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General photography guidelines

Photos capture the vibrant spirit of the McMaster community. They breathe life into our stories, reflect our community and create a human connection with our audience. 

General photography guidelines

Here are some helpful tips to consider when taking a photograph: 

  • Focus on the person: To focus on the person in photograph our photos use a technique called shallow depth of field. This shooting technique draws the viewer’s attention to a person that is in focus while everything else is blurry.  
  • Authenticity is key: Candid, genuine moments make for great photos. Having people look forward rather than directly at the camera and avoiding staged smiles can go a long way to achieving this authentic feel.  
  • Keep it on-brand: Props, clothes and backgrounds can all be used to introduce McMaster’s primary brand colour, Heritage Maroon. 
  • Full colour, full impact: As part of the brand’s evolution, McMaster’s photos will appear in full colour, never treated with a duotone effect. When photos appear in graphic design layouts, they can be large and run to the edge of the screen or page, which graphic designers refer to as full-bleed.
  • Neutral space for text: When the plan is to place text over the image, plan to have a neutral background space adjacent to the people in the photo. This is especially important for photographs that a graphic designer will later use to create professional marketing material.