- Ashland Public Schools
- Photography
- Photo Submissions and Tips
Media and Communications
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Photography Tips
If there is no photography support available from the media and communications office or if you simply want to take your own photos, here are some basic tips and guidelines for capturing impactful, high-quality images.
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Group Shots
Add levels or arrange people in a staggered formation.
- Arrange the group around a sofa or chairs, with some subjects sitting and some standing.
- Generally, you want shorter people in front and the taller people in the back.
- Pose people on a set of stairs, bleachers or any other surface where they can stand or sit at different heights.
- Have people kneel or sit on chairs to make sure they are all seen.
Take a lot of photos.
- To decrease your chances of having someone in the group blinking, moving or being otherwise not photo-ready, take a lot of photos.
- To get the perfect image, use burst mode or continuous mode to shoot several frames in one go.
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Headshots
Having a professional photo in today's digital age is essential. If you have not been able to have a professional headshot taken, substitute photos should have:
- a single forward-facing subject
- a neutral background
- natural lighting
- large-format or high-resolution settings
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Lighting
Use the room's available light: artificial, natural or combination.
When shooting outside, shoot in the early morning or late afternoon.
Capture subjects in soft light, without a flash—harsh light exaggerates skin flaws.
The flash on your camera is not very strong, so ensure you are less than 5 feet away from your subject(s) when taking the photo.
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Photo Release Permission
As a general rule, it is not necessary to collect a photo release form from students during school events that are open to the public or from someone in a public place or crowded scene engaging in public activities where no prominent person is featured (e.g. athletic events).
However, for every recognizable student shown in the images you shoot or for a one-on-one photograph of a student, you must have a signed photo release form on file for permission to use their name or likeness in district publications, on our website or in any communication or marketing material that promotes the district.
When taking photos, photographers should respect anyone's request not to be photographed. It is advisable to request that anyone who can not or does not want to be photographed move to a location away from the area of photographic interest.
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Selecting Imagery
Always select photos that convey student engagement that is authentic and creates an emotional connection with our audience.
Choose photos that have adequate image resolution.
Reject photos that are fuzzy or poorly composed.
Avoid submitting or publishing poor quality photos.
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Technical Standards
Regardless of the style or content of an image, some universal technical standards are required of all photography representing Ashland Public Schools:
- Refrain from grayscale, muting, sepia or artificial manipulation.
- Never scale an image up past its original resolution.
- Try getting closer to your subject at the event to avoid cropping the photo, which may reduce image quality.
- Hold the camera very steady or use a tripod. Camera shake is the primary reason for blurry photos.
While professional equipment is preferred, you can use your cellphone to capture photos.
- Use the settings on your camera app to control the exposure (brightness or darkness) of the image and capture the details of your subject.
- Remember to wipe your phone's camera lens before shooting a photo.
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Photo Submissions
We want to see your photos! We recognize that the wider district community, including students, family members and alumni, possesses a ton of talent and a passion for capturing moments while participating in our many events and traditions.
Emailing your images is the best way to share them, as it preserves the image quality. We suggest uploading your images to a Google Photos album, then sharing the link. Be sure to choose the original size of the image.
Share your images or photo albums with media@ashland.k12.ma.us.