hero-image-composition

name	hero-image-composition
description	Use when composing or selecting a hero image. Hero image is the largest brand signal on a marketing page.

Hero Image Composition

Hero composition: rule of thirds, negative space, single dominant subject, story moment. Avoid: stock-photo handshake, busy scenes, generic.

Composition principles

1. Rule of thirds: subject at 1/3 line, not center
2. Negative space: 40-60% of image is breathing room
3. Single dominant subject: one focal point, not multiple
4. Story moment: capture something interesting, not posed
5. Brand alignment: subject matter aligned with product
6. Aspect ratio: 16:9 or 21:9 for web hero; 4:5 or 9:16 for mobile

What to avoid

1. Stock 'business meeting' shots (generic, overused)
2. Customer hand reaching for product (cheesy)
3. People pointing at screen (boring)
4. Logo overlay on hero (over-designed)
5. Quote text fighting with photo subject (legibility issues)

Hero image audit

View 6 random pages' hero images side-by-side. Is there:

• Consistent treatment (color grading, mood)?
• Brand-aligned subject matter?
• Single dominant subject in each?
• 40%+ negative space for headline overlay?

If not, the brand reads patched-together.

Where this fits in the X3 empire

Used for CardPrepAI hero image curation.