How to take good political campaign photos
Our top tips for planning for and taking good political campaign photos
BONUS FREEBIE: Photo & Video Release Form
Why your photos are important:
One of the biggest mistakes we see campaigns make time and time again is not hiring a professional photographer, or, if they do hire one, they do it far too late in the election cycle. Here’s why you should book a photo shoot at the very beginning of your campaign:
First impressions matter.
It takes less than two-tenths of a second for online visitors to form a first impression of you once they’ve seen your website. Two-tenths of a second. Your campaign photos — good or bad — have an incredible amount of power.
You’ll look like a *real* candidate.
High-quality photos can make the all difference between appearing like a professional or amateur campaign, a critical distinction in the eyes of potential donors and voters. Take it from this former congressional fundraiser: donors do not want to give money to a campaign that looks like it can’t raise money.
You’ll need high-resolution photos throughout your campaign.
Whether for direct mail, digital ads, or daily social media posts, campaigns need a constant flow of high-quality photos that serve a strategic purpose. Get a head start. Being able to quickly provide high-resolution images to your vendors and to augment your social media strategy will save you time in the long run.
Here are our top tips for producing high-quality and effective campaign photos:
Hire a professional photographer who has experience with political campaigns.
This is not the time to use an iPhone or your mom’s friend’s amateur photographer cousin. Much like having a good website can make or break a campaign, good photos can make all the difference when it comes to looking like a viable candidate who can win an election. Remember, for political donors, volunteers, and voters, a candidate is an investment, and they don’t want to invest in people who come across as not taking their campaign seriously.
At the very least, get some headshots.
Your headshot will be a workhorse, so make sure you have a good one. Take a couple different versions, using different outfits, poses, angles, backgrounds, and lighting. You’ll need a classic look-at-me-I’m-a-politician-wearing-a-suit headshot, but you’ll likely want some additional photos in more casual settings (the level of casualness depending on the specifics of your race).
Remember: authenticity is the name of the game. The goal is to have photos that convey warmth AND competence.
Say no to green screens, yes to outdoor shots.
In our view, outdoor shots are always best. Before you book your shoot, brainstorm different locations in your district that would work best for a backdrop. This includes outdoor landscapes or landmarks that are iconic to your community or, at the very least, identifiable to your constituency (i.e. don’t use the Golden Gate Bridge if you live in Maine).
Say no to airbrushing.
Fine, light editing is ok, but please let the professionals do it. (And not like this.)
Get shots that will work for your political ads.
You’ll want solo shots of you at different angles, as well as different positions in the photos. For example, for website homepages, we love shots where there’s room for us to put text on the side. If you plan ahead, you’ll ideally be able to get the majority of your campaign photos done in one shoot.
Plan for Different Platforms.
Keep in mind the various platforms where your photos will be used. Instagram, Facebook, Twitter—each has its own style. Ensure your photographer understands the nuances and can capture images suitable for each platform.
Smile.
You don’t have to look tough in every photo (or in any, tbh). Because honestly, you don’t look tough: you look constipated.
See? Constipated.
Tip: bring a friend who makes you laugh. While your photographer is shooting, have a conversation with them while they stand on the side.
What to wear
You should nail down which outfits (yes, plural!) you’d like to wear a couple days before the scheduled photoshoot.
There are no set rules here — we recommend wearing what you feel most comfortable in AND choosing colors and outfits that will best compliment the overall style and feel of your campaign. That being said, there will likely always be a need for a classic wearing-a-suit headshot.
It’s important to understand and pinpoint how your campaign photos can work to convey you as candidate: how they can amplify your strengths and mitigate your weaknesses. Your clothing choices can be a powerful tool in this arsenal.
You don’t have to look like you’re fresh out of central casting (as Donald Trump would say), but it would be naive to think your appearance won’t make a difference on the campaign trail.
Also? Iron that shit.
What (and who) to bring
Compile a “shot list” ahead of time.
Before the scheduled shoot, brainstorm a list of all the photos you’d like to take to share with your photographer. This will help you plan your outfits, locations, and schedule for the day, as well as organize family members and volunteers for group shots.
Remember to leave space
It is very likely that you will need to place text on at least some of your photos. In order to have a variety of options to work with, talk to your photographer about leaving space on both the left and right sides of the frame for each shot. Do not assume they will know to do this: political photography is very different from what they are likely used to shooting.
Organize group shots and action shots.
One of the best ways to get natural-looking group shots is to have the photographer shadow the candidate on a day full of different types of campaign events. Real shots of candidates * actually* on the campaign trail are some of the best ones out there. Remember to change your outfit once or twice.
Another (or additional) option is to schedule a shoot with pre-arranged volunteers. Reach out to your friends and members of the community, and be sure to have your “shots list” ready to go! (Also, keep your volunteers fed and hydrated.)
Stay legal with release forms.
We recommend that you bring a staffer or volunteer to have people sign releases forms (reflecting your state and local laws). And regardless of legalities, the last thing you want is the person whose hand you’re shaking on the homepage to come out against your campaign. Here’s a photo video/release form that your campaign is free to use.
Figure out a photo workflow
Besides direct mail and ads, campaigns now need a constant flow of photos for social media. The best accounts use a balanced mix of professional shots & in-the-moment on the campaign trail shots (which CAN be taken on an iPhone).
We highly recommend that you nail down a workflow of taking and posting photos from events on the campaign trail. Maintain a folder of “approved” shots to use for various campaign activities, and figure out how to get photos and captions approved and in a timely fashion.
