{"id":388519,"date":"2025-08-25T11:16:35","date_gmt":"2025-08-25T17:16:35","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/?p=388519"},"modified":"2025-08-25T11:16:45","modified_gmt":"2025-08-25T17:16:45","slug":"getting-creative-with-images-in-long-form-content","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/getting-creative-with-images-in-long-form-content\/","title":{"rendered":"Getting Creative With Images in Long-Form Content"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

When you picture placing images in long-form content \u2014 like articles, case studies, or reports \u2014 the standard approach is inline rectangles, breaking up blocks of text. Functional? Sure. Inspiring? Hardly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Why do so many long-form articles feel visually flat? Why do images so often seem bolted on, rather than part of the story? And how does that affect engagement, comprehension, or tone?<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Images in long-form content can (and often should) do more than illustrate. They can shape how people navigate, engage with, and interpret what they\u2019re reading. They help set the pace, influence how readers feel, and add character that words alone can\u2019t always convey.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

So, how do you use images to add personality, rhythm, and even surprise someone along the way? Here\u2019s how I do it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n\n\n\n\n

\"A
Patty Meltt is an up-and-coming country music sensation.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

My brief:<\/strong> Patty Meltt is an up-and-coming country music sensation, and she needed a website to launch her new album and tour. She wanted it to be distinctive-looking and memorable, so she called Stuff & Nonsense<\/a>. Patty\u2019s not real, but the challenges of designing and developing sites like hers are.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

First, a not-so-long-form recap.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

You probably already know that grids make designs feel predictable, rhythmic, and structured, which helps readers feel comfortable when consuming long-form content. Grids bring balance. They help keep things aligned, organized, and easy to follow, which makes complex information feel less overwhelming.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Complex information feels less overwhelming, but the result is underwhelming.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

But once I\u2019ve established a grid, breaking it occasionally can be a powerful way to draw attention to key content, add personality, and prevent layouts from feeling formulaic or flat.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\"A
Pulling images into margins creates a casual, energetic feel.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n

For example, in long-form content, I might pull images into the margins or nudge them out of alignment to create a more casual, energetic feel. I could expand an image\u2019s inline size out of its column using negative margin values:<\/p>\n\n\n\n

