Help me compose (and take and edit?) a photo for my website

Hi,

I'm not very good at photos. I'm after something kind-of specific, but equally I'm not sure what it should be.

I've built a simple, single-page site for my new business with coloured blocks containing text. One block has a background photo. The site looks very similar to this.

I'm trying to take a picture for the photo block that meets the following requirements:

1. Text should be legible over it (so not too busy)
   
2. Probably B+W so I don't have to worry about it clashing with my colour palette (I'm using "beach")
   
3. Communicates any one or more of these ideas: I'm a writer; I'm also a translator; based in Manchester; specialise in technology-related subjects; also like bikes/sport; not a wanky hipster
   
   

I was thinking of a slightly blurred shot of a desk with a laptop on it, pens, an open dictionary maybe. Then also thought about a Manchester skyline, or maybe one that has my face in it? One of me working? To be honest, I'm a bit out of my depth here - in terms of what to photograph, how to compose the shot, how to edit it, etc...

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Your pal,

fizzy

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your subjects might be a good shout, some of your other (perfectly reasonable) ideas might look a tad image bank. Is your writing usually published with accompanying images? Could they be of help?

Good point. Yeah it's published with a real mix of illustrations and photography. Most of it's client-owned. That's given me some good food for thought though - thanks.

Enter and win the photo comp, then set the theme and use that winning pic

Unsplash usually has something suitable if you're looking royalty-free.

This should have been posted on a Friday 10 years ago.