This week we welcomed Lauren Ambrose to the RCG team as our new summer intern. Lauren is a rising senior at James Madison University studying public relations. We tossed her into the deep end and charged her with writing this week’s blog post about a very common question we encounter in marketing: “Is this high res enough?”

By: Lauren Ambrose, RCG Intern

Sometimes, the words “group photo” stir up a round of remarks ranging from “This will be fun!” to “Do we have to?”

At RCG, we know photography doesn’t have to be a hassle. Check out these nine tips before your next company event, group picture or photo opportunity. You’ll be glad you did.

1. Remember resolution: The standard resolution, or capability of displaying more detail, is 300 dpi (dots per inch) for print and 72 dpi for web. The more dots (or pixels) per inch in a photo, the more detail, resolution and sharpness the photo will have. When printing images, bigger is usually better—you can go down in size, but not up without losing quality. (That’s why when you pull a photo from online, it typically doesn’t print well.)
2. Stash the Smartphone: Using your smartphone’s camera may seem convenient, but it cannot compare to the physical control, precision, zoom capabilities and overall photo quality of an actual camera. Opt to use a camera to ensure a better picture—this is especially important if you intend to print the photos.
3. Creativity is Key: Put your own original, fresh take on a setting, idea or thought. Using the medium to convey creative concepts will boost the overall success of the photo, along with its reception and number of views.
4. It’s the Little Things: Composition, or where objects are placed in a frame, pull the viewers in and prompts their eyes to look at the intended focus. Keep it simple—limit the amount of subject matter in a frame and use other elements within it to draw the viewer’s eye to the subject.
5. Take Charge of the Situation: Group shoots can be chaotic; don’t be afraid to take command of the group and give (loud) directions. As the leader, you can even rise to the occasion with a stepladder—a must have for wrangling in constant chatter and confusion. This National Geographic article should help.
6. Be Organized: Having a mental layout of where people will sit and stand can help. For groups of 12 or less, you can either choose two “centerpiece” people with other individuals gathered around them or add visual variety with subgroups of two, three or four in a single shot.
7. Let the Sunshine In: Pay attention to the angle and quality of lighting and how they yield clarity and shadows. Never take a photo with the sun directly behind your subject.
8. Fundamentals: Make the photo shoot an enjoyable experience for everyone by listening first. Hold comments or questions for the end. And smile like you mean it—a “picture perfect” photo is measured by the smiles on faces and memories that come from the experience.
9. Feature for Facebook: Good photos make for easy social media content. Be sure images will be large enough to view on mobile devices to increase engagement and prompt sharing.

If you need a professional photographer to take headshots, office pictures or photos of your next corporate event, we can help. Here is a list of talented photogs the RCG staff regularly uses:

• Ramone Photography Studio – (757) 498-7366
• Echard Wheeler Photography – (757) 633-3010
• Richard Muldez – (757) 478-3298
• Jon Abrahams/ JPIxx – (816) 522-4378

For more information, contact Rubin Communications Group at (757) 456-5212.