Guidelines for photo shoots
The following guidelines will help you organise your own photo shoot.
1. Plan
The better you plan photography, the more efficient the process will be and the more effective the end results.
- Brainstorm concepts, carefully considering what you want the image to communicate and how you can best achieve this. The simplest ideas are usually the most effective to execute well.
- Look at stock photography websites for inspiration and clever ways to represent your ideas. Try to avoid visual cliches that have been used to represent particular ideas, eg a light globe for an idea.
2. Find the right talent
We would prefer to feature our own UniSA students and graduates wherever possible in our photography.
- When selecting talent consider their academic or professional achievements, their overall suitability and their availability for the photo shoot and/or interview. UniSA News, The Graduate and The Student may provide leads for appropriate candidates.
- The person you select will represent UniSA to the wider public, so
it is vital that they are briefed on presentation. Ideally, talent
should:
- dress in a neat, professional style
- wear neutral colours eg white, grey, beige, charcoal, navy, brown or black
- not wear clothing with strong patterns or writing/large logos on it
- only wear jeans and/or sneakers that are neat and clean
- have neatly groomed hair and suitable makeup
- not wear beanies or caps for individual profile shots
- Anyone who will appear in UniSA photography must sign a UniSA Talent Release Form (PDF 23kb - download Adobe Acrobat). MDU usually offers gift vouchers as a ‘thank you’ for the participant’s time and help. For more information regarding a gift for service, email MDU's Publications Coordinator.
3. Contact a professional photographer
We recommend speaking with a professional photographer for advice, quotes and photography needs. The contact details of our preferred photographers are listed below - they have worked extensively with UniSA and understand our style requirements.
- Meet with the photographer to brief them on what you require and to share your concepts. The photographer can help develop your ideas and make suggestions about the best way to proceed.
- Consider asking the photographer to do a ‘reccy’ (reconnaissance) to scout out possible locations and to take some test shots. The location you select will have an important bearing on how effective the image is, and reccys will save you time and give you options.
Preferred photographers
We regularly use the following photographers and recommend you do so also. They have a thorough understanding of the type of composition, style and production values that will best represent the University.
- Sam Noonan: 0411 878 528
- Mike Mullan Photography: 0422 137 202
4. Attend the shoot
It is a good idea to attend the photo shoot to ensure it runs smoothly, to help make the talent feel comfortable and provide direction, if necessary, to help achieve your desired result. Our preferred photographers use digital cameras, allowing you to review images as the shoot progresses.