We internal communicators spend a lot of time thinking of strategy, messaging, channels, analytics, but there’s one element of the internal comms toolkit that makes a huge difference to how our electronic comms work – the images. Let’s look at photos and what we can do to ensure they’re supporting and extending what we’re saying in our communications (we can look at graphics later.)
I’m a firm believer that the quality of internal communications should be as high as anything you share externally. The image is just as important as the text – if not more so: it has the power to evoke meanings by association that can’t be spelt out in words.
Newsletters and intranet content can be illustrated with a stock picture from an agency (as with this article) – many larger organisations have library of paid-for images you can use – but these tend to be generic and bland, and do little to add to the colour you want to inject into the story. When it comes to an event, good images are the best way of conveying an impression of what it was like to be there. No story should be without them.
Luckily, the proliferation of smartphones gives all colleagues the power to supply images quickly and with little or no impact to your budget. This may free us from the expense and hassle of commissioning a pro – but don’t forget, the pros know what they’re doing and (let’s face it) will usually provide a much better shot. We pay for the certainty of a useable result.
But the attractions of harnessing our smartphone cameras are undeniable – including the speed with which we can get images from event to desktop. And because everyone has one, we can be sure that colleagues will record the action at an event or happening. Here are some simple tips to ensure your smartphone citizen photographers give you the goods to ensure a high standard of visual comms.
Get closer. Legendary photojournalist Robert Capa said, “if your pictures aren’t good enough, you’re not close enough.” Sometimes getting a good shot means we have to overcome our wish not to be disruptive or conspicuous and move to where we can fill the frame with the action. Get the main subject – the person speaking or presenting, not the backs of people’s heads.
Look for something different and interesting: cheque presentations are popular but boring; for CSR, focus less on volunteers and more on beneficiaries (if allowed); look for the ‘decisive moment’: catch a gesture or smile
Take care about what’s in the background: Avoid pot plants and lighting fixtures which will appear to sprout from your CEO’s head if you capture them directly behind him/her.
Keep the horizon – or other horizontal lines – level. A list to port or starboard can really distract viewers from main point of the picture.
Try a low angle: your leaders will assume enormous stature if shot from a lower point of view.
Take plenty – storage is cheap and you’re giving yourself a greater choice of potential winning shots.
Don’t be afraid to engage with your subjects: if they’re posing, ask them to smile, get groups to stand closely together, encourage informality.
Avoid arty filters – but do take advantage of your camera’s edit functions to clarify, sharpen and balance – the ‘magic wand’ button generally does a good job.
Make sure you have sufficient resolution. This shouldn’t be a problem with modern smartphones but somehow we still receive images that are just too small to be used – often a tiny crop of the original shot in an attempt to correct poor composition.
Also – photo geeks can be your ally. Every company will have a few who have invested in good gear and taken the time to practice with it. Get them to volunteer; always give them credit.
Finally, don’t extinguish colleagues’ enthusiasm and creativity by rejecting their pics: this is where enterprise internal social media platforms are invaluable. They’re not strictly governed and everyone can play, so encourage participation by setting up an album that everyone can contribute to. For specific occasions, these can receive a great deal of enthusiastic participation.
I’ve tried to avoid that cliché about the huge number of words a picture is worth – but it’s true (so I put it in the headline). Taking a little extra care with images can help your narrative gain nuance and colour – and give your content that extra sheen of professionalism.
