Posted by Jennie Winton on November 26th, 2012
Posted in Blog, Nonprofit Communications
A recent blog post by Katya Andresen reminded us of the power of a photo.
Reporting on the research of Roger Dooley, Katya demonstrates that including a photo with your message can indeed make it more persuasive.
Photos are certainly powerful—but not all photos are created equal. We see too many nonprofits breaking the basic rules of high-impact photography by using boring, unimaginative photography.
We understand why it happens:
Despite internal pressure to use boring photos, you can make sure that your colleagues get what they want—and that your photos aren’t sleep-inducers.
Check the short list below. We’ve summarized what makes for good photography, no matter your budget limitations.
A sample spread from an annual report Mission Minded designed for the YMCA of San Francisco.
It doesn’t always require a professional photographer to get great shots.
Review your stock of photography, weed out the boring photos, and replace them with images that truly pop. You can trust that you’re taking a step towards stirring up more interest in your organization’s work and impact.
Jennie Winton is a Founding Partner of Mission Minded, a 25-year marketing veteran sought for her expertise in branding nonprofit organizations, and a one-on-one leadership coach.
See all posts by Jennie Winton
Jennie,
Thank you for this post. As a photographer (and someone who contributes to many non-profits), I am puzzled that organizations use bad and often irrelevant photographs. Good visual story telling is difficult, but important.
Keep making a difference.
bf