Photography – Tehama Group Communications

May 18, 2022September 28, 2022

How To Photograph For An Interview

By Thalia Avila

Great news! You just finished an interview, but now you need to add a photo to complete the story. Snapping a great photograph of a subject can seem intimidating at first, but fear no more. I hope that after reading this blog, your confidence will boost and intimidation will no longer be a factor.

Before you begin the photo session, start out with an email. Remember, email etiquette is important and needs to have a professional tone, clear wording with direct questions. The next step will be to set a date for the interview. After finishing up the interview, make sure to spend five minutes at the end to set a time and location for the photo session.

If the subject is being photographed outside, the element of time is your best friend! Make sure to schedule the session in the early morning or evening to get the best lighting possible. As the subject is being photographed, make sure to keep the conversation comfortable and flowing. Ask your subject about their hobbies and interests. If their kids are brought up in the conversation and they smile, keep them talking! Observe how your subject reacts when asked how they feel about coming home to their dog or cat later. Always be mindful of the subject of the story. Integrate humor if it is appropriate, and always create a welcoming environment for your subject.

Be mindful of your subject’s time and schedule. Photo sessions should only last about 30 minutes. Within the 30 minute window, you will want to capture as many different angles and positions possible. Do not hesitate to ask your subject to move to another bench or place in order to get the best landscape in the background or lighting. To wrap things up, make sure to thank them for their time.

Always follow up immediately after your session. Start to sort through the photos right away to immediately eliminate the bad ones. Narrow it down to 10 photos and then five. Once you have five great photos, make sure to send them to your subject. Sometimes the subject will pick two or three photos they are stuck with and will let you decide from those. Lightly edit the photo of their choosing if they have any concerns, and then share the final product to confirm.

Lastly, remember photographs are an important part of the story. Getting a great photo of the subject can help the story speak louder. What is an interview without a great photograph?

Overview of key tactics:

Email etiquette with professional tone, clear wording, and direct questions
Set a date for the interview
Lighting is everything
Create a comfortable and fun environment
Be mindful of their time and schedule
Keep it to 30 minutes
Play around with different angles and positions
Pick 5-10 photos
Follow up after the session
Narrow it down to five photos
Share final product for confirmation

November 27, 2019September 28, 2022

The Intimate Experience Between Model and Camera

young woman posing for a portrait in a nature, picnic setting

Photo by Eddie Aldrete

By: Eddie Aldrete

There is a reason why I am a photographer. Or rather why I feel more comfortable being behind the camera; it is because being in front of the camera is really uncomfortable. The photographer behind the camera is asking you to expose yourself. They are able to see every detail of your face. It’s unnerving to have someone look at your essence and judge you. Feeling uncomfortable while modeling can ruin a photo. It is the photographer’s job to make their model/client feel comfortable. Here are some tips that I use that can help bring out the best out of my model.

March 3, 2019September 28, 2022

10 Tips to Become a Better Photographer

By: Kendra Clark

Tip 1: Fill the Frame

Don’t be afraid to fill the entire frame with your image. Filling the frame to its’ entirety can create a sense of closeness for the viewer and a better understanding of the focal point for your image.

Tip 2: Rule of Thirds

Divide your image into three equal parts, this creates a harmony and equality between the subject and background of your image.

Tip 3: Lighting

Try to think of the best times for photos and whether you will need to use a flash or change the settings to get better natural light. Sometimes the weather can determine this for you.

Tip 4: Exposure Triangle

Shutter Speed – How fast the sensor for the lens opens and closes, works with the aperture, the shutter speed determines how long the lens will be exposed to the light.

ISO – Sensitivity to the light. This determines how the sensor responds to the light. High ISO is more sensitive than a low ISO.

Aperture – The measure of how open or closed the lens’ iris is. A wider aperture means more light, smaller means less.

Tip 5: Create a Sense of Depth

Create a foreground and background, separate the subject and create a focal point. This trains the eye to follow where it will look first.

