Imagery

The imagery portrayed on our main website and microsites should reflect the sense of excitement and optimism fitting of our thriving campus. Consider prospective students as our target audience and keep in mind that many have never visited our campus. In this section, you’ll learn how to use imagery to convey the spirit of this amazing place.

Photography

Photos or still imagery should capture UH West O‘ahu unique personality, conveying warmth, vibrancy, and sense that students belong. To that end, photos should feel bright and inspirational, with light playing a central role. The sky and the sun represent the brand’s themes as well as our characteristic weather, light, and location of campus. Natural light is essential, so outdoor images are ideal, and indoor shots can work as long as they leverage sunlight beaming through windows or correctly positioned flash systems.

Students reading a book at the UHWO Library.
Students sitting on a bench, and one smiling at the camera.

When taking photos of large scenes like a building, courtyard, or field, be sure to get as much detail as possible in the shot. The more people the better, but not necessary. Be sure to consider proper exposure.

Student standing in front of a tree and other students in the courtyard.
Many students paying attention to the professor in front of the classroom.

Photos will vary depending on audience, but in general, photos of student should take on a more youthful and vibrant style. When composing shots of students, be sure to get physically close or zoom in with the lens. Avoid large empty spaces between subjects. This way the imagery feels more intimate. Always make sure your subjects are well lit.

Videography

Video clips or moving imagery are a great way to convey messages and highlight life on campus in a vibrant and dynamic way. Whether it’s for your website, social media, classroom presentation, or media b-roll, it’s important to plan and prepare your clips carefully to produce a quality outcome.

  • Almost always use a tripod when shooting video. Hand-held shots should be reserved for specific styles or moments. Regardless if a tripod is used or not, having a steady shot is paramount.
  • Be sure to have adequate lighting. Natural light is best, but don’t hesitate to use extra lighting fixtures when indoors or in darker areas.
  • Make sure your main subject(s) are in focus. If recording a stationary subject, consider locking the auto-focus setting so the camera won’t try to refocus during shooting.
  • Keep your clips short and concise. Use post-production software to edit clips together to make the entire clip more interesting.
  • Always use a good quality, wired microphone for your audio recording. Or record audio later in a quiet studio setting to avoid background noises. Better yet, mute the recorded audio all together and use an overlay of royalty-free music.

Photo Model Waivers

In some situations you may need to have written permission to use a person’s image. Photo waivers are required if the:

  • subject is a minor, in which case, a parent or legal guardian will need to give permission
  • photo or video will be used specifically for marketing purposes
  • photo or video will be used on the UH West O‘ahu website, microsites or websites officially affiliated with UH West O‘ahu (this excludes social media or websites deemed editorial in nature such as: Ka Puna O Kalo‘i online newsletter, or UH West Oahu’s Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Flickr accounts, etc.)
  • subject has a reasonable expectation of privacy

If your imagery involves one or more of these scenarios, you will need all subjects featured in the image to sign a Model/Liability Release form. If you are unsure if a release form is necessary, we recommend having subjects sign the form anyway.

If you have questions regarding this policy contact the UH West O‘ahu Communications Department.