Picture Perfect Communications

10 1lpx for NPO Stuff & Volunteerx

Who Wunt to 1uke 0reut Photox
Sourclng greaL phoLos can be challenglng. lew nCs have
phoLographers on sLaff or budgeLs for hlrlng freelancers. So
phoLography ls an area where sLaff and volunLeers can use Lhelr
creaLlvlLy and enhance an organlzaLlon's communlcaLlons
maLerlals. lf you would llke Lo Lake hlgh-lmpacL phoLos, here are
some polnLers Lo geL you sLarLed.














Picture Perfect Communications
10 1lpx for NPO Stuff unJ Volunteerx Who Wunt to 1uke 0reut Photox

Plgh quallLy phoLographs can
help non-proflL organlzaLlons
(nCs) brlng Lhelr sLorles Lo llfe ln
a way LhaL engages supporLers,
bullds relaLlonshlps and lmproves
llves. 8uL sourclng greaL phoLos
can be challenglng. lew of Lhe
nCs l know have professlonal
phoLographers on sLaff or
dedlcaLed budgeLs for hlrlng
freelancers. So phoLography ls
one of Lhe areas where program
sLaff, volunLeers, and lnLerns can
sLep up, use Lhelr creaLlvlLy, and
really enhance Lhe organlzaLlon's
communlcaLlons maLerlals.
Pere are a few Llps Lo help you
along Lhe way lf you have a dlglLal
camera and a deslre Lo capLure and share your organlzaLlon's greaL momenLs Lhrough plcLures.

1. Connect w|th your commun|cat|ons contact before your event or photo opportun|ty Lo make
sure you know Lhe ground rules and pollcles on phoLography. 1hls wlll also be an opporLunlLy Lo
gaLher any ldeas or phoLography resources your communlcaLlons conLacL can share wlLh you.
2. Set your d|g|ta| camera to take the h|ghest reso|ut|on photos that |t can. 1hls wlll use a llLLle
more memory buL lL wlll allow you Lo have crlsp lmages ln prlnL appllcaLlons as well as ln your
dlglLal maLerlals. ?ou can downslze hlgh resoluLlon lmages laLer, buL lf you sLarL wlLh a low
resoluLlon lmage LhaL's whaL you're sLuck wlLh and lL could look gralny ln prlnL.
1ake great, c|ear photos w|th s|mp|e tr|cks ||ke stab|||z|ng your camera, pos|t|on|ng
your sub[ect under good ||ght|ng, and photograph|ng ob[ects at an unusua| ang|e.



3. ay carefu| attent|on to the ||ght. 1o avold shadows and darkspoLs, don'L arrange Lhe sub[ecL of
your phoLo wlLh Lhe maln llghLlng source behlnd Lhem. lnsLead Lry Lo have llghL shlnlng dlrecLly
onLo and lllumlnaLlng your sub[ecL. 1ry Lo arrange adequaLe llghLlng for your phoLo so you can
avold uslng a flash lndoors. uslng a flash lnslde may make your phoLo look unnaLural. lf you
musL use Lhe flash, be aware LhaL Lhe flash on mosL polnL and shooL cameras has an effecLlve
range of abouL 8 feeL.
4. eople are drawn Lo people. Lven lf you are phoLographlng a new bulldlng or plece of
equlpmenL or oLher ob[ecL, try to |nc|ude peop|e |n your photograph lf you can because lL wlll
be more eye-caLchlng
3. When photograph|ng peop|e, c|ose-up photos of the|r faces often create more v|sua| |nterest
and a greaLer sense of personal connecLlon. Show the fac|a| express|ons and emot|on of Lhe
people you are phoLographlng Lo help creaLe Lhe overall Lone and emoLlon for your
communlcaLlons plece.
6. When photograph|ng peop|e, be sure to get perm|ss|on f|rst. 8ecord Lhe permlsslon wlLh your
organlzaLlon's phoLo release form or use my sample permlsslon forms for phoLography and
LesLlmonlals: hLLp://blL.ly/el8vc4
7. When photograph|ng ob[ects, cons|der tak|ng the photograph from an unusua| ang|e Lo
emphaslze a parLlcular aspecL of Lhe ob[ecL and Lo creaLe greaLer vlsual lnLeresL.
8. Close-up shoLs are ofLen besL when phoLographlng
lndlvldual ob[ecLs. Powever people Lend Lo llke symmeLry
and repeLlLlon. 1ry p|ac|ng severa| of the same or s|m||ar
ob[ects |n a group|ng, then focus your photo on the
group|ng of ob[ects.
lor example aL an lnformaLlon Lable, Lry fannlng ouL
mulLlple coples of Lhe same publlcaLlon on Lhe Lable and
Laklng a phoLo. ?ou mlghL wanL Lo Lry several rows wlLh a
dlfferenL publlcaLlon ln each row. Cr, aL a candlellghL vlgll,
a whole row of voLlve candles mlghL capLure more lnLeresL
Lhan a close-up of a slngle candle. Cf course, lf you can
lnclude a person wlLh Lhe ob[ecLs your phoLograph wlll
have even more appeal.



9. 1ry not to put the sub[ect of your
photograph |n the exact centre of the
shot. 1o add vlsual lnLeresL, have your
sub[ecL a blL Lo Lhe lefL or rlghL of Lhe
cenLre polnL. And puL Lhe sub[ecL elLher
ln Lhe foreground or background.


10. Shaky hands make blurry plcLures. Stab|||ze your camera wh||e you are tak|ng photos,
espec|a||y |ndoors, to get c|ear p|ctures. 8alance Lhe camera on a ledge, chalr or oLher avallable
furnlshlngs.
l hope Lhese polnLers wlll help you and your colleagues vlsually capLure Lhe greaL work your organlzaLlon
ls dolng. l would love Lo hear your feedback. lease feel free Lo share your own phoLography Llps. Lmall
me aL karen[luLLrellcommunlcaLlons.com or share your Llps and resources ln Lhe commenLs aL Lhe lk
fot NlOs blog: hLLp://blL.ly/haSzpb


*xomple pbotoqtopbs fot tbls ottlcle sootceJ tbtooqb l5tockpboto



About tbe Autbor
karen LuLLrell offers markeLlng and communlcaLlons sLraLegy and copywrlLlng servlces Lo help small
buslnesses and non-proflLs grow and succeed. 8efore launchlng her own buslness, karen worked ln
communlcaLlons, markeLlng and sales for 14 years wlLh 10 years managemenL experlence. She holds an
Ponours 8A ln llngulsLlcs and ls a member of Lhe lnLernaLlonal AssoclaLlon of 8uslness CommunlcaLors. lor
more lnformaLlon: www.luLLrellcommunlcaLlons.com.