Tip 6: Framing

Be aware of your background and surroundings. Use the subject as a starting point and take your time to get the shot you want.

Tip 7: Using a Tripod

The best way to avoid camera shake is by using a tripod. Especially for long exposure or when you are taking multiple shots. It’s better to be safe than sorry.

Tip 8: Keep it Simple

Using simple backgrounds creates less distraction. Don’t overthink a simple idea. The background is just as important as the subject.

Tip 9: Perspective

What message are you trying to send with your image? Practice taking shots from different perspectives whether it’s up close and personal or a shot taken from a distance. Perspective tells a story.

Tip 10: Use Good Technique – Then Break the Rules

Follow the rules and get a good understanding on the basics then break the rules. Find your style and don’t be afraid to be different.

October 31, 2018September 28, 2022

Five Tips to a Better LinkedIn Profile Picture Using a DSLR Camera

Professional portrait of a student with an environmental background. Attribution: Portrait taken by Jasmine Garcia.

Making a good first impression is important, especially through a platform where your profile picture is the first thing recruiters look at.

Taking a great professional picture takes more than simply looking the part; it’s the photography techniques that improve your picture and can make you stand out amongst others. Learn how to upgrade your LinkedIn profile picture with these five simple tips:

By Jasmine Garcia

October 17, 2018September 28, 2022

A Picture’s Worth A Thousand Words

A picture of a man taking a photo of a bear with his cell phone.

Image is everything. In PR, part of our job is to make sure branding and social presence are attractive and accurately represents who the client is. In my opinion, some of the most effective ways we do this is through the use of photos. As a kid, I always loved playing with my dad’s old digital cameras and trying to figure out how to make a picture look good. But what is good, exactly? I guess that depends on what it is you’re trying to do with the photo. How are you trying to make the viewer think or feel? What look are you going for?

Here are some things you may consider when choosing photos:

Subject:

Who or what is the focus of the photo? Is there a clear and definitive subject for viewers to identify? If so, then you’ve got this one down. If not, you might want to reconsider the photo. Having a clear subject helps direct viewer’s eyes to more important parts of the photo and what it is you’re trying to capture.

Tone:

How are you trying to present the photo? Are you looking for a photo that you want to be joyful and light-hearted? Are you looking for one that’s more serious? Well, that might vary depending on things like the emotion you want to provoke or where the photo is going to be used.

Aesthetics:

What look are you going for? Are you looking for more of a clean image or a dark grungy one? For example, the photo above might not work for someone who wants to have a more family friendly environment, but might be perfect for a local bar advertising their open mic nights.

Action:

What’s happening in the photo? This can help tell a story, or help prevent a picture from coming off boring and flat. Capturing a moment where something interesting is going on can help get the attention of viewers online.

Once again, image is everything in public relations. Now that things have moved into a much more digital space, capturing that audience online can make or break your brand. Keeping these aspects of photos in mind while choosing images for social media, can help you ensure you’re choosing the correct photos to represent your client. This will help put forth a more captivating and memorable image that sparks the interests of target markets.

By: Jessica Lewis

Photos by Jessica Lewis

October 16, 2018September 28, 2022

Video Marketing

By: Lauren Gomez

February 27, 2018September 28, 2022

Why are Photographers so Expensive?

Camera in hand with golden light at the beginning of a walkway

I am writing this as a photographer and a public relations executive. I have seen how photographers can make a huge impact in PR campaigns, but I also know that good quality photos don’t come at a low cost.

Public relations firms use photographers in order to enhance company image. Unfortunately, this is not always affordable. Hiring a photographer can be a huge investment. Many people think, “What?! But they’re just taking photos with a nice camera! I could do that.”

Photographers are expensive for many reasons. They are business owners and owning a business does not come at a low price. As business owners, photographers must obtain the necessary licenses that are purchased and renewed once a year.

