Lancaster University. Photographing the university July 2013

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1 Lancaster University Photographing the university

2 Lancaster University communications toolkit Introduction and overview 1 Introduction and overview The Marketing Services Team is building a single repository of images for colleagues across the University to easily access and share. If you require images of the University for any of your marketing collateral, please contact marketing-services@ lancaster.ac.uk to gain access to the image library before commissioning any new photography, as the images that you need may already exist! These photography guidelines have been created to help you when writing a brief to commission photography, or when taking informal photographs on campus yourself. Please use a University approved professional photographer when commissioning photographs for official use for example in a printed brochure or on the website. Details of approved photographers can be obtained from the University Marketing Services Team marketing-services@lancaster.ac.uk This guide is separated into five parts: Introduction and overview People and portraits Light Architecture and landscape Abstract and detail

3 Lancaster University communications toolkit Introduction and overview 2 Introduction and overview Photography can be a powerful and emotive tool that can help to express Lancaster University s brand values. It is an important element of our visual style and can help to make the University s personality visible. Prior to a visit to the campus the first impression a person receives of the University is often through photography and it may be the vehicle which persuades the viewer to spend more time reading and researching what the University has to offer. It is therefore important that any photography intended for use on University media says the right things in line with our overarching brand values. Brand values The Lancaster brand values which guide our look and feel are: Togetherness Motivated Spirited Embracing Self-assured Together these form an overall theme of enlightenment which describes the look and feel we aim to demonstrate in our imagery and communication. In terms of the Lancaster University brand, enlightenment refers to the process of lifelong learning, of discovery, curiosity, and personal, academic and professional growth. The values themselves suggest the ways we achieve enlightenment through fostering a sense of togetherness; being motivated to achieve; showing spirit and refusing to accept the ordinary; by embracing what is new or different; and by being confident and self-assured enough to challenge the status quo. From a practical point of view, enlightenment also refers to the clarity of light found on the campus, as a result of our location between coast and hills. These are all elements of our ongoing relationships and interactions with the University. They are the traits that help to describe the essence and culture of Lancaster University. The theme of enlightenment guides the imagery we produce to show the University at its best. When taking and selecting photography for use in university media, try to bear in mind all of the points made throughout the Brand Guidelines and how they may apply to photography.

4 Lancaster University communications toolkit Introduction and overview 3 Introduction and overview General things to consider Think about what you are actually trying to portray. It is easy to be distracted by a nice image but miss the point of the shot Strive to give an honest picture of the positive parts of university life and our facilities Try to avoid your pictures looking too set up Look at the quality of light in the area you are photographing and decide if it is good enough Use available light where you can as this gives an essential honesty to the picture. Avoid, where possible, using on-camera flash to override the ambient lighting. A naturalistic light will make the picture a more realistic representation of the University and fits well with the brand theme of enlightenment Less is more. Do not try to say or portray too much in one image, simplicity is often best If people are in the photograph consider how they look. Dress and attitude are important Model release forms give the University the legal right to use the image in its marketing. Where possible the permission of your subjects should be sought and a model release form signed. A template is available on the website, at Be honest about location but also try to pick the best available that is still relevant to what you are trying to portray Use vibrant and exciting colour. Red is an important brand colour for the University but do not force it Correct the colour balance of your photographs to give natural and realistic colour. This is especially important when photographing indoors under fluorescent lighting which can give a green hue. Aim for a warm/neutral effect

5 Lancaster University communications toolkit People and portraits 4 People and portraits This is not exclusively about smiley people, although those help! It is more important that photographs come over as real, and so character and spirit are far more important. Real means that the viewer sees the pictures as a brief look into the actual lives of students and staff, not a made up version of reality created purely for the camera. Think of the photograph as a glimpse into the world of Lancaster University.

