Photography training for field staff
I recently did some photography training with Send a Cow (Now Ripple Effect) whilst some of their communication staff were over visiting the UK for their 25 year anniversary meetings and celebrations.
One of the first things that came out of the session was the organisation’s need for photos and stories. They are really building a growing following through their social media feeds and they were keen to encourage and improve the quality and flow of the materials they were getting from their projects overseas.
There are many opportunities for field staff to collect stories and photos because they are essentially the eyes and ears of the organisation and are visiting projects and beneficiaries all the time. One of the interesting discussions was that while they are interested in capturing photos and stories, they are extremely busy people and they are not professional photographers so they need to understand how to capture high quality materials quickly.
We went through how to set their cameras up to make sure the photos were high enough resolution to be used in printed materials and then did some practical hands on techniques on how to over come some of the challenges, such as harsh bright lighting conditions, or too little light.
Whilst they might not have time to capture all the materials you need, a few simple pointers is already starting to help as Phil says below;
“Many of our staff in Africa collect case studies and photos on a regular basis. We needed to improve the quality of images we were getting back, and so turned to Ben for one of his bespoke courses. He put together a great day: practical, informative and fun! The follow up support has been brilliant, and in only a short amount of time I’m already receiving some fantastic photos back from our teams. “
Want to improve your photography and storytelling then check out our storytelling courses. We now also run training on Co-creation.
Mwene Barironda
I am a beneficiary of Ben’s training and my photography has never been the same. Mile 91, you are the best.
Ben Langdon
Thanks Aggrey. It’s always a pleasure working with you!