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The Water Hub

Photo & video tips

May 4th, 2023

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Our goals for the session

1. Improve the photo & video skills of participants to maximize their storytelling capabilities
2. Better understand what makes an image powerful
3. Better understand the role of a media maker in communications

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Meet the team

José Aranda�Relationships Manager�Water Hub

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Josh Landis

Senior Director, Programming

Climate Nexus

Sarah Bucci

Director, Strategic

Communications

Water Hub

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Outline

1. Intro & agenda (5 min)
2. Using images for good (15 min)
3. Photo & video tips (30 min)
1. Production
2. Post-production
4. Q & A (10 min)

The power of images

Images grab our attention!

If you include a photo in a press release, social media post, or a blog, the content will surely have more views because it adds an eye-catching element to the story.

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Images can change the way we think, feel and act. They can bring viewers to new places, introduce them to new people, create empathy, and expand our perception and understanding.

Images

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

The power of images

@Martha Asencio. Pool chairs under water before Hurricane Ian in FL.

@Noah Berger. Oak Fire in Mariposa County, CA..

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

The power of images

The power of images

@Martha Asencio. Pool chairs under water before Hurricane Ian in FL.

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Do’s

Don’ts

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Photo & Video Tips:

Using Images for Good

The Water Hub/Climate Nexus

Plan the project

• What is the story and how will you visualize it?
• Who is the intended audience?
• What is the intended impact?
• Think of actions, not just objects.
• Include time to research the topic and plan the shoot:
• How can images help convey the message more clearly
• Public or private event?
• Public or private space?

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Focus on your goal

What’s the goal of the photography?

Become the photographer

The quality of the pictures will equal your capacity to focus on the photos you’re aiming to create.

Keep it manageable, don’t try to do it all - it’s not ideal to do both photos and video.

“A good photograph/video shooting is measured by how close the end product is to what the photographer imagined.”

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Examples of goals

Having clarity on our goal is key for success. What’s the scope of our project?

• a single photo
• Ex. group picture for the website
• a series of photos of a full day event
• Ex. CA: water affordability rally
• several sessions over weeks/months
• Ex. LA: impact of Hurricane Ida
• multiple sessions in multiple locations
• Ex. Regional/national campaign/program

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Get inspiration from others

How did they do it? Did it work? Can we adapt it?

We need a frame of reference because it helps to have a clear, specific idea of what we need.

We don’t need to reinvent the wheel!

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Build trust

Careful ethical consideration should be given to all aspects of the photo/video project: its planning, creation, and distribution.

The # one guideline is: do no harm

It’s important for the people we collaborate with to feel: trusted, connected, benefited, represented, compensated.

It’s okay to feel awkward in the beginning!

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Consent

If you don’t have a relationship with the people featured, turn your camera off and start building one.

Normalize asking participants for permission. Be sure to get a release (for taking and distribution) if possible.

If someone asks you to stop filming, STOP filming.

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Releases

In general, a photo of a person in a public place usually does not require a release if it’s for non-commercial use, but it depends on the country/state.

Additional factors to consider:

• Paid Media / Digital Marketing
• Fundraising / Promotional
• News organizations�

If in doubt, ask a legal expert!

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Do’s

• Lead with ethics
• Conduct research/due diligence
• Have a clear goal and focus
• Get inspiration from others
• Take the time to build trust
• Take good risks!
• Ask for advice!

• Perpetuate extractive practices
• Take photos without purpose or try to do it all (photo & video)
• Reinvent the wheel
• Disrespect others
• Assume you know it all

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Don’ts

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Images for Good - Resources

• Nonprofit Photography: Ethics and Approaches by Storytelling for Good
• A Practical Guide to Ethical Imagery by Water Hub and Survival Media Agency
• The Fundamentals of Photographic Consent by the Photography Ethics Center
• The Ultimate Guide To Photo Release Forms by Format
• Wikimedia Commons Chart by Wikipedia
• Standard Release Form by Climate Nexus
• The Photographer's Ethical Toolkit by Thomson Foundation
• When to use a release by Rich Stim

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Photo & Video Tips:

Production

The Water Hub

Choosing the right camera

Purpose! Where will the photos be taken/shared?

• Image quality = sensor + lens (forget megapixels)
• Price = ask around + try out
• Size = portability + timing + shearability

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Step into the photographer’s role

We’re stepping into a different role!

We become a different type of creature that is present, but not there.

The goal is to get people to forget about us as much as possible. We want to vanish in full sight.

Phrases like “Just pretend I’m not here, just relax” are actually helpful

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Lighting

Direct vs Diffuse: the effects of shadow/contrast on emotions

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Direction: different light positions for different emotions

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@Martha Asencio. Pool chairs under water before Hurricane Ian in FL.

