Photography
Imagery plays an important role in creating a strong brand personality. Although NAIC will most often be using stock imagery, photo selection can be guided by understanding how the visual components of an image create visual effect and support the editorial tone. It is important to understand messaging goals when selecting images.
How we express the brand in photography
Interactions
Composition
People
Lighting and Color
Locations
Conceptual
Interactions
Goal: Create a tone of optimism, a sense of humanity, and a spirit of collaboration.
- Subjects are in lively moments full of energy and conveying a positive emotional impact.
- Individuals or groups of people should feel ‘caught in the moment’ and unaware of the camera, as if the viewer is unobtrusively brought in to an intimate moment.
- Settings aren’t just backdrops, subjects interact with their environment.
- Highlight how NAIC promotes business, community, and individual success.
- Motion should further the plotline.
- No forced or posed-looking expressions or actions.
Express energy, authenticity, reliability
Composition
Goal: Bold use of open space allows for an inviting expression of optimism.
- Use of negative space in the image moves the eye quickly to the main focus.
- Include negative space around the subject to allow for the placement of additional design elements such as typography.
- Note that rule of thirds or leading line compositions can be great ways to create open space.
- Highlight the subject and the activity, movement, connection they are experiencing by keeping composition simple.
- Coordinate locations, backgrounds, and wardrobe to establish a visual simplicity.
- Simplify the scene rather than overusing shallow depth of field.
Open with Negative Space
People
Goal: Feature a wide range of people (age, race, gender, sexual orientation, ability, class, body type, etc.) that reflect our broad and inclusive culture.
- Subjects should look like real people in real situations.
- Subject’s appearance should reflect diversity and optimism.
- Subjects should appear expressive with outgoing personalities.
People are relatable
Lighting and Color
Goal: Create an inviting and relatable feel with realistic lighting and color.
- Lighting appears like natural light.
- No harsh highlights or shadows, particularly on people’s faces.
- Images have high dynamic range—highlights and shadows hold shape and detail; skies, tree edges, etc. are not blown out; images hold an edge if placed on white.
- Images should look naturally white balanced, not stylized.
- Wardrobe and location support simple and targeted use of color to draw the eye to the main focus.
- Don’t count on post-processing to add or enhance color, include pops of color in planning photos.
- Neither lighting nor color processing are overly low-key, overly dramatic, or create a negative association.
Appears Natural
Locations
Goal: Capture our global presence and localized nature by zeroing in on colorful, simple, eye-catching locations.
- Select locations for unique appearance, character, and feel—background colors are a plus. Locations do not need to be identifiable, but can seem familiar to people from a range of places.
- Reflect connection to others.
- Scenes should capture the least amount of elements to convey the story.
- Avoid cluttered or visually busy elements that distract from the subject.
- Subjects should be engaging with their environment, not just posing in front of it.
- Avoid single people in an empty landscape, unless warranted by a specific story.
Individual Identification
Image List
This is a rough breakdown of the types of images can be incorporated into complex layouts.
Hero 20%
Lifestyle 30%
Work 30%
Textural 20%
Photography Guidance
Things to avoid:
- Extreme or unnatural angles that warp an image.
- Blown out skies, hair, tree edges etc.— images need to hold tone on white, unless feathered for a specific purpose.
- Cluttered and complex compositions that distract from the main hero.
- Harsh shadows or lighting on the subject, along with reflections and blur that complicate the photo
Photography Applications
Examples of graphic layouts are for tone and attitude only. Specifics are subject to change during development based on technology and usage.
Photography Summary
01
Capture optimism and inclusion
02
Keep compositions open and inviting
03
Reflect diversity throughout
