Photography

Our photography

Photography plays a key role in our visual identity, bringing warmth and emotional connection to our brand experiences. Our photographs bring our story to life, demonstrating who we are, and the impact we have in the communities we serve around the world.

Principles

All photographs that we commission or source conform to a set of three photographic principles.

Principle 1: Natural

Principle 2: Engage

Principle 3: Global

Principle 1: Natural

Our photography captures customers, communities and colleagues in authentic scenarios and settings:

  • people are in an authentic educational environment or Cambridge work-setting
  • poses are relaxed and natural
  • there is a clear sense of human engagement and warmth
  • the composition is uplifting and focus is on positivity.

Principle 2: Engage

Photography is focused on the person being engaged and active in their environment:

  • people are engaged in an activity
  • activities appear authentic
  • moments captured are candid
  • use group scenarios when possible
  • have a clear focal point on one or two people at most
  • use depth of field to focus on the moments distinctively.

Principle 3: Global

Our photography is global and reflects the wide reach of Cambridge, our customers and people:

  • include a range of people of different backgrounds (age, gender, ethnicity, nationality, disability, religion, etc.)
  • use group shots where possible to reinforce diversity
  • use authentic settings that resonate with our audiences.

Improper use

When sourcing or commissioning photography, avoid these common mistakes:

Avoid imagery that is clichéd or staged

Avoid images that feel cold and detached

Avoid images that don't reflect education or research themes

Studio portraits

When commissioning studio portraits (or sourcing from stock) the subject should be placed against a plain backgroud in a core colour or closely aligned. The person or people should act in a natural pose and look directly to the camera. Lighting should be kept as natural as possible with no high flash or harsh shadows.

Product photography

It is important that photographs of our products (often referred to as ‘pack shots’) are reflective of our brand. When creating product photography, ensure:

  • composition is simple and clear
  • main focus is on the product
  • use brand colours where appropriate
  • feature realistic and relevant backgrounds.

Creating cutout images

We can combine cutout images with the shield footprint to create impactful brand communications. Follow the steps below on how to create cutout images.

Step 1: Select an image which has clear contrast and clean edges between the subject and background.

Step 2: Open the image in Photoshop®, select the 'object selection tool', then 'select subject'. This automatically creates a cutout of the chosen subject.

Step 3: Create a new layer above the original image. Copy and paste the selected subject onto the new layer. To see the cutout image simply hide the original layer.

Step 4: Keeping the original image hidden, place the shield footprint asset as the bottom layer. Scale and position the shield footprint centrally to the subject, maintaining integrity of both the shield and image.

Step 5: Unhide and select the original image and create a clipping mask. This will mask the original image within the shield footprint.

Step 6: Using the ‘eraser tool’ discard the cut out subject which is outside the shield mask.

In application

© Cambridge University Press & Assessment, 2023