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Photographs and videos greatly enhance all forms of science communication. They may be of events, portraits of researchers, depictions of work in the field or general ones depicting SA challenges and scenes.

Unlike researchers in the medical and engineering sciences who can photograph their state-of-the-art microscopes and laser welding equipment, HSRC researchers often need to photograph human interaction to depict their work:

HSRC archive photo SABSSM VI

Unless a landscape or street scene, no more than three people in a photograph, preferably interacting rather than a row of smiling faces. Group photographs are nice for the record but do not work in publications or on social media.

Screenshot from web

Do not photograph people from behind, unless required for ethics reasons (identity).

It appears intrusive and makes the people seem disconnected. We want to engage our audience on the science.

Screenshot from web

Do not photograph people while they are eating/drinking, at conferences for example.

Screenshot from web

Looks may seem like a superficial concern but we need respect the dignity of research participants, colleagues and members of the community. For close-up portraits of people, beware of angles from below (fat chin effect). Or from high above as if you are looking down on the subject. Three-quarter angle straight or only slightly from above works wonders. Focus the camera on the eyes, the heart of interaction.

Look at the subtle angle differences between these Pixabay portraits below.

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We want our audience to share our enthusiasm about our science story. For a Zoom interview, especially if it is recorded for later use in a video clip, consider a higher laptop position to avoid the under-chin angle. Enough light and a simple background will also support a professional and alert appearance.

Sometimes, an angle from below may, however, give great perspective or convey strength and agency.

If you are unsure, take various shots ― low, high, straight, close-ups and wide angles:

Screenshot from web

Divide frame into thirds and put object/person on the left or right side rather than in the middle.

HSRC archive photo

Divide the frame into thirds

HSRC archive photo

​​​​​​​With permission, take photographs of people while you work in the field; otherwise photograph the landscapes, city scenes, vegetable gardens, etc.

If the photograph is about the work on, or launch of, a publication, make sure the researcher or field worker holds the publication at an angle where you can see the title of the book.

HSRC archive photo

Be very careful when photographing children. Their legal guardian needs to give permission. If orphaned, that may mean the state needs to consent, which means almost impossible logistics.

Take landscape and portrait shots. If you use your phone to record video clips, always use landscape format by tilting the phone on the side.

Watch out for items like trees in background that “grow” out of person’s head, spotty shade under trees and heavily branded items (t-shirts, caps, banners, shops).

HSRC archive photo

Light is better in the early morning or late afternoon

Avoid shooting into direct sunlight or shooting a person/object with another strong light source behind them.

Freepik photo

However, for ethical approval or to obscure the image, the light behind the object can be used to create a silhouette. 

HSRC archive photo

Archiving photos

NB – save the picture in the largest original format possible on a memory stick, your laptop or in Dropbox. WeTransfer large ones to Antonio/Adzi/Antoinette for archiving if hard drive space is an issue. Please do not shrink, distort or edit the photograph or embed it in a Word document. It may be rendered too small for use in print (banners, magazines, brochures), even for electronic use.

The HSRC relies on its photo archive for research communication. For filing purposes, therefore, kindly label your photo folders in the following order:

month-day Name of the event/occasion/person

E.g.

07-31 HSRC research conference

For your photographs to be searchable in those folders, name each picture according to key individuals photographed as they appear from left to right or with a descriptive word/phrase.

E.g.

07-31 Soudien Nzimande Simbayi

07-31 Soudien hands over mobile clinic

07-31 Crain Soudien presenting

Link to the next section:

1. Who is my target audience?
2. What do I want to share?
3. What should my word count be?
4. How do I structure an article?
5. How can I use stories in my communication?
6. I need help with language and style
7. What about footnotes/bibliographies/references?
8. Tick box
9. Talking about the HSRC: Are we diluting our brand?
10. Focus on the researcher: Conveying the So What? and writing a short biography
11. How do I structure a PowerPoint presentation?
12. How do I take a useful photograph?
13. How do I plan the structure of a short video?
14. Useful links on science communication
15. I am no digital native and need help with these: ​​​​​​​​​​​​​​creating hyperlinks, tracking edits in Word, making edits in Pdf, sending large documents and folders via WeTransfer
16. Visualise your communication for impact
17. HSRC events: Requirements for drafting and sending invitations

This toolkit is designed to help HSRC researchers to communicate information about their research effectively to maximise impact.​​​​​​​

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