The image above is a cover of a photography book. It is vibrant and hints at what the purpose of the book is; however, there are design elements that I think hinder its effectiveness. It contains perception strategies that are both helpful and obstructive to pleasing the eye.

The focal point is placed right in the middle and is black, contrasting with the colorful images surrounding it. This is an excellent strategy for quickly defining its purpose. However, I still have trouble focusing on it and recognizing what it is. It was not until after I inserted this picture into this post that I noticed the black shape is a fist signifying support for women’s rights. While the images surrounding the fist are colorful and exciting, they are noisy and pull your focus in many different directions. I think it would be useful to maybe turn down the saturation of the images to make the black pop out even more.

What I like about it, after I recognized the fist, are all of the different images that give you a message of what is going to be shown and discussed. As a cover, hinting at the contents of the book is a good strategy to draw readers in. Additionally, it is just interesting to look at which draws more time and attention to the art which is the focus of the book. Combine these images with the fist graphic and the title, “Honoring Women’s Rights: Echoing Visual Voices Together.” I think this cover is successful in delivering a cohesive message on its contents.

Do you think the cover’s design is successful in attracting readers to look at its content? Do you think that it is a good cover design and would you change anything about it ?