Photo Release Forms
In general, The university requires we have a signed image release on file for any recognizable people in photos.
Great photos are fundamental to telling the Extension story and enhancing the effectiveness of any Extension program.
Most of you will probably be shooting your photos with a smartphone—and that’s great! They take good photographs and your phone is always by your side, giving you the opportunity to react quickly when you see something worth capturing.
As you work to build a library of photos for consideration, here are a few guidelines and tips to help ensure that your photos are the best they can be!
Subject Matter
- Extension is all about connecting with Nebraskans. Your photos should tell this story, humanizing the experiences and connections Extension brings to Nebraska. Your photos should showcase people we serve as “heroes.”
- There may be times when a large group shot is appropriate in order to illustrate wide participation, but
- as a rule of thumb, featuring 1-3 people in your shot rather than a large group is much more compelling. When your photo is published, the audience should be moved or intrigued to find out more. Allowing one or a few people to represent the experience, education and connection that is being provided by Extension will create a visual and lasting impression.
- Avoid the “grip and grin” photo in which people stand around uncomfortably and smile at the camera. It is far more interesting to see people interacting, creating, conversing, learning and doing.
- The best photos are those that are not staged, but instead capture a candid moment in time. Your subject doesn’t necessarily need to be looking at the camera. Your photo will tell a better story if you subject is concentrating on what they are doing or whom they are with, versus staring into the camera. Anticipate what is about to happen—and be ready to react.
- Take more photos than you need. If you rely on just one shot, you run the risk of someone’s eyes being closed or capturing an unflattering facial expression. Thanks to digital photography, you can shoot as many images as you want—and simply delete those that don’t turn out well.
- Experiment with perspective. Most people tend to shoot from eye level. While this is certainly acceptable, don’t be afraid to get down low (or climb higher) to get a compelling shot. For example, a photo taken from tabletop level can add interest to a student-teacher interaction.
- Also consider different points of view. For example, shooting an educational presentation from the back of the room will like put the emphasis on the presenter, whereas shooting from the presenter’s point of view puts the emphasis on the attendees.
- Check what’s in the background. While your focus is on your subject, something or someone in the background could be distracting or embarrassing.
Technical Tips
- In most instances, you should shoot your photos in horizontal format unless the photo demands a vertical format.
- Using that big white shutter button on your smartphone screen is easy, but it can also lead to camera “shake” which can make photos blurry. If you’re using an iPhone, experiment with your “volume up” button which also acts as a camera shutter and, for some, provides a bit more control.
- Most camera phones have an autofocus feature, but it’s not perfect. If you want to ensure the camera focuses on what you want it to, point your camera at your subject and press your finger on the area where you want the focus to be. Hold your finger until the focus locks in place and then take your photo.
- It’s preferable to get closer to your subject than to rely on the digital zoom feature. Digital zoom shots are usually lower quality and using zoom increases the likelihood that camera shake will be amplified.
- When composing your photo, consider using the “rule of third." This basic principle means composing your shot so that the main point of interest is offset from the center. Your smartphone camera makes this pretty darn easy to do.
- In iOS, visit Settings and select Camera. From there, enable “Grid” to deploy a rule-of-thirds overlay in the Camera app. That grid will help you better compose your image, and will keep your shot parallel with any vertical or horizontal lines in your shot.
- On Android devices, visit Settings > Apps > Camera, and select “Grid Lines to choose between a rule-of-thirds overlay or a square overlay (which makes for perfectly framed Instagram images).
- Exposure can make or break any photo. It can be the difference between showcasing a subject in a good light—and ending up with a shot that leaves them in shadow. Always tap the screen to lock focus on the subject you’re photographing. This is particularly important when shooting people against skies or strong backlight—and prevents you from having dark images.
- Remember to carry the Extension photo release form with you. If you think you have a great shot, it’s easier to get the subject to sign the release form “in the moment” versus following up later.
Good luck—and good shooting!