Problems
Am I giving out too much information? Or not enough?
Answers
What is Too Much Information?
PICTURES
NO
2 Instant revelations of people out of their home which could lead to them being burgled.
3 Pictures of private homes or stately homes revealing valuables or windows which could lead to your being accused of revealing too much to potential robbers.
4 Pictures of family groups where family insist on including their children, then afterwards decide children should not be put on the internet.
5 People don't want you to use a photo of a group which includes their children. (Answers: Crop the photo. Take at least one picture of adults only.
CAPTIONS
1 Surnames of people who have privacy concerns.
2 Names with complicated spelling you might get wrong and can't check.
3 Wrong caption.
SUBJECT COMPLAINS OF SHUT EYES
'Take down the picture - I've got my eyes closed. Use another picture.'
When I am the subject I rarely complain. If you are a nuisance, the photographer just cuts you out of all future pictures.
Sometimes I tell a group:
face the front,
keep your eyes open wide,
smile,
check you are not taller than the person behind,
don't wave hands - it creates blur.
The photographer might say, or think, "Sorry. I'm working I don't have time to edit pictures. I've taken 100 people. If I had to edit every picture I'd spend all week on it. I'm not getting paid. If you don't want to be photographed, don't come to the meeting."
CHECK CAPTIONS FOR ERRORS
1 Check spellings of all names. Look for missing double letters. Compare names with public records. If in doubt, phone and ask.
2 After an article or email or web post is published, read back a moment later, a day later, even years later. Today I discovered that an email I had sent including the place name B o r e h a m Wood had been changed by an automatic spell checker to Boredom Wood!
PHOTOGRAPHER'S NAME INCLUDED:
It is useful to include the photographer's name.
1 A professional or semi-professional photographer might expect a credit as advertising and a form of payment.
2 The amateur photographer may feel flattered that you think the pictures are good enough or that you have taken the time and trouble to thank them and remember that they spent so much time photographing and editing photos.
3 You can go back and ask, "Do you have any more pictures? We want to include one of the mayor / VIP visitor / the first place winner."
MAKING HUMAN INTEREST
The club banner might be useful as a tiny postage stamp size to head every letter.
If you want the name read, you need to enlarge it.
Make sure you have permission to use a copyright item - you must not use it so it appears you are representing a company if you are not.
Add human interest, a badge being worn by the winner.
However, if the winner wants to be anonymous, the photo of the badge or trophy alone could be helpful.
A vast hall with only four people in it looks empty.
Cut or crop the picture to just the four and you have a happy little group.
However, if you want to show the size of a cathedral the picture including just one little person shows the scale and grandeur of the building.
If you person on the end of a row of seats has arms crossed looking belligerent or bored, I sometimes crop them out.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
Am I giving out too much information? Or not enough?
Answers
What is Too Much Information?
PICTURES
NO
2 Instant revelations of people out of their home which could lead to them being burgled.
3 Pictures of private homes or stately homes revealing valuables or windows which could lead to your being accused of revealing too much to potential robbers.
4 Pictures of family groups where family insist on including their children, then afterwards decide children should not be put on the internet.
5 People don't want you to use a photo of a group which includes their children. (Answers: Crop the photo. Take at least one picture of adults only.
CAPTIONS
1 Surnames of people who have privacy concerns.
2 Names with complicated spelling you might get wrong and can't check.
3 Wrong caption.
SUBJECT COMPLAINS OF SHUT EYES
'Take down the picture - I've got my eyes closed. Use another picture.'
When I am the subject I rarely complain. If you are a nuisance, the photographer just cuts you out of all future pictures.
Sometimes I tell a group:
face the front,
keep your eyes open wide,
smile,
check you are not taller than the person behind,
don't wave hands - it creates blur.
The photographer might say, or think, "Sorry. I'm working I don't have time to edit pictures. I've taken 100 people. If I had to edit every picture I'd spend all week on it. I'm not getting paid. If you don't want to be photographed, don't come to the meeting."
CHECK CAPTIONS FOR ERRORS
1 Check spellings of all names. Look for missing double letters. Compare names with public records. If in doubt, phone and ask.
2 After an article or email or web post is published, read back a moment later, a day later, even years later. Today I discovered that an email I had sent including the place name B o r e h a m Wood had been changed by an automatic spell checker to Boredom Wood!
PHOTOGRAPHER'S NAME INCLUDED:
It is useful to include the photographer's name.
1 A professional or semi-professional photographer might expect a credit as advertising and a form of payment.
2 The amateur photographer may feel flattered that you think the pictures are good enough or that you have taken the time and trouble to thank them and remember that they spent so much time photographing and editing photos.
3 You can go back and ask, "Do you have any more pictures? We want to include one of the mayor / VIP visitor / the first place winner."
MAKING HUMAN INTEREST
The club banner might be useful as a tiny postage stamp size to head every letter.
If you want the name read, you need to enlarge it.
Make sure you have permission to use a copyright item - you must not use it so it appears you are representing a company if you are not.
Add human interest, a badge being worn by the winner.
However, if the winner wants to be anonymous, the photo of the badge or trophy alone could be helpful.
A vast hall with only four people in it looks empty.
Cut or crop the picture to just the four and you have a happy little group.
However, if you want to show the size of a cathedral the picture including just one little person shows the scale and grandeur of the building.
If you person on the end of a row of seats has arms crossed looking belligerent or bored, I sometimes crop them out.
Author
Angela Lansbury, travel writer and photographer, author and speaker.
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