Using real life images in headers vs not

[jag5311]

I have noticed a growing use of real life images being used up in the head of a document, whether its a colorful flower with a blue sky behind it, or a person out in the opening looking up at the sky, or whatever. Css zen garden has a few like that. I just wanted to know if there are times when that is appropriate and time when something traditional is used.

I like the effect, I think it brings a webpage to life (so to speak)

what do you think?

Thanks
Bryan

[vgarcia]

It depends on the subject matter. I wouldn't expect to see real photos in the header of a site devoted to line art .

[Steelsun]

Yep, they are great to use depending on the subject/topic/aim of the site.

I used real images in my last 2 headers for pages I've designed for clients (I took the images).
The project I'm working on now probably will have an image in the header, but it will be abstracted so you won't be able to tell what it is (it's more for flavour/presentation than identification).
The next project after that in the pipeline will also have images in the header (as a collage) since it's for a stock photo site.

[jag5311]

Cool. I own the doman healthytips.org and a while back I was putting serious thought into developing it, and then got busy and now I am again wanting to put serious thought into it. One of the ideas was to use a stock photo of an Orange or a Lime (something colorful) but use it up in the header somewhere, but nice and large so you really get the message.