Website Analysis

I looked at lds.org for my website to analyze.  I thought this was an effective website because it used the techniques we discussed in class to its advantage and was clear to follow.

Alignment: I really liked the alignment because it used left alignment and, like Natalie pointed out, didn't use very much center alignment. I like how what you see first is a very simple picture with the church's name at the top left and only a few tabs at the top.  The simplicity grabs your attention and draws your focus on the name and the picture.  Then, when you scroll down you find more information that is a little busier than your initial view.

Contrast: I thought the contrast was effectively created by the pictures that take up most of the space.  The first picture I saw was a lake next to a temple with a setting sun that contrasted nicely with the dark blue background.  When you scroll down the page you also see more pictures that have contrasting colors but that still go well together.  I also like how the words "The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints" are in white which makes it easy to read against the blue background.

Proximity: There are clear sections in the website that go together (such as "April 2012 General Conference", "Mormon.org", "Scriptures", etc.).  This makes these sections stand out more and are easier to focus on.

Repetition: There are only a few fonts that are used on the website which makes the whole thing easier to read and look at.  Also, the repetition of soft colors (dark blues, gray, tan, white) gives everything a sense of peace and comfort. All of these colors go nicely together so that you aren't jarred when you look at the website.

Composition: The church's logo isn't put right in the center.  It's in the top left, but your eye still naturally goes to it. Also, most of the pictures you see follow the rule of thirds and are more pleasing to look at.  The bottom section itself is divided into thirds and the whole thing feels comfortable to look at.