If you’re like most WIs, your members get up to all sorts of wild and wonderful things! And, of course, you want to share those things with all of us. You may have a Press Officer or a Publicity Officer or just a member who is responsible for submitting articles and photos to County News, WI Life and the local press. If you don’t, please do consider it! The best way for us all to get new WI members is to show the world what fun we have!
When you’re taking photos, however, there are a few things you should be aware of when sending your images to County News. These may also apply when sending photos to WI Life or another publication. Here are some simple guidelines that may help you:
- It doesn’t matter if you use an expensive camera or just your mobile phone. Use whatever you have and you feel most comfortable with. But please do learn the settings on your camera or phone! If you’re sending a photo to County News and you think your photo might make a good cover image, it will need to be taken at a pretty high resolution. Your camera or phone manual will explain how to achieve the right setting for this. Resolution is less important for our website or for inside the pages of County News, where the images will typically be much smaller.
- It’s always easier if you send a digital photo to County News. However, if you are only able to send a photo print, that’s perfectly fine. If you would like it returned to you, please send a self-addressed stamped envelope.
- Focus! You’d be surprised how many out-of-focus photos we receive!
- Learn the importance of lighting. Some WI halls, particularly in the evening, can be dark and will not result in very good quality photos – unless you have expensive photography lighting equipment, which most of us don’t have access to. Natural light will always be better.
- We know your WI probably has outings to some lovely locations, but photos of people are always more effective than photos of places. Even if your photo of a beautiful landscape is postcard-worthy, we’d really much rather see photos of your WI members!
- Rather than taking a photo of a line-up of members, all standing up in a row, try something more interesting. Focus on one or two members, or three at the most. Don’t be afraid to get up close!
- Try and capture photos of your members smiling or laughing. There’s no better advertisement for the WI than WI members looking happy!
- Nobody looks his or her best with a mouth full of food. This is a universal truth. Wait until people have finished eating before you start snapping!
- Photos of your members ‘doing’ something are great and always welcome. But, even if they’re busy at a craft, try and get them to look at the camera. It’s all in the eyes!
- Look for an interesting angle. Photos of WI members doing something silly or funny will always capture people’s attention.
- Having said all that, candid photos can be wonderful if done well.
- The final rule is that most of the above rules can be broken. Have fun with it!
- The final final rule cannot be broken: Make sure you get permission from any of your members, guests, speakers, etc., before you photograph them. Let them know you’ll be sending the photo of them to CFWI and that it may appear in print and on social media.
All articles and images for publication in County News should be sent to cfwi.publications@gmail.com. We try to print all submissions from WI, but we cannot guarantee there will always be room. However, everything we receive will be published on our website.