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Imagery

4 min read

About Imagery #

Wherever the extent of available resources allow, imagery should be carefully selected so that it aligns with our brand message.

Types of imagery include photographs, artwork, video, and graphical devices. The selection should be appropriate to the nature of the document or project and should be aligned with the categories below. When using more than one photo on the same page, a mix of types should be used, and photos that depict are very similar in composition (i.e. camera angle, position of subjects, colour palette) should not be run together. Consider juxtaposing photos from different shoots to tell a bigger story.

All imagery should be in keeping with our Christian ethos and values. It should also point towards, or give an underlying sense of, an ‘authentic experience’ of Rehoboth; that is, imagery should reflect what is actually happening in the College. Photos may be staged when required, but should not ‘sell’ something about the College that is not supported by student, parent, or staff members’ actual experience.

Image Categories #

Aspirational

These are images that show life, community spirit, satisfaction, happiness, joy, delight, etc.

Educational

These are images that show assurance of academic rigour, commitment, studiousness, responsibility, etc.

Professional

These are images that show expertise, proficiency, boldness, innovation, etc.

Graphical Devices

These are images that help to strengthen our visual identity and create engaging, striking communications.

Getting Good Images #

Image selection is only as strong as the resources available. You will occasionally be required to capture class or group activities for use in the classroom, in yearbooks, for promotional materials, and so on. Therefore, it is necessary for you to be familiar with a few photography basics.

  1. Image quality is essentially a combination of resolution (the size of the image) + pixel density (how many dots are packed into the size of the image). As soon as you start editing an image, one or both of these factors are compromised.
  2. Anything that comes off your camera labelled ‘thumb’ or that is less than approx. 1500 pixels wide/high is really only good for a small-sized image.
  3. Please do not crop, resize, brighten, or otherwise edit your photos. Submit only the original image straight off your camera.
  4. Smartphone cameras have improved dramatically over the last few years. If you have a current model (e.g. released in the last two years) of a reputable smartphone (iPhone, Samsung, Google Pixel), the images you can achieve can be quite good. But please check your settings to ensure your device is not automatically resizing or ‘correcting’ the images. Many phones will reduce the image size to save space on your phone by default, but these are usually settings that can be switched off.
  5. Lighting:
    1. One of the easiest ways to get decent photos is to make sure you have adequate lighting. Natural, outdoors light is best.
    2. If indoors, consider whether there is a part of the room that is better lit and whether you have something to use as a lighting source.
    3. Avoid backlighting your subject – never put your subject in front of a window, as you will only put them in shadow or wash them out with the light coming in from behind them.
  6. Focus:
    1. Make sure your subject is in focus.
    2. Hold the camera steady, elbows tucked into your sides, or use a tripod or benchtop if necessary.
  7. Clean the lens:
    1. Check if the lens has any smudges or fingerprints on it and use a lint-free cleaning cloth to gently clean. Be careful not to scratch it as lenses are expensive!
  8. Composition:
    1. Shots that are tight on their subject with little wasted space often work the best.
    2. Be sure you are not cutting the top off your subject’s head!
    3. If you want a wider shot (e.g. to show the activity students are working on, or the place where they are), it is still important to consider if there is any wasted, empty space in the frame.
    4. Natural shots that do not look staged are always best, but never be afraid to move tables, chairs, pencil cases, or even students around to get the best shot.
    5. Experiment with techniques like the rule of thirds, leading lines, or other composition techniques.
  9. Feature shot:
    1. Think about a possible photo you could take that represents your class, event, or activity. This would make a good key or ‘hero’ image for your document.
    2. You may need to stage it a little to create the right shot (without overdoing it).
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