Change is something that I’ve always struggled with. I know I’m not alone in this, and I’d bet that most of you reading this right now would agree. These days I’ve grown accustomed to change, and even sometimes welcome it. A few months ago I changed my blog layout after over TWO years of the same set up. I’m a big believer of keeping things simple, and I live my life by a, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it” motto, but I wanted something new and fresh.
After settling on a new layout, I quickly discovered that although I enjoyed the sleek and clean look, the way my photos were squished just didn’t sit well with me. I didn’t get myself a dSLR to highlight tiny details in certain pictures just to have them unappreciated by a squished blog.
I have a 70/30 approach to blogging. 70% photos, and 30% written content. After settling with the smooshed setup for a while, I made an impromptu change as you can see. No hesitation, no struggling with the change, just a click of a button and boom-wide open spaces for my photos to stretch and breath. My photos are far from perfect, but they surely benefit from a better layout.
OK, you get the idea. Long story short I have a new layout that is very simple and clean, giving my photos a bit more wiggle room. I still use my iPhone for nearly all other photos like hiking, but even those benefit from some space. On that note go bake something tasty. Happy Sunday.
Q: What’s most important to you about reading/writing blogs? I am a big fan of LOTS of photos. Too much text and I get bored.
Blissfulbritt 
36 thoughts on “Wide Open Spaces”
The Vegan 8
Love the layout MUCH better….less busy! I prefer layouts that don’t have 2 sidebars and this one is nice and yes, your photos stand out much better!! I think you know I love blogs with lots of photos….that’s why I take so many and spend a lot of time both taking them and editing them. I really love it! We eat with our eyes first, so if the photos are poop, people are less excited about trying the recipe, lol! 🙂
Brittany
YES, we really do eat with our eyes first!! I’m totally turned off by less than stellar food photos. Precisely why I adore your blog so much. 😉 Your photos are always fantastic.
Rebecca@RunningFoodBaby
I definitely like this layout
My blog needs a bit of a facelift too – but I don’t have the time to really play around with it. I like a balance between pictures and text. I have barely used my dSLR lately – but I finally dug it out for my post on Friday. My iPhone 5S takes pretty nice pictures and therefore I’ve been using that more than my actual camera.
Aja
I love the new layout. Yeah, having a nice camera definitely calls for a good layout to go with your pictures. I really want a dSLR because I studied photography for 4 years in school, but always used the school’s cameras and never got my own. So I miss it.
Brittany
I don’t use mine for much other than things around my house like food photos, and occasionally I will take it somewhere if I am traveling. Despite not using it all the time I am SO glad I have one!! I can’t wait to delve into more nature photography.
Bunny Eats Design
I love the new layout. I changed my blog layout last week. My last one was a bit too colourful and busy for my tastes, I like how both our new themes are simple and let the photos to shine.
Amanda @ .running with spoons.
Gorgeous! Clean, sleep, and sophisticated. Love it.
For me, I think the most important thing when reading (and writing!) posts is a reasonable length. I can’t stand posts that are too long, especially if it’s walls of text with no pics. I try to keep mine on the shorter side for the most part, but it’s something I want to get even better at. Ain’t no one got time to read epic posts!
Brittany
I couldn’t agree more!! Anytime my posts start to push the limits on length I worry about posting them! HA.
brittanylesser
Your pictures are gorgeous! I love pictures on a blog, and also a post that isn’t too long with too much writing. a good mix of both 🙂
apartmentwife
ahhh, i just love the picture of you with the zucchini – so fun! and the new layout rocks- love, love, love it. and yes.. too much text and i’m opening side windows, clicking around on pinterest, looking for something visual. your blog is the perfect mix of humor/fun/images/food 🙂
Matt @ Runner Savvy
I love the photos 🙂
Ellie
I like humor and topics that interest me. A great photo or two is awesome too. Fun facts that I can bring to parties are a great thing I look for when I read blogs as well 🙂
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
I love this new layout. It’s so much better to see your pictures, YOU, and that giant zucchini. We should have zucchini wars. 🙂
Wonderful change. I’m so glad you embraced it.
