Although every nonprofit organization and socially responsible company must have the right messaging to describe the work that they do, equal attention must be paid to cultivating the right images to go with them. The rise of social media has highlighted the power of video and photographs to inform while creating an emotional response that can motivate action.
While professional photographers and videographers are often worth the investment for major events and campaigns, technology has made the photos you take on your phone high enough quality to tell your story on a daily basis. Photos can be shared either through traditional media such as a newspaper or on social media through website, Facebook, LinkedIn, Instagram and Twitter accounts.
Here are some guidelines for taking photos that will be both memorable and worthy of attention:
Know what orientation you need:
If you are sending the image to traditional media or using it on Facebook or your website, turn the phone so the photo is horizontally oriented. The image will fill the frame better and look more like a traditional photo. Turn the phone to the vertical position if you plan to use it for Instagram.
Light It Up:
If a photo is too dark, it is hard to see who is in it. This often happens when people pose in front of something bright like a window.
Fill the frame:
Don’t be afraid to get close to the subject you are shooting. Too much empty space around the subject makes it harder to see the details of the image.
Background Check:
When possible, try to get the logo of your company or organization in the background of the photo. It is best not to take photos in front of white walls (washes people out) or with lots of people in the background.
Creativity Counts:
Don’t be afraid to take some candid shots that capture the action or use humor to capture the emotion of the work you do. This is particularly useful when taking photos that could be sent to newspapers for possible publication. Editors see a lot of traditional group shots, check presentations and shovels poised to start a groundbreaking, so if you send them something different, it can be easier to get it placed. An interesting photo is also more likely to be shared on social media channels.
Check your work:
Be sure to check out how the photo turned out before everyone who is posing disperses. It only takes a second and can avoid aggravation of trying to reassemble the group if the photo doesn’t look like you thought it would.
Resolution matters:
Save high resolution versions of your photos. Traditional media likes see high resolution photos sent in jpg form. High resolution photos also look better on social media channels.
Use names:
People like to see their name in print. Make sure to tag people including their names and titles when posting on social media. Editors of newspapers will want to know the identities of all the people in the photo from left to right when writing their caption.
Permission can be an issue when sending photos to traditional media, especially ones that involve people who don’t work for your organization. Be sure to ask everyone in the photo if it’s okay to have their image shared. All children under the age of 18 need to have signed permission from a parent or guardian before their image can be shared.
Good luck!
