Photos: 5 Tips for Getting Maximum Exposure

If you are like Avnet, you have a bunch of pictures of the holiday drives and now you are trying to decide what to do with them. Great photos from an event can be picked up by local media, shared with those who attended the event as a thank you, included in materials developed for next year’s event and used in online and print publications.

How much exposure your photos receive often depends on how much they stand out from those sent by other companies and organizations. It may be too late for your holiday drive photos but next time, keep the following in mind when taking the shot:

1. Tell the whole story. Take photos that capture not only people or subjects, but also your event and the surroundings. Don’t just show people posed for the camera. Show them enjoying your event.

2. Diversify. When taking group shots, be sure your photos include as much variety as possible. Make sure the group is mixed when it comes to gender, age and race.

3. Be creative. Local newspapers receive many photos of ‘grip and grin’ award recipients, giant check presentations and ribbon cuttings, yet they run very few of them. To help your photos stand out from these, try to come up with more creative photos. One way to create a more interesting photo is to photograph people in their work environment. For example, ask people what they do and take a photo of them doing that instead of posing them in front of a sign.

4. Use props. Another helpful idea is to use props related to the team or event, such as boats, bicycles or baseball bats. For example, if you’re taking photos at a charity fundraiser, auction items sometimes provide terrific visuals.

5. Sign here, please. When taking photos, always have people sign model release forms authorizing the use of the photo to ensure you, your company or organization have proper permission to use their likeness.