks Instrument (a Division of ITW); Shravanthi Manikonda, Ph.D., Member of Technical Staff at GlobalFoundries; Sarah McDonald, Application Engineer at Entegris. Moderator (far right) Shari Liss, Executive Director of the SEMI Foundation

The wide-ranging discussion addressed issues such as the continued need for affordable childcare to being explicit about employee needs, whether on the job or for their personal well-being. The panelists addressed hepeating (when man repeats something a woman has said), mansplaining (a man explaining concepts to a woman in a condescending way) and stress related to return-to-work policies. The speakers also spoke about the importance of sponsoring women, flexible work schedules, amplifying the voices of those who don’t have a seat at the table, and taking a firm stand when necessary to get the job done. 

On the topic of recruiting new talent, panelists commented that if you only look for specific candidate with job skills, and recruit from the same pool of talent or school, you may miss a superstar. Finally, panelists discussed the importance of being present and engaged in your community – whether at work or at home – in inspiring interest from others in working in the semiconductor industry, and that an inclusive workforce starts with an inclusive workplace.

One Male Ally’s Journey

Given the focus on inclusion at this year’s WiS, the event highlighted the work of an ally to women in semiconductors, Mark Blythe, Chief Marketing Officer at Kokusai Electric. In his talk Allyship in the Workplace , Blythe shared his journey of being a passive supporter of women to becoming an active ally who is more engaged and empathetic to challenges faced by women. He attended WiS in November 2023 and came away with a greater appreciation of the role allies can play in supporting women. Blythe actively listens to women on his team and reads books such as Good Guys: How Men can be Better Allies for Women in the Workplace.

Blythe appealed to those in the audience, especially men, to be proactive by pushing back on man-terruptions in meetings, amplifying women’s ideas at meetings and giving women a seat at the table when and where decisions are made.

Following the event Pati Barclay, Senior Associate, Director of Business Development, CS ARCH, and first-time Women in Semiconductors attendee said: "I have to say that after 35 years of going to conferences, this was one of the best.”

As a final action, and to show support for each other, participants in the in the Women in Semiconductors program are invited to sign a Pledge for Action: Bridging the Gap through Allyship . By signing the pledge, people and companies are taking a step forward to act – to increase equity and parity for women and underrepresented minorities in semiconductor industry.

Margaret Kindling is Senior Program Manager for Diversity, Equity, and Inclusion at the SEMI Foundation. She promotes inclusion and diversity through her work, including management of Women in Semiconductors, SEMICON West Workforce Pavilion programming and Semiconductor PRIDE.  

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