Project: Images - Your Help Wanted - Site Redesign Underway

[Phillip Dampier]

I need some help from users in the redesign of the site.  I am going to be investing in some images for the site as part of the change of the look and feel.  I would like us to have some nice hi-res images to use on the site banner, as well as to replace the fulcrum on the forum home page.  I am considering some nice western-style hats or other similar items and some great outdoor shots for the banner of the site.  I'd like to get you guys to help me out by identifying some images that are true to the story/movie (if possible), especially for the hats and/or any other objects or things which would make great image additions to the site, as well as some images that say summer in the west.  We want brighter colors and less of a "winter feel" here.  We'll be adjusting the site colors today in any event.

The site I am spending time on is called Fotolia (http://www.fotolia.com) but there are others out there if people want to look.  If folks want to visit there are start browsing for images and giving some suggested links (after clicking on an image, you'll see a URL box on the right), that would be great.  I am not sure if they have an accurate enough set of western hats to choose from (so if there are other images out there that are very high resolution, let me know that too).

The only requirement is that we don't want to "borrow" other people's images.  We will pay the necessary royalties so we are properly licensed to use the images as part of the site.  As far as all of the great images people have been contributing, I have something special planned for those, so this is a different project.

I figure it would be fun to let everyone jump in and help build and remake the site!  You can start at fotolia, but if there are other similar sites you know of out there, feel free to check them out too.

[two_bloody_shirts]

Here's a list of some that I found.  None of the hats I saw there weren't really dirty enough, to be completely frank!  But I did find some images I think remind me of Brokeback.  I hope these help...   

http://www.fotolia.com/id/131810
http://www.fotolia.com/id/285381
http://www.fotolia.com/id/290623
http://www.fotolia.com/id/291147
http://www.fotolia.com/id/122449
http://www.fotolia.com/id/690136
http://www.fotolia.com/id/608767
http://www.fotolia.com/id/305336
http://www.fotolia.com/id/618795
http://www.fotolia.com/id/170742
http://www.fotolia.com/id/165309
http://www.fotolia.com/id/112066
http://www.fotolia.com/id/651895
http://www.fotolia.com/id/537757
http://www.fotolia.com/id/694056
http://www.fotolia.com/id/728848

[Phillip Dampier]

These are excellent suggestions!  I am definitely going to use some of these.  We are redesigning the front end of the site (the home page at bettermost.net) and I'll be using lots of images there too.  Thanks and keep them coming.  I guess we need to keep looking for some great hats.

BTW, if folks are interested, I can try and build out the number of images we can have for user avatars and other such stuff which others can use too.

[Ray]

You know you have totally trashed my colour scheme in the Daily Thoughts thread Phillip!

     Hahahahahahaha   


I love the new look.  Colour gives everything so much more life.  Thankyou.  But you know, don't you, the saying goes; "blue and green should never be seen unless you are in a forum discussing a movie about gay men and attended by gay men, gay women, bisexuals, and lovely straight gay empathiser types".  Or words to that effect!

I have offered before, but should you need anything specific drawn, please tell me and I'm sure a few of the more arty types could accommodate.

One suggestion; perhaps now you could include a 'white' option in the font colours.

[slayers_creek_oth]

Wow....what interesting and BRIGHT new colors...LOL

[Phillip Dampier]

You know you have totally trashed my colour scheme in the Daily Thoughts thread Phillip!

I love the new look.  Colour gives everything so much more life.  Thankyou.  But you know, don't you, the saying goes; "blue and green should never be seen unless you are in a forum discussing a movie about gay men and attended by gay men, gay women, bisexuals, and lovely straight gay empathiser types".  Or words to that effect!

The green is ignunt.  I already hollered at John about it.  I think maybe a muted yellow might be better.  We are tinkering.  I am going to also give him a new banner image for the top of the site - I want something sharper.  We're going to unveil a lot of changes around here shortly.

One suggestion; perhaps now you could include a 'white' option in the font colours.

I am not sure if that is possible.

[slayers_creek_oth]

I am going to also give him a new banner image for the top of the site - I want something sharper. 

Yeah...because now it all kinda clashes...

[Ray]

I don't mean to seem an ignut fool, but I was just commenting on the green!

As for the white font not being possible, how about a neutral colour that isn't black then?

[Phillip Dampier]

We are not the kind of gay people that can throw a pillow on a couch and have it land just so....  I don't know why we got green.  We'll turn it all down a notch when I can pry John away from Highly Gay TV (HGTV).  

[Phillip Dampier]

I don't mean to seem an ignut fool, but I was just commenting on the green!

As for the white font not being possible, how about a neutral colour that isn't black then?

John says he may be able to do white.  We'll see. 

[Phillip Dampier]

We are very summer blue now.  The views differ according to the browser you are using.  IE7 is rendering very strong blues.  Firefox will now show you an opaque User Info box at the top, with some mountain behind it.  I turned down the colors a bit, but they might still be a bit strong, especially for night viewing.

[j.U.d.E.]

LOVE THE COLOUR, LOVE THE CHANGE!

There is this site with pictures, but I don't know about copyright..

http://www.flickr.com/. You can do a 'search' - for example by typing 'cowboy'.. 

What about all scanning our theatre tickets (from all over the world..)

~ j U d E

[Phillip Dampier]

We are slowly moving the site more towards a User Community that isn't all-things BBM, but we'll always have the mood and the connection to the movie.  We are going to reduce the blue color in the message bodies here to aid in readability.  It is apparently a bit too blue for some.  I like reading other reactions to the changes as well, so keep them coming.

[Meryl]

Phillip, keep up the good work!  I love your ideas and look forward to the new pictures. 

Since you asked, I thought I'd mention that I'm finding the blue at the top of the page mighty intense and kind of miss the softer sky we had before.  Maybe there's a middle ground? 

[vkm91941]

[Phillip Dampier]

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but we have lightened the blues on the site to improve readability.  The quote box is now a more muted yellow as well.  Has this improved the readability for users who were having issues with the original blues?

[Penthesilea]

I don't know if anyone has noticed, but we have lightened the blues on the site to improve readability.  The quote box is now a more muted yellow as well.  Has this improved the readability for users who were having issues with the original blues?

I have hardly noticed. I didn't have any issues with the blues before the change, and not after the change. The blues are all fine with me 
But I have a little issue with the new shade of yellow in the quote box. For me it's harder to read now. However it's not too bad, and I guess in a while I will have gotten used to it.

[Meryl]

Hi Phillip,

To answer your question about the blues and yellows, they're all fine with me, except a softening of the intense royal blue at the very top of the page would suit me better.  Thanks for all the great work you're doing. 

Meryl

[slayers_creek_oth]

Looks good to me Phil....thanks!

[Front-Ranger]

Some of the bands come out lavender on my screen but that's perfectly okay because it reminds me of the purple mountains' majesty. 

[nakymaton]

I like the Riverton weather report that has just appeared in the news box. (Edit... oooooooo! Look! When there's a clear sky at night in Riverton, the weather box has a picture of the full moon!      )

And I just like blue, in general.