Picture by: Anthony Upton/PA Photocall
Ray Quinn, in the ray tank as he launches the new pirate themed aquarium, Sharkbait Reef by SEA LIFE at the Alton Towers Resort.
The Top 6 Tips to consider…
- Use photographers/agencies with a track record: Whoever you work with, use a photographer who has a track record of getting their pictures into the nationals.
- Understand what Picture Editors want (and what they don’t want): Less ‘big cheques’, less ‘handshakes’! Have the courage to take a step back from ‘the PR’ and see if your picture is really telling the story in a meaningful and interesting way.
- Be creative: If you can produce something thoughtful, fun, interesting and creative (no matter what your budget) you are going to win the hearts and minds of the Picture Desks (which is half the battle). Remember, Picture Editors love good photography, so give them something creative to get excited about.
- Manage branding: Be subtle: No glaring backdrops or aggressive branded t-shirts – this is just going to get Picture Editor’s backs up and potentially make them throw away an image they might have otherwise used. Be integral: Use elements that occur naturally in the picture for your branding. Don’t put your branding on the edges of the frame as this can be easily cropped out. Be progressive: Don’t fall back on the same old branding clichés: stickers, back-drops, banners etc. Use your initiative and try and find a new and clever way of integrating branding into your picture.
- Planning: Always pre-plan your picture. Don’t lose control if you are having an open photocall because your key messages will get swamped in a messy, unravelled chaos. Favour closed photocalls instead of (or at least as well as) open photocalls. Visit your site before the day of the photocall, preferably with a photographer and ensure you have access to use all of the location, the fastest way to find a police officer in London is to hold a photocall.
- Move quickly: Always have your photocalls in the morning so that the pictures are getting to the Picture Desks by midday. Most papers are made up by 4pm, so you need to get your photos seen BEFORE all the picture slots have been filled with other material. Make sure that you have your press release and your captions written in advance of the photocall and you bring copies to the site so that you can quickly email them to the Picture Desk.
