Class Photo
We’ve done our homework when it comes to creating a better class of education prospectus image. If you’re looking to revise your photography when you next update your nursery, school, college or university information – don’t kid yourself that any pic will do!
It’s been a learning curve for us, working with students of all ages from toddlers to teens and beyond, and a variety of education establishments. So, as we prepare for our next lot of prospectus shoots, we thought we’d focus this blog post on classroom photography and share some of our lessons learned.
Here are the three top Dpix tips on creating a top class photo.
Don’t take a uniform approach
There is so much variety across the educational spectrum, it’s impossible to take a uniform approach to prospectus photography. Of course there are the obvious differences, nurseries need to appeal to a completely different audience to universities, for example! But you also need to consider the more subtle characteristics of each learning environment. The photographs need to capture:
What makes each school special
Schools like to stand apart for different reasons. They may have a fantastic schedule of extra-curricular activities, or excel in music or sporting achievements. They may have great links with local businesses and offer vocational opportunities for their students. Find out what it is that makes them different, and highlight it.
Their ethos and values
Every school and college has a values statement, sharing their ideology and the principles that underpin everything they do. Make sure you read it. It will help you get the ‘feel’ of the photos just right.
The student mix
It may sound obvious, but make sure you cover the full diversity of the student mix. Your images need to be inclusive.
Include the social side of school
Education isn’t all about scholastic achievement. Whether it’s nursery school children learning how to sit and eat together around a table, or university students mixing with people of all ages, across a wide cross-section of society – the interpersonal skills learned in a learning environment are also important. Make sure you discuss with the school how you can shine a spotlight on the social side too.
Don’t forget the teachers!
Of course your main focus for a prospectus is going to be the students – but teachers and lecturers play a huge role in shaping the learning environment. You may find many are camera shy, but check in advance if there are any teachers who are happy to be captured interacting with the students. Without them, you’re not getting the full picture!
If you want more inspiration – take a look at the school prospectus photography gallery in our image portfolio for examples of our previous school photo shoots.
Or contact us and ask how we can help create a class photo and prospectus images with style for you. You may also find our blog on corporate photography useful when considering a commercial photography team.