Using photography

If your photograph is for use on the web then the photograph file colours must be expressed in RGB (Red, Green, Blue). The most common file format for web photography is JPG, or JPEG (Joint Photographic Expert Group). This works because the format is compressed so that you get small file sizes which are ideal for fast download over the web.

If your photograph is for print then the file colours must be expressed in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Key (black)) for full colour, or greyscale for printing in single colour. The most common file format for print is TIF, or TIFF (Tagged Image File Format) where compression and file size is not such an issue.

See also Quality and file sizes.

One thing to look out for in your final images is the angles, and making sure that they are as they should be. It may seem obvious, but where possible your horizon should always be horizontal. Vertical lines are important too. Look at the walls of any building you feature and especially at things like spires or towers to make sure they are vertical (unless of course they are actually leaning!)

How you deal with the colour issue will depend on the decision you have made about the document. If it is to be a full colour document then, ideally, you will need all the photographs to be in colour. If, on the other hand, you are printing in black and white, it is better that the photograph be take in black and white in the first place. If you are printing your document in two or three colours you can use either colour or black and white photography and convert the final images before you use them.

You may need to ask the photographer to take the images to fit a particular shape. The choice is that they be landscape or portrait. Often we ask photographers to take every photograph in both so that we have a choice later, but if you know in advance what you need to fit the format of your publication, let the photographer know.

Often you will need to edit your pictures, either to fit a particular space or because you want only part of the image that has been taken.

Take care not to cut out something that you need, or make the cut in a way that leaves something looking odd. Avoid cutting people's heads, faces or bodies in a way that looks awkward. Look carefully at things like lampposts, signs, branches of trees and other things that could make the picture look strange. Take care also when cutting something that has words in to make sure that you don’t leave a part-word that gives the wrong message.

You may also use a cut-out technique which involves taking only part of a picture and imposing it on a different background or laying it over another image. If so, take care to ensure the edges are done as well as possible because if you don’t the end result can create a poor impression.

House rules may mean that you need to have permission to use photographs. If the photograph has been taken by someone else there may be copyright issues and you may have to pay for its use. In some cases, the owner of the copyright will allow you to use the image for free in certain places, provided you credit them as part of the publication.

There are also more and more cases where you need to have permission to take and use pictures of individuals. There will be cases where you will need to have the photographer collect a signed permission slip which allows you to use the image in the ways set out in the paperwork. This is often the case when taking photographs in schools or of young people where you will need written permission from their parents or guardian. This issue is something the Publications Office can provide advice on.

Try to avoid using the same picture more than once in a document unless it has a particularly important part to play in the project or campaign, or if using it again adds valuable emphasis to the message you are trying to convey.

Don't use pictures just to fill space. They should only be used when they have a part to play in getting across the messages you are trying to convey to your readers.

The many photo software products on the market now offer a range of different ways to improve the photographs you have taken. They should, however, be used with care. While 'retouching' to improve the quality of a given picture is accepted, 're-working' so that the picture is materially different is not.