Things to Remember While Documenting Your Photos

When talking about a photograph, the oft quoted saying, ‘a picture speaks a thousand words’ comes to mind, almost instantly. While words have the ability to convey a myriad of thoughts, pictures have the power to visually represent those thoughts and have a deeper, long lasting impact. A picture can help people understand the purpose of the message better. For a non-profit organization, documenting the work you do is of utmost importance. It enables transparency in the work of the organization as well as allows for a pictorial representation of the multitude of work that it does.  However, it is important to remember that taking pictures is an art.

Here are few points that will need to be kept in mind while doing so:

1. Lighting: The type of lighting you use while taking a picture is a crucial element of a photograph. Light in photography refers to how the source of light is positioned in relation to the subject you are choosing to photograph. No matter how good/expensive your camera is, understanding the aesthetics of light is a very important part while capturing an image. Good Lighting helps to draw out the focus on the subject in good quality and makes the photo look more beautiful.
2. Composition: The composition of a photograph is how visual elements are arranged in the frame. Make sure that the subject you’re intending to capture is in focus. Composing a good photo goes beyond focussing on the main subject. It extends to ensuring the picture is following the rule of thirds (i.e places your subject in the left or right third of the frame) , is well balanced and at an adequate distance from your subject.
3. Purpose: When clicking a picture, its intended purpose should be clear in the mind of the photographer. In case of your non-profit, this purpose can vary from wanting to document the impact of your programme, or picturizing the stories of your beneficiaries or even documenting some of the activities the organization undertakes. Having a clear purpose will not only ensure an aesthetically pleasing image, but also convey the idea and message that is being conveyed.
4. Prioritize High Resolution Photos: The quality of the image has a significant effect on your story narrative. Low quality and pixelated images can take away from the impact that is trying to be achieved. Therefore, resolution should always be a priority. It is important to set your equipment to the highest setting for better results.
5. Be Agile: Photography is a visualized form of art. Oftentimes forcing a set of guidelines can tend to make it just like any other checkbox ticked off, taking away from the freedom any art form brings with itself. While the message, purpose, aesthetics, lighting are all important factors to keep in mind, it is also essential to be agile, move away from being restricted by rules and capture the beauty of the story that is in front of you.

If there was one word to define as the driving force of the development sector, it is that of ‘empathy’. It is imperative to inculcate empathy in all aspects of your organization's work. Whether that be choosing the cause you want to champion, the appeal you make to your donors and funders or even the impact you choose to create. They all point back to the need to foster empathy. One very tangible way of bringing in empathy is by presenting to people the real stories of your beneficiaries and good pictures play a significant role in evoking it.