The most important thing that a photographer could do is to get their name out there and doing so can be costly. This can be done using a variety of mediums: Google Ads, business cards, a website, etc.,and all of which cost money at one time or another.

Photographers must also have many official documents, for they are essential in order to communicate clear messages to clients in a professional way. Creating these documents is very time consuming, yet important because photographers need both customized and personalized contracts, receipts, timelines, etc., which represent how they want to do business. Creating these documents allows photographers to use and send them to their clients, depending on the need of the client.

In order for photographers to be successful, they must stay sharp and up to date on their knowledge of the business. It is important to take classes in order to learn about both photography and being a business owner. This is very time consuming, but it is important to be prepared for all situations.

Photographers have to obtain quality camera equipment such as camera bodies, lenses, storage for the equipment, storage for all memory and props for indoor and outdoor sessions.

All good things must come to an end. Technology does fail, so costly replacements or repairs may be necessary.

Photographers must know how to make their clients feel comfortable while also remembering every pose to give them. Good photographers tend to give constant compliments and affirmations that their clients are doing great. They must do this while also making sure their camera settings create the best amount of background blur while making sure the subject is still sharp. The settings must be tweaked every time the photographer moves in order to match the light that is entering the camera. The photographer must also make sure that the photo does not look too warm or too cold. Then, the photographer must make sure that they are getting a variety of shots. This entails wide, medium and close shots of subject(s).

Many people think that photographers are paid for the amount of hours that they are on-site taking photos. They do not see the outside hours that go into the beautiful photos selected. Editing entails four main steps:

Backing up photos. This involves putting photos on different storage devices to ensure that they can not disappear.
Culling. Culling is the process of picking the best photos. This can take some time comparing and contrasting different parts of the photo that make it good versus great.
Editing collectively. This means that the photographer adds as edit style to place on all of the photos to make sure they have the same look.
Editing individually. This entails going through each photo and adjusting settings specifically to flatter that photo. (cropping, straightening, brightening, etc)

Although, photographers spend a lot of time taking photos and editing, they spend a large chunk of their time:

Learning about technique
Updating their online portfolio
Updating their social media presence
Conducting client meetings
Replying to inquiries
Creating documents
Developing their brand
Creating packages

In reality, photographers earn a lot less than the dollar sign that they charge due to the amount of investments and hours they put in.

By: Christa Boynton

Featured image provided by Maider Izeta on The Adventure Junkies

Second image provided by Christa Boynton, taken by Tiffany Rivas

May 5, 2017September 28, 2022

5 Tips On How To Snap The Best Pic

In photography composition is key. Placing your subject, using certain colors, and picking the right background helps your picture look the most professional it can be. The subject of your photo is the most important part to make clear and draw the audience’s attention to. Because the subject is the reason you are taking the picture, it should clearly be in focus. Here are some tips on how to lead your audience’s eye to the subject and make your picture stand out among the rest.

Tip # 1
Leading Lines: Use lines to lead to your subject, a specific part of the frame, or a vanishing point in the background of the frame. People’s eyes naturally like to follow lines.

Tip # 2
Rule of thirds: Divide your frame into two horizontal lines and two vertical lines equally. The important elements in your picture should be placed along one of those lines instead of in the center of the picture. An off-center picture is more pleasing to the eye.

Tip # 3
Complementary colors: Every color has an opposite on the color wheel that compliments it the best and has the strongest contrast when put next to each other. Use colors that compliment each other and make the other color stand out. For example, red is the complementary color and opposite of green.

Tip # 4
Framing: When placing your subject in a photo, proper framing can really make your subject stand out. Using structures, windows, door frames, light etc. to crop around your subject work well to guide the viewer’s eye toward the subject.

Tip # 5
Rule of Odds: Always use an odd number of subjects when working with more than one subject. This gives the picture more harmony and balance visually.

Your composition can make or break your photo,so next time you are about to snap a picture keep these compositional tips in mind. Play around with these tips and watch your photography skills grow! Happy snapping!