Selecting Publicity Photos & Graphics (week 11 notes)

     If a picture is worth a thousand words, then photos and graphics should be a vital component to public relations activity.  A good photo and caption could be what makes a story stand out and be selected by editors. Chapter 8 in Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques offers several great pointers for selecting publicity photos and graphics.

Components of a Good Photo:

• Technical Quality: Make sure the resolution is acceptable
• Subject Matter: Whenever possible, show action
• Composition and Scale: The photo should contain some element of known size
• Camera Angle, Lighting, and Timing

Ethical Considerations:

• Avoid images that alter reality
• Make sure the image is not deceiving in any way
• Don’t violate copyright laws

Other Graphics to Consider Using:

• Charts (pie, bar, or line graphs)
• Diagrams showing how something works
• Scale models

All information is paraphrased from Public Relations Writing and Media Techniques, 6th edition.