On-brand talking-head style composition

Photo manipulation - change shirt color, edit the chart, background development

Develop color palette and choose font style for the chart text.

Adobe Photoshop:

• Photo manipulation

• Color grading

• Upscaling

• Format conversion.

ChatGPT and YouTube

• Research and Inspiration

• Brainstorming

Social Media - X, Reddit, Discord, LinkedIn

• Feedback

• Inspiration

We wanted to explore the core principles of strategic YouTube content creation. And the goal was to give a snippet of the video in a very informative way. The presence of the chart with talking points sets the tone for the video. 

I wanted the thumbnail to feature clear, bold imagery and content that concisely tells the viewer what the video is about. The text on the chart needed to be easily readable, even on small devices. To achieve this, I opted for a combination of large, colored Segoe Print Bold font, with variations to the sizes according to hierarchy.

The image of the subject smiling, by the laptop, added a relatable and working vibe, making the thumbnail more on-topic and also inviting. The background of the image is kept simple and tidy, with blurred plant life to convey a productive and inspiring environment. The green also signifies growth, which is a prominent theme in this video. The hue variations of the text provide a vibrant contrast, drawing the viewer’s eye to the chart, the main element in this thumbnail.

The thumbnail needed to be consistent with existing brand guidelines. This meant using similar fonts, colors, and styling elements to what viewers were accustomed to seeing on the channel.

I started by planning out the concept, the goal was to visually explain how thumbnails connect with branding, video content, and the YouTube algorithm. I sketched out a few layout ideas to make sure the message would be clear even at a glance.

Once I had the idea locked in, I prepared the workspace and set up the elements. I picked the clearest, most expressive pose with a friendly expression to make the thumbnail inviting, while pointing to the key part of the diagram to guide the viewer's eye. The whiteboard was filled with simple Venn diagrams and hand-drawn text , deliberately styled that way to feel natural and educational.

I kept the color palette minimal: red for YouTube and video, green for algorithm, and blue for brand. This color coding helped distinguish the concepts without making the design feel noisy.

To tie everything together, I placed a laptop in the scene, added a clear labels and made sure the overall composition felt clean and centered. After a couple of lighting tweaks and minor retouching for contrast and clarity, I exported the final version in high quality and saved the source files for future updates.

Use provided footage and cut out most interesting scenes for the thumbnail

Photo manipulation - change shirt color, increase lighting, background retouching

Develop color palette if needed and choose font style

Adobe Photoshop:

• Photo manipulation

• Color grading

• Upscaling

• Format conversion.

ChatGPT and YouTube

• Research and Inspiration

• Brainstorming

Social Media - X, Reddit, Discord, LinkedIn

• Feedback

• Inspiration

I began by reviewing the video to get a sense of the creator’s routine and tone. It was casual, upbeat, and personal. That helped me decide the thumbnail should feel approachable and authentic, with a strong real life vibe.

I selected two key frames: one indoors at the desk to reflect the work aspect, and another outdoors on a scooter to show freedom and lifestyle. I chose these shots to contrast the two main parts of the day i.e. hustle and play.

I placed the frames side-by-side to visually tell a story, then adjusted the brightness and contrast so they felt equally lit and vibrant. I sharpened the subject slightly to make him stand out more, especially with the bold shirts and accessories already doing a lot of the visual work.

For the title, I used a simple, bold sans-serif font in white  'DAY IN THE LIFE' and positioned it at the top across both images for balance. It was important that the text didn’t overpower the visuals, so I kept the size and spacing clean.

Once everything felt aligned and cohesive, I exported the image at YouTube’s recommended 1280x720 resolution and organized the final and source files neatly for future reference.

Use provided footage and cut out the most interesting shots for the thumbnail

Photo manipulation - change shirt color, increase lighting, background retouching

Develop color palette if needed and choose font style

Adobe Photoshop:

• Photo manipulation

• Color grading

• Format conversion.

ChatGPT and YouTube

• Research and Inspiration

• Brainstorming

Social Media 

• Feedback

• Inspiration

I started by selecting a bright, clean background that showcased the modern architecture and open rooftop, I went for the shots with the mostly premium and inviting feel. The setting also needed to clearly represent the theme of the video without relying on text alone.

Next, I brought in the subject, his pose open and expressive, which added energy and gave the composition a friendly, welcoming feel. I cut him out from the original image, adjusted the lighting on his face and shirt to match the background, and ensured his edges were clean so he looked naturally placed in the scene.

To reinforce the location and sentiment, I added a custom “Philadelphia” tag styled like a verified map sticker. I employed the already working strategy - rating system. Hence the phrase “we love it!”. The red arrow pointing to the building helped tie everything together, guiding the viewer’s eye from the subject to the environment. Also because thumbnails with arrows, if done well, tend to do well. 

I wrapped up by balancing the saturation and contrast so the final image would pop on YouTube. Once everything felt cohesive, I exported it at 1280x720 resolution and organized the layered file for easy edits later.

Use provided footage and cut out the most interesting shots for the thumbnail

Photo manipulation - Boost sturation of the images, increase lighting, retouch

Develop color palette if needed and give it captions

Adobe Photoshop:

• Photo manipulation

• Color grading

• Format conversion.

ChatGPT and YouTube

• Research and Inspiration

• Brainstorming

Social Media 

• Feedback

• Inspiration

I started by choosing two standout images that visually represented the contrast between Rittenhouse Square and Fitler Square. I wanted the thumbnail to instantly communicate a comparison, not just through text, but through distinct beautiful visuals.

Once I had the images, I split the canvas diagonally to make the layout more dynamic and engaging. This also gave each location equal visual weight while reinforcing the “versus” concept. I made sure the lighting and color tones of each image complemented each other — warming up one side and cooling down the other slightly to create visual separation.

I placed bold, clean sans-serif text on each side, matching the tone of the respective environments: “Rittenhouse Square” over the more urban, energetic setting, and “Fitler Square” over the calmer, riverwalk scene. I chose white text for clarity, adding a subtle drop shadow for contrast without overwhelming the visuals.

I didn’t want to overcomplicate it, the goal was clarity, balance, and immediate recognizability. After a final polish on sharpness and alignment, I exported the thumbnail at the standard 1280x720 resolution.