Brittany
Can this be the new public banana of the vegetable world!?! Maybe….kinda? Except we won’t discriminate the other long and a sexy veggies, we can call it…Public Phallic Veggie..or maybe something else since the public part is somewhat unique to your banana love.
Hmmm…brainstorming.
Meghan@CleanEatsFastFeets
How about #phallicveggielove? The fact we’re sharing it is public enough.
Heather @ HeatherRunsFast.com
I like your 70/30 picture to text format and I love your photos! But I NEED that zucchini man!
Arman @ thebigmansworld
Teach me how to dougie.
I mean, teach me your epic photographic ways.
Lucie Elizabeth (@CollectingLight)
BRIT! Im SOOO excited to see you have a new DSLR! I love your posts anyway but like you, I love posts with lots of clean images and a DSLR always helps with that (and plus, new I can see your pretty little face with lots of pixels! wool!)
http://www.journeysthroughmeadows.com
Brittany
I actually got the camera last December! I adore it to bits! I need to use it more for sure, but the photos I do snap with it are SO much fun. 🙂
kcriemer
loving the new layout lady!
this makes me want to dive into my DSLR so much more. i used it in colorado and that’s basically the last–i’ll be taking it down to missouri with me and spend my weekends exploring for sure.
Kate @ Another Clean Slate
I need to be better about photos- I agree it looks better but I don’t always have the best ones!
Amy @ A Desert Girl
Dude. I’m so late to the party. Your blog would just pop up in the Reader and I didn’t click into it. So this is the FIRST time I’m seeing the new layout. Love! The photos look great.
That zucchini is a monster.
Brittany
You’re not late at all!! I actually JUST posted this yesterday. Back to back posts are throwing you off, crazy I know!
Kelsey
Definitely agree about needing to have photos to break up the words. If it is a long/deep/emotional topics, the words usually become more important and I’m not as picky about how many photos. Those are the hardest posts for people to write most of the time, so I don’t think the layout matters as much because the content is much more important!
allieksmith
Oh my! I just changed my layout to this one, too! I had the same layout forever as well, and I was finally okay with looking around for a new one. Obviously, I love this one, too!! It looks great!
Missy
LOVE it.
Missy
OH! And when you hover over your pic in the right hand corner moves and I get such a kick out of that. (0:
An Unrefined Vegan
Looking good, lady!
Choc Chip Uru
WOO the new DSLR is awesome 😀
As awesome as the giant zucchini that made me laugh 🙂
Cheers
Choc Chip Uru
rika@vm
Nice blog layout, Britt! I like simpler and minimalistic blog layouts! Lots of delicious dishes you’ve got there including the quinoa! I’m a huge fan of photos, but sometimes when it comes to foreign ingredients (Asian cuisine), I’ve to write about them otherwise the readers had no idea what are they!
Rach @ This Italian Family
I’m with you on loving photos in blog posts! And I love your layout! I especially like how simple and clean it is! 🙂
Femme Fitale Fit Club
I love the new layout and am looking for a new one myself because mine is no longer supported but I don’t want to learn a new layout. I do want wider margins for my content and photos as well. I also want better fonts! I like pics in a blog post that tell a story – not a lot of words too much unless they are linking me to something beneficial. 🙂
Amalia
I love your photos. I wish I was better with my camera. I may have to take a class or something or do some research to get better!
afm15
I tend to only have a lot of text when I talk about something big or dear to me. Else it’s pictures and little words. Whoops on the slowness on blog reading. it happens.
James Odhiambo
I’m in love with your blogs, so colorful that it makes me wonder what I’m actually doing with mine! Keep up the good work.
Brittany
This is so kind! Thank you for the comment.