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UC Davis Identity Standards

Graphic: Partial screenshot of Photos@UC Davis Web site

A versatile collection of photography for general use by campus communicators is at the campus photo database (shown above).

Photography

The campus photo database contains a versatile collection of photography for general use by campus communicators.

Although there is a specific photographic style associated with the “Discover What Matters” brand ads, UC Davis itself does not have a particular campus photographic style. Photography is a powerful communication tool, however, and we offer these guidelines:

  • Use high quality photography whenever possible. Poor quality photography—photos that are badly exposed, composed, focused, cropped or color-balanced—undermines good writing and design.
  • Do not use photos from Web sites for print publications. It’s easy to convert high resolution print-ready photos to lower resolution photos for the Web, but impossible to turn low-resolution Web photos into high quality print photos. Web photos should be 72 d.p.i., photos for newsprint should be 100 — 150 d.p.i. and photos for full-color print reproduction should be 300 d.p.i.
  • Be careful when saving JPEG images, particularly for online use. Saving as a JPEG should be the last step in image editing. Saving as a JPEG removes data from the image each time; successive saves will degrade an image quickly. Always keep a TIF or PSD version available if additional edits are needed.
  • Use photos of outcomes whenever possible, not administrators. Great photos tell stories.
  • Select photos based on audience. If the audience is parents, include photos of UC Davis families. For alumni, show current students and faculty, particularly those engaged in academic or public outreach activities.
  • Choose photos that emphasize people, particularly students. Close-ups of people that show a sense of place are often best.
  • Faces are the most powerful magnet for grabbing attention, as in the case of magazines in a news stand, but scenery can be very powerful under the right circumstances. The question is the intended effect. Do you want your publication to stand out amidst clutter and compel attention, or do you want it to activate a sense memory in viewers and ask them to see themselves in the picture? The former makes them stop, the latter makes them remember. They both invite participation, but on different levels.
  • Some campus buildings, such as the Mondavi Center, photograph well. Others do not. The angle of of a photo, lighting, and presence of people in the frame can make tremendous differences in the quality and appeal of an architectural photo.
  • Follow the University Communications photo blog, Behind the Lens, to see the latest UC Davis photos and to get tips on better photography.

University Communications staff can advise you on how to use photography most effectively to meet your goals. The department also maintains a list of photographers for hire.