Brand guidelines
Requesting photography
Work with our in house Photographer.
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Information for external creative professionals is in our Visual asset guide.
As part of the Marketing team we have an in house, part time Photographer.
Their job is to capture engaging content which will promote the University to potential students. We are always looking for interesting things to photograph so we can give a full, varied impression of our courses and student life at York St John University.
Find out how you can work with our Photographer on:
This page also includes information on:
Photography for recruitment
We would love to hear from you if you have something planned which you think would help us to promote your courses, or the University as a whole. This could include:
- Field trips
- On campus events
- Lectures and seminars with a hands on, visual element
- Poster presentations
- Performances
- Demonstrations of specialist equipment
- Placements and community partnerships in York
If you have an idea of how we can visually represent the courses or services you provide, please get in touch by emailing marketing@yorksj.ac.uk.
Staff profile photos
To keep the staff profile photos across our website of a high quality and consistent style, we would like as many people as possible to have their photo taken by our professional Photographer. You are also welcome to use these in other contexts such as on LinkedIn and in conference programmes.
Once a month we schedule a staff photo session in Quad South 108 to give you an opportunity to get a professional head shot. We vary which day of the week they take place on, as this gives everyone a chance to fit it in with their schedules. You are able to book a slot at whatever time suits you on the day. More detailed information about what to do on the day is available on the sign up sheet below.
Sign up for our next staff photo day (Google doc)
Your photos will be emailed to you, usually within a few weeks of the shoot. If you need your photo urgently just let us know and we will try to work this into the schedule.
We sometimes use staff photos in marketing contexts, for example when promoting our research profile or staff community. However you can choose to opt out of this in your consent form if you do not want your image to be used in this way.
Other photography projects
If you would like to request photography for a project which we would not consider beneficial for student recruitment, we may still be able to help you if you give us at least a month's notice. However, in some cases we would not be able to fit your event or project into our schedule, and would instead support you in finding a suitable freelance photographer. You would need to pay for this from your own team's budget if the project is not recruitment related. For our list of suggested freelance suppliers, please email marketing@yorksj.ac.uk.
It is important to consider before hiring someone for a shoot whether you have a clear plan for how you will use the photos. If you do not then it may not be a good use of budget to invest in photography.
Preparing for a photo shoot
You should give yourself plenty of time to plan for a photo shoot. Our Photographer works part time and books up far in advance, so it is always best to think ahead.
Think about:
Do you need to book rooms? Will you need to tidy them beforehand?
Will you need to reschedule if there is bad weather?
Do you have students and staff willing to be part of the photo shoot? It is a good idea to get consent in advance if you can.
More information on consent and GDPR is available below.
Are there any props or equipment you need? Will you have access to them in advance?
Do you need to wear something specific to reflect the theme of the shoot? Is there a uniform or certain style of dress you need?
We prefer if staff and students avoid obvious logos on clothes for photoshoots. We also prefer bright colours if possible. They make images more dynamic and present the University as a bright, fun place.
It is best to schedule enough time so that you are not rushing and we have time to experiment with different set ups and angles.