figure {\n  inline-size: 120%;\n  margin-inline-start: -10%; \n  margin-inline-end: -10%;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Used sparingly, these breaks serve as punctuation, guiding the reader\u2019s eye and adding moments of visual interest to the text\u2019s flow.<\/p>\n\n\n
Text width or full-bleed<\/h3>\n\n\n
Once we start thinking creatively about images in long-form content, one question usually comes to mind: how wide should those images be?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Full-width
The image sits within the column width.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Should they sit flush with the edges of the text column?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
img {\n  inline-size: 100%;\n  max-inline-size: 100%;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
\"Full-width
The figure element expands to fill the viewport width.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Or expand to fill the entire width of the page?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
figure {\n  inline-size: 100vw;\n  margin-inline-start: 50%;\n  transform: translateX(-50%);\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
Both approaches are valid, but it\u2019s important to understand how they serve different purposes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Book and newspaper layouts traditionally keep images confined to the text column, reinforcing the flow of words. Magazines, on the other hand, regularly break the grid with full-bleed imagery for dramatic effect.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
In articles, news stories, and reports, images set inside the column flow with the copy, giving a sense of order and rhythm. This works especially well for charts, diagrams, and infographics, where it\u2019s important to keep things clear and easy to read. But in the wrong context, this approach can feel predictable and lacking in energy<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Stretching images beyond the content column to fill the full width of the viewport creates instant impact. These moments act like dramatic pauses \u2014 they purposefully break the reading rhythm, reset attention, and shift focus from words to visuals. That said, these images should always serve a purpose. They lose their impact quickly if they\u2019re overused or feel like filler.<\/p>\n\n\n
Using a modular grid for multiple images<\/h3>\n\n\n
So far, I\u2019ve focused on single images in the flow of text. But what if I want to present a collection? How can I arrange a sequence of images that belong together?<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Modular<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Instead of stacking images vertically, I can use a modular grid to create a cohesive arrangement with precise control over placement and scale. What\u2019s a modular grid? It\u2019s a structure built from repeated units \u2014 typically squares or rectangles \u2014 arranged horizontally and vertically to bring order to varied content. I can place individual images within single modules, or span multiple modules to create larger, more impactful zones.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
figure {\n  display: grid;\n  grid-template-columns: repeat(4, 1fr);\n  gap: 15px;\n}\n\nfigure > *:nth-child(1) {\n  grid-column: 1 \/ -1;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
\"Modular<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Modular grids also help us break free from conventional, column-based layouts, adding variety and keeping things visually interesting without relying on full-bleed images every time. They give me the flexibility to mix landscape and portrait images within the same space. I can vary scale, making some images larger for emphasis and others smaller in support. It\u2019s a layout technique that groups related visuals, reinforcing the relationship between them.<\/p>\n\n\n
CSS Shapes and expressive possibilities<\/h3>\n\n\n
Whatever shape the subject takes, every image sits inside a box. By default, text flows above or below that box. If I float an image left or right, the adjacent text wraps around the rectangle, regardless of what\u2019s inside. When a subject fills its box edge to edge, this wrapping feels natural.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Edge-to-edge<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
But when the subject is cut out or has an irregular outline, that rectangular wrap can feel awkward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Irregular<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
CSS Shapes solves that problem by allowing text to wrap around any custom shape I define. Letting text flow around a shape isn\u2019t just decorative \u2014 it adds energy and keeps the page feeling lively. Using shape-outside<\/code><\/a> affects the reading experience. It slows people down slightly, creates visual rhythm, and adds contrast to the steady march of regular text blocks. It also brings text and image into a closer relationship, making them feel part of a shared composition rather than isolated elements.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Irregular<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Most shape-outside<\/code> explanations start with circles or ellipses, but I think they should begin with something more expressive: wrapping text around an image\u2019s alpha channel.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
img {\n  float: left;\n  width: 300px;\n  height: auto;\n  shape-outside: url('patty.webp');\n  shape-image-threshold: .5;\n  shape-margin: 1rem;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
No clipping paths. No polygons. Just letting the natural silhouette of the image shape the text. It\u2019s a small detail that makes a design feel more considered, more crafted, and more human.<\/p>\n\n\n
Integrating captions into a design<\/h3>\n\n\n
Captions don\u2019t have to sit quietly beneath an image. They can play a far more expressive role in shaping how an image is perceived and understood. Most captions look like afterthoughts to me \u2014 small, grey text, tucked beneath a picture.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"A<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
But when I think more deliberately about their positioning and styling, captions become an active part of the design. They can help guide attention, highlight important points, and bring a bit more personality to the page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
No rule says captions must sit below an image. Why not treat them as design elements in their own right? I might position a caption to the left or right of an image.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
figure {\n  display: grid;\n  grid-template-columns: repeat(6, 1fr);\n  gap: 1rem;\n}\n\nfigure img {\n  grid-column: 1 \/ 6;\n}\n\nfigcaption {\n  grid-column: 6;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
\"Caption<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Or let it overlap part of the picture itself:<\/p>\n\n\n\n
figure {\n  display: grid;\n  grid-template-columns: repeat(6, 1fr);\n  gap: 1rem;\n}\n\nfigure img {\n  grid-column: 1 \/ 6;\n  grid-row: 1;\n}\n\nfigcaption {\n  grid-column: 5 \/ -1;\n  grid-row: 1;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
\"Caption<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Captions connect images and text. Done well, they can elevate as well as explain. They don\u2019t have to look conventional either; you can style them to look like pull quotes or side notes.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Caption<\/figure>\n\n\n\n
I might design a caption to echo a pull quote, or combine it with graphic elements to make it feel less like a label and more like part of the story it\u2019s helping to tell.<\/p>\n\n\n
The power of whitespace<\/h3>\n\n\n
Until now, I\u2019ve concentrated on the images themselves \u2014 how they\u2019re captioned, positioned, and sized. But there\u2019s something else that\u2019s just as important: the space around<\/em> them.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whitespace isn\u2019t empty space; it\u2019s active. It shapes how content feels, how it flows, and how it\u2019s read. The margins, padding, and negative space around an image influence how much attention it attracts and how comfortably it sits within a page.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
