The importance of photos for your school marketing
Before even a word is read, photos are usually the first thing that anyone sees when they click on your school website or pick up your school prospectus brochure. Photos make a quick first impression and lay the foundations of showcasing your school. First impressions really do count!
Photos are just as important as words for attracting parents, pupils and staff. They can bring your school to life by capturing your values with aspirational images that showcase your school. Prospective students will be encouraged to find out more about what you offer, parental confidence can be increased and your values promoted in the community.
Professional photos for your school
It can be tempting to have a member of staff or even a parent take your photos for you, but we would always recommend hiring a professional school photographer. An experienced photographer with a wealth of experience working with schools will provide you with professional images that will not only showcase your school but will make you stand out from the competition. As a graphic designer, who has worked on hundreds of school marketing materials, you cannot beat the wow factor that high quality photos will bring to your school website or prospectus brochure.
What to photograph to best represent your school?
Pick a day for your photos which has a broad spectrum of activities going on. You’ll want to achieve a good mix of core curriculum subjects and extra-curricular activities. Remember that photos of practical subjects such as art, music, sport and science are often more visual so can create great impact.
It’s also worth taking the time to consider what subjects are most important. Start by creating a checklist of the type of images that you’re looking for. Do you have a state of the art science laboratory? Then getting shots of this is a must! Does your school pride themselves on their sporting achievements? Then make sure to capture photos of a variety of sports indoor and out. Remember to brief your photographer on what’s important to your school and don’t forget to capture any specialist learning facilities and your school building.
Getting the most out of your school photography day
Once you’ve got a checklist of the type of images that you’re looking for, it’s a very good idea to create a shooting plan to make the most of your photographer’s time and to help minimise time spent moving between areas in the school. Remember to allow some flexibility in the schedule so that the photographer has time to travel between classes (and eat lunch!).
To cause the least amount of disruption to lessons, let teachers know when to expect the photographer. This way they can plan specific tasks to be snapped rather than a planned class being interrupted and something having to be quickly set up.
It’s also a good idea to let parents know when the photography day is happening so they can make sure their children are going into school smartly dressed. It is also worth getting permission for student’s images for use on your marketing ahead of time, this way the maximum number of photos taken can be used.
If you follow these steps, then your school photography day should be productive, enjoyable and rewarding with the minimum amount of disruption to the school day.
If you book your photography day through FSE Design we’ll always be happy to offer expert advice on how best to schedule your booked school’s photography day. Get your next photography day booked in by giving us a call on 01933 303520 or dropping us an e-mail at enquiries@fsedesign.co.uk
A valuable resource for your school
Once you have your new photos, you won’t just have captivating images for your prospectus brochure or school website, you’ll have a library of highly valuable marketing collateral. Your final inspirational images can have multiple uses across your school marketing such as social media, newsletters, press releases, in-school displays and any other associated marketing.
When you book your school photography through FSE Design you’ll get all the photos to keep and use where you wish. There’s no extra hidden charges for wanting to use them on all your school marketing materials!
Book your stunning photos for your prospectus brochure and school website
At FSE Design our team of trusted and experienced photographers work across the UK to deliver exceptional photos for schools. To book your school’s photography day give us a call on 01933 303520 or drop us an e-mail at enquiries@fsedesign.co.uk