Joseph Sharp says that getting the right photograph needs as much careful planning as other aspects of a PR campaign Pictures can provoke a number of emotional responses: fear, anger, pity, admiration, lust and desire, to name a few. For example, readers of magazines filled with images of celebrities see the pictures in differing ways. Some groups will see the polished images as something to aspire to - big houses, fridges and cars represent success and happiness to them. Others feel pity and even frustration after seeing the pictures because they may believe that the over-consuming lifestyles pictured are damaging the world’s physical and social environment.
MESSAGES
The same principles of communication used when constructing a written message to attract a target audience can be applied when producing a PR photograph.
The classic PR shot of two tie-wearing,men in suits, shaking hands and forcing smiles is all well and good if the photo has been commissioned by an insurance company or bank for publication in a trade magazine like ‘Money Marketing’. This type of image represents the companies as they would like to be seen – strong, professional and amicable. The people reading the publication are a sympathetic audience who probably work in the financial sector and identify with the figures portayed.
Clearly the messages and images that companies like to use to represent them vary. You would not expect photos from Agent Provocateur (underwear) to be in a similar style to those used by KPMG (financial auditors) but images used by a company will also differ in style depending on when and where they are being used.
Public relations campaign should include photographs that enhance the strength of the message and boost the likelihood of the campaign receiving coverage.
PLAN
The PR team producing the photo need to discuss how they would like their photographs to look and what should be in them. Photography needs to be planned from the beginning of a campaign to ensure positive results.
The next step is to hire a good photographer and discuss the brief that the PR team has developed. Ask to see the photographer’s “book” or portfolio. It is also advisable to see pictures they have done at recent shoots.
If you believe that the photographs are the kind of pictures that will tell your story, you have found your photographer. A good photographer may seem expensive, but the money will be worth spending.
You should spend time explaining just what you expect from the pictures, what story you are trying to tell, what message you want to deliver to readers and others who will see the photos. It is very likely that there will be differences in what the PR team and photographer think about how the photos should look.
Finally, make sure that the photographer understands your brief and that someone from your team is present at the shoot. An uninformed photographer cannot be blamed for poor pictures.
PR photography can be broken down into two categories: pictures of people and pictures of products. The two can be combined when a company representative is shown revealing or using a new product that is being promoted.
When taking product photos, remember the goal – the aim is to simply show the product. Keep the picture uncluttered. Busy backgrounds will draw the viewer’s eye away from the subject. Product photos are useful to editors for the unveiling of a new product, or when a special sales campaign is planned for an old product.
Different styles of shot will be needed to promote the item. A catalogue shot which is a simple and well–lit is vital as it will be used widely and should clearly show the product as it looks from the box. The catalogue-style picture should also highlight what makes this product different from others in the market.
Pictures of the manufacturing process can help to show the level of expertise that has gone into the design. This type of picture is also beneficial to the company if a clean working environment is shown in the background along with presentable, but human-looking, staff. Make sure that good lighting, dramatic angles, visual patterns and branding are included as a necessary but not intrusive part of the picture. Utilize the natural packaging or design of the product.
The third type of product photo is often the most exciting and should be sent with press releases to chosen media outlets. This photo should show the product in use by a typical consumer. Here, the photographer will be skilled enough to highlight the product in action, the background, angle and lighting of the shot will vary depending on what the product does.
For example a bicycle could be shot moving quickly thereby blurring the background but maintaining sharp focus on the bicycle and rider.
If photos are emailed with press releases it is best to send them as a small jpeg file to make sure the person receiving them can open them easily.
Make sure that high resolution versions of the pictures are available should they be requested for publication. Emma Cuthbert, style coordinator at ‘You’ magazine says: “a number of low-resolution thumbnails are great for us to view what’s on offer but photos that will appear in the magazine need to be a minimum of 300dpi (dots per inch) with room left for cropping. If this all sounds like a foreign language to you, you are not alone, but don’t worry because people at the publication will let you know what they require.”
CREATIVE
The art of photographing people is perhaps more difficult. Often subjects are uncomfortable in front of the camera and will put up a stubborn resistance to the photographer’s requests. It is again important to stress here that a member of the PR team responsible for commissioning the pictures should be present to make those being photographed feel at ease and steer the shoot in the right direction.
Being as creative as your constraints allow is the aim when photographing people. The photographer is likely to make the most of the situation by taking pictures of people doing unexpected things. An example of this could be the Executive Board of a company which makes inflatable items holding a meeting on a bouncy castle. Using products to frame a representative’s face could be another interesting way to spruce up a picture.
The PR department or consultancy will also need a number of portraits of key media-friendly company people. These can be used whenever the company writes letters to editors or is quoted in media statements. Editors and journalists will often ask for a photo of the Chief Executive when references to the company are being made.
Although the head and shoulders shot will be used frequently, more exciting or adventurous shots of key people are also a useful item to have. Pictures of high-powered people doing normal things, such as a community volunteering project to paint a school, can give a real boost to the reputation of the company and make it look accessible and not just businesslike.
CAPTIONS
My final pointer for PR photography is to make good use of the captions that accompany your pictures. A brief but explanatory caption is very important. It is pointless taking lots of great photos and then sending them out minus any explanation about what is shown in them.
Editors need to know what is displayed and why it is important to them. Identify objects or people in the picture from left to right and use a functional style of writing. It is also important to send a brief description of the company and what it does, number of employees, where it operates, what good it does for the community etc. Most good press offices will send this information, known as a ‘boilerplate’, at the bottom of a press release. Your contact details are also essential.
So to conclude, photography for PR is not simple, but when done well it is a real benefit to PR activity.
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