\"Caption
Tight spacing creates tension.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Tighter spacing is useful when grouping images, but it also creates tension. In contrast, generous margins give an image more breathing room.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
figure {\n  margin-block: 3rem;\n}<\/code><\/pre>\n\n\n\n
\"Caption
Generous margins create pauses.<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n\n\n\n
Like a line break in a poem or a pause in conversation, whitespace slows things down and gives people natural moments to pause while reading.<\/p>\n\n\n
Conclusion<\/h3>\n\n\n
Images in long-form content aren\u2019t just illustrations. They shape how people experience what they\u2019re reading \u2014 how they move through it, how it feels, and what they remember. By thinking beyond the default rectangle, we can use images to create rhythm, personality, and even moments of surprise.<\/p>\n\n\n\n
Whether it\u2019s by breaking the grid, choosing full-bleed over inline, wrapping text, or designing playful captions, it\u2019s about being deliberate. So next time you\u2019re laying out a long article, don\u2019t wonder, \u201cWhere can I put an image?<\/em>\u201d Ask, \u201cHow can this image help shape someone\u2019s experience?<\/em>\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
Images in long-form content can (and often should) do more than illustrate. They help set the pace, influence how readers feel, and add character that words alone can\u2019t always convey.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":288748,"featured_media":388544,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_acf_changed":false,"_bbp_topic_count":0,"_bbp_reply_count":0,"_bbp_total_topic_count":0,"_bbp_total_reply_count":0,"_bbp_voice_count":0,"_bbp_anonymous_reply_count":0,"_bbp_topic_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_reply_count_hidden":0,"_bbp_forum_subforum_count":0,"inline_featured_image":false,"c2c_always_allow_admin_comments":false,"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":"","jetpack_publicize_message":"","jetpack_publicize_feature_enabled":true,"jetpack_social_post_already_shared":false,"jetpack_social_options":{"image_generator_settings":{"template":"highway","default_image_id":0,"enabled":false},"version":2},"_share_on_mastodon":"1","_share_on_mastodon_status":"Solid wisdom from @malarkeymastodon.social:\r\n\r\n\"Images in long-form content can (and often should) do more than illustrate. They help set the pace, influence how readers feel, and add character that words alone can\u2019t always convey.\"\r\n\r\n%permalink%"},"categories":[4],"tags":[585,19094],"class_list":["post-388519","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-articles","tag-images","tag-ui-ix-design"],"acf":{"show_toc":"Yes"},"share_on_mastodon":{"url":"https:\/\/mastodon.social\/@csstricks\/115090535433745122","error":""},"jetpack_publicize_connections":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/08\/image-long-form-content-caption.jpg?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1","jetpack-related-posts":[{"id":283784,"url":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/did-you-know-that-css-custom-properties-can-handle-images-too\/","url_meta":{"origin":388519,"position":0},"title":"Did you know that CSS Custom Properties can handle images too?","author":"Robin Rendle","date":"February 27, 2019","format":false,"excerpt":"So you might be aware of CSS Custom Properties that let you set a variable, such as a theme color, and then apply it to multiple classes like this: :root { --theme: #777; } .alert { background: var(\u2014-theme); } .button { background: var(\u2014-theme); } Well, I had seen this pattern\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/alert-themes.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/alert-themes.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/alert-themes.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=525%2C300 1.5x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/alert-themes.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=700%2C400 2x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/02\/alert-themes.png?fit=1200%2C600&ssl=1&resize=1050%2C600 3x"},"classes":[]},{"id":6997,"url":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/expanding-images-html5\/","url_meta":{"origin":388519,"position":1},"title":"Expanding Images using HTML5’s contenteditable tabindex","author":"Chris Coyier","date":"August 9, 2010","format":false,"excerpt":"HTML5 has a new attribute, contenteditable, which can be applied to any element which allows it to be edited directly in the browser window. Think of text input with a predefined value, but it can literally be any element. Form elements like text inputs support the :focus pseudo class, which\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/firefoxresizing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/firefoxresizing.jpg?resize=350%2C200&ssl=1 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2010\/08\/firefoxresizing.jpg?resize=525%2C300&ssl=1 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":883,"url":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/script-style-exclusive-automatically-generate-a-photo-gallery-from-a-directory-of-images\/","url_meta":{"origin":388519,"position":2},"title":"Script & Style Exclusive: Automatically Generate a Photo Gallery from a Directory of Images","author":"Chris Coyier","date":"August 15, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"UPDATE: Script & Style is closed, but an updated version of this article is now on David Walsh's site. 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For one thing, the design is way stripped down so if you are looking to \"start from scratch\" with your form design, you would probably be better off starting with Tim's examples than mine.\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/csstricks-uploads\/contact-form-example.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/csstricks-uploads\/contact-form-example.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/csstricks-uploads\/contact-form-example.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]},{"id":777,"url":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/creating-a-unique-contact-for\/","url_meta":{"origin":388519,"position":5},"title":"Part 2: Building a Unique Contact Form","author":"Chris Coyier","date":"May 27, 2008","format":false,"excerpt":"I'm calling this Part 2, because last week I began this adventure over on Tutorial Blog where we first designed a unique contact form: Photoshopping a Unique Contact Form Here we are going to pick up where that left off and actually build this thing with HTML\/CSS, as well as\u2026","rel":"","context":"In "Articles"","block_context":{"text":"Articles","link":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/category\/articles\/"},"img":{"alt_text":"","src":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/csstricks-uploads\/contact-final.jpg?resize=350%2C200","width":350,"height":200,"srcset":"https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/csstricks-uploads\/contact-final.jpg?resize=350%2C200 1x, https:\/\/i0.wp.com\/css-tricks.com\/wp-content\/csstricks-uploads\/contact-final.jpg?resize=525%2C300 1.5x"},"classes":[]}],"jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388519","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/288748"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=388519"}],"version-history":[{"count":9,"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388519\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":388955,"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/388519\/revisions\/388955"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/388544"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=388519"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=388519"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/css-tricks.com\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=388519"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}