"Photo, or it didn't happen"

Hello Reader,

I'm just back from a quick trip to England to see my family. After a period of pretty rubbish weather, it looks like London is finally in for some "summer" this week, and I snapped a few pleasant photos on my last day. See some of them here.

However, despite pointing my lens for the morning flower market at Columbia Road, afternoon tea at the Theatre Royal, and an evening encounter with a young fox near Buckingham Palace, I felt too awkward to whip out my phone to capture the scene outside Victoria's Secret in Bond Street.

I passed at about 7pm, the so-called "golden hour" for photography, and saw that a professional shoot was in progress. As bemused tourists strolled by, a beautiful woman was posing, right there on the public pavement (sidewalk). Her attire? Thigh-high boots, the other "garments" you'd expect a Victoria's Secret model to wear, and not a stitch more.

Like most of the passers-by, I looked twice. Some reached immediately for their phones, but I wasn't comfortable taking my own pics. After all, this was a workplace, albeit an unusual one...

But I regretted my decorum when I tried to describe the spectacle to my husband, as evidence of the potential thrills awaiting him in London, if he chooses to join me next time.

Too late, I realized this whole story falls completely flat without photographic evidence. As writers say, it's always better to show, not tell.

This all reminded me: photos are incredibly important on your website, too. Although probably, the people in yours will be wearing quite a lot more than the young lady above(!), you still need strong, relevant images to represent your work.

Here's my checklist of which photos you should include, which you can skip, and the important photo considerations that you, or your website designer, should make sure you address.

READ HERE

Interview: Spotlight on Speaking Show

Bret Ridgway interviewed me for his Spotlight on Speaking podcast, and the episode just went live this week. Listen in for my website tips for speakers, and enjoy my efforts to be diplomatic when Bret asked me for a live critique of his own website!

Find the episode here

Behind the scenes

Since no trip to Blighty is complete without afternoon tea, I tested 2 different locations:

Varsity Hotel, Cambridge: Great view from the terrace, but mediocre food. Good service. 3 out of 5
Theatre Royal, Drury Lane, London: Lovely surroundings and reasonably priced (by London standards). Good food, except for the strange ice cream sandwich which inevitably melted before we'd eaten the savouries. Mixed service. 4 out of 5

Have you sipped Earl Grey at either of these? What's your top recommendation for an English afternoon tea?

Fingers crossed, I'm going back in December, and I've found another new and quirky option to try then. I'll report back.

Community news, inspiration, and resources

Join Ellia Harris of The Potential Center for a free masterclass on September 13th: How to generate your team's next WOW! idea. Register here
For nonfiction and children's book authors, Melanie Herschorn really knows her stuff. She's offering a free workshop, Profitable Book Marketing Plan, on September 26th. RSVP here
Article from Fast Company: Eight ways authoring a book can catapult your career

I'm not sure at what point 2023 started to run away with me, but, to my surprise, I now only have availability to work with another two, maybe three clients this year. If you want to launch a new website before the calendar flips to 2024, please do check whether we're a good match, then schedule your free consultation here.

Warm wishes,

Pauline