With a circulation of nearly 5 million and a total readership of 25 million--one in five American women--Good Housekeeping is the nation's most influential service magazine. Our readers--busy working moms--trust GH to deliver authoritative reporting on a wide range of topics related to the well-being of their families; to save them time, money, and hassles so they're free to savor the relationships that matter most; and to provide practical strategies for creating a balanced and richly rewarding life.

At Good Housekeeping we have to do more than showcase pretty clothes or luscious interiors. The design must accommodate a story about a deadly disease as successfully as it does a sumptuous decorating spread. In each issue--the feature well and 10 FOB and BOB sections--we're required to handle mountains of information on a huge range of topics in a way that's clear, coherent, and compelling. And we're committed to offering gorgeous photographs of the happy, harmonious life that GH readers crave--rich images on not-so-rich paper stock. Anyone who hasn't seen GH in a while, or a generation, may be surprised by its visual pleasures--its scope, relevance, even irreverence. Some highlights:

• In November, the upbeat mood starts with the cover, featuring the Gosselin sextuplets (plus parents and twin sibs) from the reader-favorite TV show Jon & Kate Plus 8. It continues in the well with warm family photos that are un-staid, homey, and lively. Humor animates the conceptual FOB piece, "Readers' Tips for a Shoestring Budget"--sneakers with laces made of money. But we often rely solely on beautiful pictures, powerful in their simplicity, scale, and detail. Check out our turkey shoot in "Thanksgiving, Simplified."
See also "5 Perfect Pies"--as suitable for framing as for eating. And sometimes we need
an image that's unusual and conceptual--but equally beautiful (e.g., "Is It Safe to Heat Food in Plastic?" in X-ray images).

• December demonstrates our range. The FOB sections (organizing, home, gifts, advice) cover a broad spectrum of subjects from fun-and-froth to sensible-and-sound. Clever spot images and full-page photographs clarify the reporting, set an appropriate tone, and vary the pace. This issue's "The Ultimate Gift Guide" exemplifies a key design goal: abundance without clutter. In the well, the conceptual photos for "Get a Great Night's Sleep" enliven sound reporting that could otherwise be a snooze. The art billboards the serious content without distancing the reader and retains a unity with cozier well pieces, like "Homespun Holidays" and "O, Christmas Wreaths" Another neat balancing act: In "A Very Paula Christmas" the type captures the energy of our modern-day Mrs. Claus; subject and design illustrate how good it is to be both naughty and nice.

• August is summer distilled--a tribute to light and air, and a respite for the reader. Throughout, the pace is buoyant but laid-back--even when the art is working hard. We're proud of every vibrant well piece in this issue, but a few merit special mention: "Mommy Wears Prada" opens with a conceptual portrait, annotated so that it does triple duty:
as service, as a précis of the piece, and as pure fun. Another layered photo illustrates the opening of "The Snack-All-Day Diet"; it's luscious but informative, telegraphing instantly everything the reader/dieter can scarf up in a single day. James Baigrie's mouth-watering images in "Ripe for the Picking" prove that you can savor the taste of summer in those cold days ahead.