Re: Using author photos on a Web site
Royce Shin <[email protected]>
| Newsgroups | gmane.comp.web.chi-web |
|---|---|
| Message-ID | <[email protected]> |
> I'm working with a client who has employees writing research articles that
> are posted on the Web site. Sometimes there are photos, sometimes not. I
> think it's good to have the photos because it creates the impression of a
> relationship between the author and the reader. It seems like the
> relationship one has with a radio DJ -- it seems like the DJ is a friend
> after hearing his/her voice for a long time, and that's part of what makes
> one tune in again.
Hi Hal,
I'll just contribute my opinion; I have no relevant data or expertise. I'm a little confused; your statements seem a little contradictory to me. You support photos, then liken the relationship to that with a radio DJ. Personally, I have no idea what most DJs look like. In the cases where I do see their pictures, my reaction is usually, "Huh, kind of plainer than I'd imagined," and then I forget about it until I see their photo the next time and the process is repeated. To me, their photos add nothing.
But I don't think the relationship with DJs is quite the same, unless you're talking about some particular type of show. Most of the ones to whom I listen are either chatters, news reporters, or announcers. None of those seem much like the author of a research article.
To me, a closer comparison would be to print, where authors sometimes include photos. Mostly, I tend to ignore these in favor of the author's name with one exception: I am often very curious about what an author looks like in opinion-writing and I think the photo can affect my perceived relationship with the author more than I like to admit, depending on how much empathy I feel based upon the photo.
Royce Shin
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