Publicity Stills
What Are Publicity Stills?
A publicity still is a professional photo (usually, although some publicity stills are taken by amateurs) of a person, place or thing and used to advertise a company and its staff or to show an example of what that company produces or provides.
Publicity stills are also widely entertainment industry, publicity stills are photographs that are taken on the set of a movie or TV program while the program is in production. These photogrpahs are later used for promotional purposes, such as the release of a film, the opening of a film, or for interviews. In most cases, a still photographer is present on the set and shoots photographs to be used later along side of the production crew.
In the event a company is contacted for publicity stills, the PR department should keep on hand a number of professional publicity stills. These should include headshots of employees, photographs of the office (including the interior as well as exterior), and photographs of major projects or services. For example,
- Alongside articles or press releases. Publications are visual entities, so naturally photographs are welcomed. A photograph can also help put the company or event in the limelight more than an article, as readers may be more likely to stop and read the article when it is accompanied by an attractive or eye-catching photograph.
- In media kits. A media kit includes a history of the company, key players, executives, accomplishments, and anything else that may set them apart from the competition. Photographs often accompany a media kit, be it photos of staff, an event, or a project completed
- For artists. Many times, artists or anyone involved in performing will have publicity photos of themselves.
- On websites. Graphics and photographs on websites are an excellent tool for providing visuals, same as with printed publications.
Publicity Photo Tips
In order to increase a publicity photo's chances of being published with an article, the following should be adhered to:
- Publicity photos involving people (headshots of executives or performers) should be above the shoulders, preferably looking directly into the camera.
- Companies should have both interior and exterior shots of their building or premises. They should be shot in favorable lighting with no glare. A professional would be best-suited for this job.
- Photos should be high-quality. All photos should be offered as digital, as the media are more likely to want a digital print. If prints are mailed, they should be correctly identified on a sticker on the back. Include location, name of company, names of people in the photos, date, and occasion.
- Avoid asking for photographers to take picture of staged events such as ribbon-cuttings or awards ceremonies as the media are more likely to pass on these.
- Be creative but don't get carried away. While unique photographs that tell a story themselves have a better chance of making it in, but bizarre photographs or ones that have odd angles, etc. may not make it in.
- In the case of an event that may not warrant a story, it's not a bad idea to contact the photo editor of a publication and let him or her know of the event. That way, a photographer can be sent to cover the event.
- When posting photographs on a website, make sure they are not too large as they can slow the website down.
