Please send electronic images at the highest quality possible, they should be at least 1000 pixels in each dimension and ideally much higher. Hard copies are also welcome. No matter the format, photos should be light and clear. Photos taken from the back of a church are rarely suitable for publication. Always include the name of the photographer.
It is better to send digital images as an separate email attachment rather than embedded in a word document.
Tips on Taking a Good Image
Here are some of the comment mistakes made when taking a publicity image.
- Big Subjects – The subject in question should be large. While the setting of an image is important, it must not be the dominate part. So get close-up.
- Keep it Simple – A good image will tell a simple story without the need for a title or explanation. Try to ensure everything in the image is relevant to the story, if its doesn’t try and ensure it is not part of the photo. Images are often poor because they are too cluttered.
- Keep it Bright – They are take you image with as might light as possible. If indoors open curtains, turn on lights and use a flash if available. If it is a group shot consider taking them outside. While digital camera can take images in dark conditions, they do so by reducing the quality of the image (by increasing the ISO). This can result in very grainy images.
- Use Props – Where possible let people hold something like the certificates/cheques/awards to help tell the story.
- Don’t Crop – Don’t crop you image, leave that to the editor who will know the shape of the space they wish to fill.
- Print it off – Poor images can look fine on a good computer screen so check your image will look good in The Inquirer by printing it to see what it looks like on paper. The most common mistakes are that the whole image is it too dark or lacks contrast.