Tips for Communicating with Teachers to Plan "Photo-Friendly" Lessons

Through my decade+ working with education clients, I’ve learned a lot about how to capture dynamic and vibrant learning moments.??Sometimes there is a disconnect between the marketing and communications team and the faculty. What activities and lesson plans yield great photography???Inevitably, there are classrooms that just don’t have photo-friendly, visually exciting activities happening when you show up with the professional photographer. This is STRESSFUL; it’s photo day, and while the teacher may think the lesson is brilliant, it isn’t sparking joy or evoking the students’ excitement in a way that yields great photos. After over a decade watching this scenario again and again, I wanted to share some ideas that get everyone on the same page:

1.??Spark Joy??

Ask teachers to plan lessons that are dynamic, interactive and engaging. Some examples:?

• partner or group exercises
• quiz games
• music, movement or drama
• demonstrations or science experiments (anything with chemical reaction, shape-shifting or a flame is extra credit).

? 2. Look Up & Make Eye Contact?

Ask educators to avoid activities in which students are mostly looking down (at a book, tablet or laptop) or writing alone so we can capture more expressive, fun photos. It is important (especially with masks on) to see the student’s and teacher’s eyes!

3.??Prepare the Room??

Turn on all lights, open blinds and do a general tidiness spot check to remove visual clutter and other distractions.

4.??Prepare the Students?

Ask the teacher to do a pre-photo mask check (masks should be fully covering noses), and have students remove water bottles, jackets and backpacks from their desk area.

5.??Relax & Have Fun!?

Educators are superheroes, and we are here to capture the joy of learning and their special relationships with their students. I like to reassure my subjects that this isn’t a video, so the audio doesn’t matter.?

What ideas have worked well for you and your communications??

Please share or get in touch to discuss further! Throughout the pandemic, I’ve been working with schools to document their tremendous capacity for adapting to keep learning on track. Please visit my website to see some samples and check out my work! https://www.rebeccadrobis.com/OVERVIEW/thumbs