This site is dedicated to a feature story published by BBC News. The story is an investigative report on the search to identify a body found in 2015—the 42nd unidentified body to turn up in England that year.
The highly contrasted gray-scale images and the glaring bold white text of the hero header set the tone for the dramatic narrative that’s to come. Here, the striking use of images—a police sketch of a man’s face, set against an eerie landscape, and bold white text that reads “body”—work together to immediately pique the user’s interest and elicit further scroll. Each element shares the center focal point of the page, but keeping navigation elements and colors minimal helps to prevent sensory overload.
Upon scroll, parallax adds depth and heightens user interactivity. A second photo appears, but this one is fully saturated, providing a sharp contrast. The same bold white text pops to the foreground, but words are kept to a minimum. Here, the photos begin to take the stage and develop the story.
Continuing the scroll, white containers house the editorial text, creating a more contrast, while also giving order and structure to the narrative. These containers create an active grid for the user, helping them to sort and organize information as it comes with the scroll. Keeping typography simple minimizes distraction from the powerful images.
Soon enough, new images—including animations, maps, police caricatures, and videos—start sliding in with the scroll. Animations roll in slowly and are kept simple—a red line is drawn on the map, or a new picture slides into an old container, for example. This effectively increases interactivity without adding clutter and distraction.
As the user dives deeper into the scroll, the power of the parallax takes over. This is what allows the images to carry the narrative, and continues piquing the user’s interest throughout the deep scroll. The fixed navbar at the top of the page remains the only navigation element. The only options it offers, however, is to jump to another page in the story. There is virtually no direct link to escape for the user. And the scroll must go on.
This site is a true testament to what parallax and imagery can do for good reporting. Parallax, simple animations, simple typography schemes, and strong structural elements are what truly make this story come alive.
BBC News is a top website design in the Entertainment industry.