Direct light from the top

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Do’s

• Think about your needs, make equipment/hiring decisions accordingly
• Step into the storyteller role
• Experiment with lighting but take it easy, use frontal/side lighting with moderate diffusion for medium contrast
• Aim for a broad array of tones, details, and emotions

• Buy/hire less than what you need, it will backfire
• Wear your usual hat (it’s not business as usual when you have a camera)
• Fall into the extremes (very harsh light or total backlight)

Don’ts

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Color & emotions

A successful photo is emotional.

Color in images can transmit a wide range of emotions, so it’s important to keep light conditions in mind to send the right message:

• Warm vs cold
• Natural vs artificial
• Day vs night

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Color Schemes

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Monochromatic Color

Schemes

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Monochromatic Color Schemes

@Martha Asencio. Pool chairs under water before Hurricane Ian in FL.

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Analogous Color Schemes

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Analogous Color Schemes

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Complementary Color

Schemes

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Complementary Color Schemes

Triadic Color Schemes

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Do’s

• Be intentional with colors, start by observing colors in the world and in other materials
• Choose a color scheme, start with using analogous, then complementary, and then triadic
• Use different colors in your materials, but keep it simple

• Use too many colors or forget about black and white
• Force a color scheme that is not naturally occurring or easy to produce
• Overuse color as a tool to provoke emotions, it’s only one part of the equation

Don’ts

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Visual Composition

How to arrange visual elements within the frame by positioning the camera and framing the subject:

• Shot Type: Long shot vs Close Up
• Focal Length: Wide Angle vs Telephoto
• Aspect Ratio: Landscape, Square, Portrait
• Angle of View: High, Eye-level, Low
• Camera Movements: Zoom, Pan, Tilt & Dolly

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Basic Composition Rules

Diagonals bring dynamism, energy, and a sense of depth.

Split the frame into thirds and position your subject on these lines, or where they intersect.

Add depth by having a connected series of elements in the foreground, middle, and background.

Basic Composition Rules

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Capture the candid

Candid photography is showing how people behave naturally.

The subjects may know you are there photographing or recording them, but they are not taken out of the moment by the camera’s presence.

Get close! Zoom with your feet. Move around your subjects, blend in and pay attention to details.

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Do’s

• Become familiar with visual composition terms and explore
• Make more conscious decisions regarding visual composition and observe what works
• Observe how composition rules are used in the world around you and experiment with them
• Get close to your subjects!

• Get stuck with one way to approach composition by following rules too strictly
• Overthink during or after the process or assume that there is a right way to do photo/video composition

Don’ts

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Production - Resources

• Building Your Non-Profit Camera Kit By Brandon Johnson
• How to choose a camera in 2023 by Mark Condon
• How to take better color photos by Lars
• Color theory basics for video makers by Biteable
• A Simple Guide to Understanding Color in Photography by Judit Ruiz Ricart
• Composition Photography- Everything You Need To Know by Nashville Film Institute

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Photo & Video Tips:

Post-production

The Water Hub

Editing

Editing helps you get the best image possible, as close (or better) to what we imagined when we took the photo.

• organize your photos or videos on your computer
• make a backup copy of all your material
• watch all the footage before you start editing
• decide which ones to edit and use
• don’t alter the original files

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Editing

Storage and organization

Best storage practice is to save your material in several platforms:

• cloud service
• external drive
• photo storage site
• on your computer

For organizing your material:

• chronological order generally works
• label your photos
• Use metadata (author, location. hashtags)

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Sourcing photo and video

Time and money are often limited for custom photo/video. stock images are the next-best thing!

Here are some guidelines:

• source images/footage from the local community itself
• find local photographers/filmmakers to support
• pay and credit the original photographer or videographers
• donate to folks in the image when possible.
• look for the highest quality material available

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Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Stock photo/video websites

Photo

• Unsplash
• Vecteezy

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Photo & Video

• Shutterstock
• Abobe Stock
• Pexels
• Pixabay

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Video

• Dareful
• Videezy
• Storyblocks
• Artgrid
• Pond5

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Stock licenses

There are different licences when it comes to stock footage/photos and these are usually clearly when you download a video:

• Royalty Free – meaning you can use the video in any way that you want (personal or commercial) without giving attribution to the creator or distributor.
• Attribution Required – if you use the footage you must credit the creator and/or distributor.
• Free for Personal Use – you can use the stock footage for personal use but not in projects that you expect to profit from.

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Do’s

• Back up, back up, back up!
• Organization will save you time!
• Make small selections
• Experiment but make sure you keep the original safe
• Prioritize supporting local media makers
• Read the licenses, many have restrictions

Don’ts

• Modify the original material
• Let your archive become a labyrinth of nameless files
• Over-edit a photo since it will not be as impactful as the original image
• Make stock websites your first choice

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Post-production - Resources

• An NGO’s guide to using stock photos for powerful storytelling by TW Visual Storytelling Agency
• A Beginner's Guide to Sourcing and Using Stock Imagery by Megan Chandler
• 20 Best Free Stock Video and Stock Footage Sites by Simon Grant

Water Hub | A Climate Nexus Project

Questions?

jaranda@climatenexus.org