6 Lancaster University communications toolkit People and portraits 5 People and portraits Glimpse Imagine you have never seen Lancaster University or its campus and to have no experience of university life. Photographs should appear to be an honest glimpse into this world and not a contrived set up. This can be achieved by allowing your subjects time to relax and by only asking them to do things that they are happy with. It may be necessary to take many photographs of the same scene to allow them to get used to the intrusion of the camera. It is often useful to engage them in discussions about either their studies or something of interest to them, or if in a meeting/lecture situation to actually undertake the activity rather than pretend to do so. Think about the location for portraits. Pick a spot where the buildings look neat or with a natural green backdrop of trees and grass. Most parts of Lancaster University are close to good locations so there is plenty of choice In seminar, lab and workshop locations try to set your subject against relevant and interesting backdrops and avoid messy areas Try using a narrow depth of field (wide aperture) to throw the background out of focus. This will concentrate the viewer s attention on your subject Also try having out of focus objects in the foreground. This can partially obscure the subject and suggest another person or the idea this is a snatched view across a room. It enhances the feeling the image is a glimpse into the world of the person caught in passing rather than set up Avoid shots that make lectures and seminars appear poorly attended. If they are small groups go closer so the shot is not one of empty seats. It is often useful to get some interaction between lecturer and student to animate the photograph Make sure that any Personal Protective Equipment (PPE) requirements are in place or the photographs will be unusable Do not ask staff or external associates to pretend to be students for the purposes of a photograph always use real Lancaster students to ensure authenticity and transparency. The same applies to academics and other professional staff Brand specific tips: Pick people who are happy to be photographed People smile with their eyes Try to let your model(s) relax, perhaps allow them to talk through a subject of interest to them or explain the equipment or activity they are involved with Use a reportage capturing the moment style as they go about their daily activity. This is where the subject appears unaware that they are being photographed, so they look less like they are performing for the camera Occasionally it is a good idea to photograph people looking directly into the camera, but it is essential they appear relaxed and engaging Use narrow depth of focus to concentrate attention of the viewer on the person or their activity

7 Lancaster University communications toolkit People and portraits 6 People and portraits Ways of bringing in the brand theme and values more directly Enlightenment: Avoid dark and poorly lit areas. There will be obvious exceptions where it would be inappropriate but try to use settings that have good natural light and exposures that keep this feeling of lightness. Do not be afraid to shoot into the light, however be aware that taken too far this can lead to excessive flare and low contrast which can look bright and summery, but if not done well will appear technically poor. Togetherness: Groups are a good way of getting natural shots of people and allow your subjects to relax into their role. Avoid shots where someone looks separated from the group or ostracized. Motivated: This is relatively easier to convey when photographing people involved with sports and physical activities, but harder in a portrait. This is a case where happy smiling is not always the answer. Look at the subjects body language and at their eyes and decide if you think they appear motivated, determined and concentrating or just look cross! Spirited, Embracing, Self Assured: Similar to Motivated, these concepts require you to look at the body language and expression of the subject(s) to decide if they capture any of these emotional states. The value spirited also includes images which are not necessarily obvious, for example, images taken from a different angle or of someone/something slightly out of context. The image at the front of the brand guidelines is an excellent example of spirited. It shows our Chancellor in an informal, rather than formal, setting. Seeing the Chancellor on the climbing wall is a good juxtaposition of who he is as a person and what his role is. Don t forget that solitude is also an important part of achieving the growth suggested by enlightenment, and provides a good opportunity to show the beauty of the campus. Your photographs do not have to include each of these brand values directly, as this would clearly be impossible, but considering these terms may help you choose the shots you decide to use. Smiling and confident-looking people are a very good start.

8 Lancaster University communications toolkit Light 7 Light A unique feature of Lancaster University is its proximity to beautiful open spaces and the quality of light. Try to use bright sunny days and take care not to leave important shoots to the last minute and end up shooting in the rain. Obviously the sun doesn t always shine on Lancaster, but try to take advantage of days when it does! If possible, delay any outdoor shoots until the weather is good, but if this is not practical try to keep images light in their exposure and make use of the brighter parts of the university. Some photographs will inevitably need to be shot in darker situations but try to keep the light interesting and use colour where you can.

9 Lancaster University communications toolkit Light 8 Light Contre-jour Against daylight, refers to photographs taken when the camera is pointing toward a source of light. This produces backlighting of the subject and can lead to flare which can give a hazy and summery look to pictures. Care should be taken with this technique, but handled well it can give a very dynamic image, which supports the brand values well: Enlightenment, Spirited. Fill light (flash or lamps) may be used to illuminate the side of the subject facing toward the camera. Tips: Be aware that bright sunlight can make people squint and cast strong and visually unpleasant shadows. It may be good to fill in the shadows with reflector(s) or flash Despite the above, people look great in the sun so make best use of it whenever possible If you have a building to photograph check its orientation to north to find what part of the day will have the sun on the face you are photographing The same applies to trees and plants, however shooting these contre-jour can also be very effective Bouncing flash light off ceilings is a good way of giving a natural lighting effect when indoors in an under-lit area. This works best when the ceiling is a fairly neutral white and not too high

10 Lancaster University communications toolkit Architecture and landscape 9 Architecture and landscape It is important that we are honest about location. Lancaster University sits in a unique location close to the fells of the Lake District, Lancashire farmland, the coastline and of course the city of Lancaster itself. It is not a city campus and should not try to pretend it is. The University s location should be celebrated for what it is. Some buildings and locations may require permission to photograph in them and there may be times when setting up a group shot would be inconvenient, so try to get permission and inform the building managers what you are doing well in advance of your shoot dates. Find out if there are any interesting or special events happening, eg. a debating competition or residential weekend etc. You may be able to incorporate these into your shoot with permission, or may need to avoid certain dates or areas of the campus. Refer also to the brand guide for Abstract and detail as this will often be useful in photographing architecture and landscape.

