A picture is worth a thousand words for a reason. Trying to describe the gut-wrenching reality of losing a parent is challenging for even the most accomplished writers. Seeing a parent pass away while holding their hand in a hospital setting and a slow tear running down a daughter’s eye conveys way more emotion.
Social media already knows images matter. Facebook posts get 2.3 times the engagement when they include a quality image. Instagram, TikTok, Pinterest, and even LinkedIn all owe their successes to visual media.
The point is, if you want donators to become interested in what your Australian Not-for-Profit is doing, you need high-quality photographs of everything, from the impact on the community to behind-the-scenes shots with volunteers. Here are some good tips to get you started.
#1 – Go Big, or Go Home
Image size is crucial to your mission. It needs to be clear, bright, and sized to the medium you’re sharing it on. For example, if you’re sharing a photo of a recent BBQ with clients on Instagram, it should be at least 1080 x 1080 in pixels (1:1 aspect ratio).
The trick is making sure it also loads quickly. You wouldn’t want a massive file on your NFP’s website to slow load times. It helps to work with professional media specialists or web designers who can compress the image to achieve fast loading times without sacrificing quality.
#2 – Not Being Selective
donators do not want to feel like they’ve been invited to your Aunt Edna’s slideshow from her recent trip to the Grand Canyon. Be selective with your images. Edit the ones you know will generate the most feelings you wish to cultivate.
If you’re not sure what makes a good photo, look at the hashtag, topic, or other social accounts in your niche. The ones with the most engagement are in the style you want to have until you develop your own creative voice.
#3 – Going Too Niche
Before posting any image to your email newsletter, website, or socials, ask, “Would someone outside of my expertise understand what I’m posting? If the answer is no, you may want to rethink your strategy.
Think about it this way. When you have a hobby you’ve been doing for decades, you know info others do not. Sharing an image that requires the same level of expertise is unlikely to elicit a significant response. You can inform and teach, but don’t forget to keep things relatable to your target audience.
#4 – Forgetting the Caption
Imagine if the picture of the first footprint on the moon said, “Murder suspect’s footprint outside kitchen window.”
Context matters. You want to include captions because they help tell a story about your brand and messaging. Additionally, captions go a long way in making your website and other platforms more user-friendly in terms of accessibility.
#5 – Focus on the People
People want to watch people. Faces, expressions, and body language are crucial storytelling tools and attract viewers due to the interesting nature of the human condition.
Take advantage of the community around your NFP. Ask volunteers, donators, clients, and other partners if they’re okay with being included in candid images, professional photos, and marketing materials. Not only do you get the human element you want, but friends and family of the subject are also likely to engage with the post.
#6 – Do You Have Eye Contact?
If you want an image to feel compelling, it needs eye contact. You can be artistic if you wish. All the great artists throughout history strategically used eye contact to make a painting more compelling and tell a story.
What the humans in your photos look at matters to your donators. Having two donators shaking hands with authentic happiness on their faces and eye contact with one another tells the story of camaraderie and community. You have a lot of room for experimentation with eye contact.
#7 – Maintain the Story
An expression of sadness in your photo when you’re trying to convey happiness and uplifting joy will be a distraction. You want the expressions and “feel” of the photo content to match the story of your messaging.
Take a look at Time Magazine’s most iconic photos as well as their outtakes. You’ll quickly see how the same subject under the same lighting, but with a different expression, completely shifts the message.
#8 – Use Your Backgrounds
If you have a fantastic picture of donators celebrating reaching a goal, but a cat is licking itself in the background, you have an issue. This can go one of two ways. Either the post goes viral for the humour factor, or your donators get a little insulted by the context.
An image includes all the pixels in the frame. You need to examine the background to ensure everything aligns with your messaging.
#9 – Be Authentic
The best way to get the photos you want is to be a shutterbug. Take thousands of pictures at every event you can, and you’ll find gems hidden in there. Eventually, you’ll learn how to find the photos you want based on experience, but a scatter-shot approach may be the best way forward in the beginning.
Your goal is to tell an authentic story using the people, places, and impact associated with your NFP.
Final Thoughts
The picture you need to entice donators and tell a story to your community must come from you. The culture of your NFP will dictate the style, content, and features of the images you share on your website, socials, and any other outward-facing messaging.
Take your time with a little trial and error. You don’t need fancy equipment. Your smartphone will be enough to get the ball rolling. Have fun and remember to be true to yourself.
When you do have the photos you want, be sure to share them with our team at Web 105. We love using photos when building new and updated websites for our clients. From government agencies to healthcare providers and other NFPs across Australia, we are your leading team of professional designers and developers to boost your online presence.
Contact us today for a modern, mobile-responsive website that tells your NFP’s story the best.
FAQs
What is the nonprofit photo policy?
This is a signed consent form that you may want to circulate with anyone attending a private event or receiving offered services. It gives you the right to use their image in marketing and promotion.
What is the rule of thirds in photography?
It is a visual trick. You divide the photo frame into 9 equal boxes (3 horizontal lines and 3 vertical lines) and place the subject of the photo where the lines intersect, but not at the centre. It’s an easy way to create deeper emotion in an image and make everything more appealing.
What is the best image quality for a website?
It really depends on your load speed, but you can aim for a width between 1280 and 1920 pixels and a file size under 200 KB. Most images are .jpg, .png, or .webp file formats.