How to add pictures to the homepage feature region

With eCatholic, you can configure your feature region to display two types of content: photo(s) or video.

  1. Photo Mode - upload one or more still images into the feature region (instructions below). 
  2. Video Mode - embed a video in the feature region (view instructions).

If you've decided that you want to build your feature region to display one or more pictures, here's how to add photos to make your feature region look its best!

Before you begin: Know the size of your feature region

The size of your feature region matters when displaying photos. You must choose from the following feature region sizes (illustrated below). Check out Using Photo Mode in your feature region for more details. 

1

Upload a photo

Log in to your site and go to your homepage. Then, hover your cursor in the area of the feature region and click on the settings icon in the top right corner.

This opens the Feature Region Settings dialog. Verify that your feature region is configured for Photo Mode (pictured below).

Then, click +Add Slide, and select the File Source for your new image.

  1. Upload - Select an image file from your computer's hard drive.
  2. Stock Photos - Select an image from the eCatholic Stock Photos library.*
    ( *This option will only appear if you have an eCatholic Stock Photos subscription.)

NOTE: You can upload 1-15 photos to your feature region; however, we recommend publishing 1-4 images.
2

Crop the photo

Your photo will then open in the Image Cropper. Remember that your feature region has  specific pixel dimensions. As a result, any photos you upload  must fill the entire area. Use the built-in image cropper to crop your images.

Cropping a horizontal photo

Large photos with a horizontal orientation will be shrunk to fit the width of your feature region (illustrated below). You can then use the slider bar to magnify/zoom into a portion of the photo. Next, click and drag the photo to reposition as you see fit. Then click Save and your photo will be cropped to fit in the feature region.

Cropping a vertical photo

Large photos with a vertical orientation are also shrunk to fit the width of your feature region (illustrated below). Use the slider bar to magnify/zoom into a portion of the photo, then click and drag the photo to reposition. Click Save to crop the photo and add it to your feature region.

NOTE : If you have image editing software, you can crop your photos yourself to the exact dimensions of your feature region. Then, the photos will fit perfectly once you upload them to your feature region.
3

Add a title and caption to the image (optional)

If you’d like, enter a title and caption to overlay your image.

4

Create a Call to Action button + link (optional)

You can choose to add a Call to Action button: a button on the slide that directs visitors to a specific URL. To do so, enter the following information:

  1. Call to Action button text - One or two words that will appear on the button (e.g., "Learn More")
  2. Link Type - Select External or Internal
  3. Link URL - The URL to which you would like to direct visitors
    • If the Link Type is internal (which means it links to a page of your own website) you can simply select the destination page from the Link to Page dropdown.
5

Organize all photos

Next, you’ll return to the Feature Region Settings dialog. Here, you can change the order of your images. Use the orange handle to drag and drop photos into the preferred order. Once set, click Save, and you’re done!

Here's an example of how a finished feature region can look on both desktop and mobile screens:

Additional Features

Editing your feature region pictures

Of course, you may need to edit your feature region images after the fact.
To do this, just click the feature region settings icon to reopen the Feature Region Settings dialog. Hover your cursor over the image you’d like to edit and click the settings icon. Here you can edit the image's link, title, and caption, and also disable the image from appearing altogether. Click Save once you’re finished.

Customizing your feature region: Timing and transitions

You can customize your feature region by changing the default timing and/or the transition effect. To do this, click on the settings icon, then click on the Advanced tab of the Feature Region Settings dialog. Adjust the timing between 3-10 seconds and select your preferred transition effect from the dropdown. Then click Save.

Next step: Best practices for your homepage

We've outlined some additional best practices for your homepage via the blog; check out How to make your homepage less cluttered.

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