11 Lancaster University communications toolkit Architecture and landscape 10 Architecture and landscape Architecture Buildings rarely look their best in anything but sunny weather. Sometimes shooting at dawn or dusk helps. Striking shots can be obtained by shooting at night. If they are well lit from inside, waiting until the light levels outside and inside balance can also be pleasing. Photographing buildings within and counter-posed against the surrounding landscape is a good way to illustrate the university s Green Campus aspirations. Take note of people passing by and try to ensure that they look and behave in a way which fits with the guidelines for People and portraits. If necessary organise people to be part of the shoot. On the whole architectural and landscape shots for the University should include people as they are the best way to get our brand values across. The preference is not to show spaces or buildings empty. Try to photograph high quality buildings which are in good repair. Modern architecture is good but in the city of Lancaster the older historic buildings are also useful.

12 Lancaster University communications toolkit Architecture and landscape 11 Architecture and landscape Facilities Concentrate on the most up-to-date facilities and always try to photograph in good weather when outside. Incorporate people into the shots where possible and make sure they are using the facilities appropriately. Any equipment should be clean and tidy, and you should always use the most up-to-date apparatus available. With internal shots use the natural light from windows or the light from equipment in use. Photographing indoors may however require additional lighting. Try to make this look natural and take care to make sure the available light does not give a poor colour rendition. Colour balance should be adjusted so they are represented as near to correct as possible. Many walls have posters and course material on them. This can be helpful colour when out of focus but can also be distracting, so keep an eye on the background of the shots. Please make sure that you have permission to use any facilities prior to your shoot, and ensure that you replace any furniture and equipment to their original place before you leave the location. This will build goodwill and help ensure co-operation for future photo shoots.

13 Lancaster University communications toolkit Architecture and landscape 12 Architecture and landscape Landscape Lancaster University is surrounded by great landscape. Woods and fields surround the campus. Rivers, the sea, canals and mountains are all nearby and should be used where appropriate. Photography incorporating the landscape around the University should also be undertaken with attention to the quality of light. Although different weather conditions can produce beautiful and attractive landscapes and should not be ignored, a good sunny day fits best with the brand values. Green tree cover is preferable to bare trees so try to shoot as much as possible during late spring to early autumn. Late autumn, winter and spring however, can produce very pleasing images with low sun.

14 Lancaster University communications toolkit Abstract and detail 13 Abstract and detail There is a huge range of interesting subject matter across the University with each faculty having its own unique spaces and things which set them apart from the others. Look out for interesting textures and compositional form. These images can provide useful interest around text or act like a full stop in the flow through a body of text, separating bodies of work. These are decoration but also contain interesting information about the look and feel of the University. Picking out details and abstracting patterns helps build an impression of the feel of the university. This does not have to be specific to a course as they are intended to be general impressions and, like the brand values themselves, simply inform the bigger appreciation of the character of the University. Consider: parts of building details, close ups of equipment or experiments, details of materials and exhibits. Anything that can create a pattern or unusual viewpoint helps to demonstrate spirited as well as enlightenment.

15 Lancaster University communications toolkit Personal images 14 Personal images Including photographs of academics on profiles, blogs and news pages can enhance web content and encourage greater engagement with the audience. Put simply, it puts a face to a name and reinforces Lancaster s differentiators in that we are personable and accessible. Staff photographs need to portray a true representation of the individual, and so if your current photograph is over five years old, then you should consider having a new photograph taken. You can choose to replace your photograph at any time. To have a photograph taken, please contact Gwendolyn Ainsworth at Folio Photography on (or extension 92811) or g.ainsworth@lancaster.ac.uk for details. Should you choose to have your photograph taken by someone other than Folio, please consider the following guidance: Ensure that only your head and shoulders are within the frame Ensure that your face is well lit Look natural, to avoid the image looking staged Look into the camera Smile! Suggested examples: Data Protection After you have selected a suitable image from your photo shoot at Folio, you will be asked to sign a permissions form to allow the image to be used on the University website, and distributed to media contacts where relevant for example, when issuing a press release or sending a journalist information about a research study. Please note that if you elect to have your photograph taken by somebody other than Folio, then you should still complete a permissions form at current-staff/communications-toolkit, and return this to the Marketing Services team, to give your consent for it to be used.