Photography

Photography is a key element of our brand. Images should engage the audience with their warm and genuine real-life quality.

Ideal images:

• Have a reason for being there beyond filling space 
• Have a sense of space, light and energy 
• Are full of natural light 
• Have depth of field with the focus on a key item or individual 
• Bring a feeling of real life that isn’t hazy, saturated or overtreated 
• Have portrait and landscape versions of each image so it is flexible to use across all media channels. 

Portraits

Portraits of students should feel natural and unposed to allow their personalities to come to life and demonstrate their place within the University.

Where possible, try to capture a sense of the outdoors in the image. Even if your shot is indoors, a suggestion of trees or a flash of green will reinforce the campus setting and reference green from the brand colour palette.

In all cases, portraits should be taken with a shallow depth of field so that the focus is on the individual.

Research Impact

When promoting our University’s achievements, contextual photography may be used. Ideally this should be commissioned by the University using an approved photographer. In some instances stock photography may be used, however this must be approved for both accuracy of content and cost.

Please contact marketingtools@stir.ac.uk for usage guidance and approval.

Campus

Our impressive campus and natural surroundings are one of our biggest selling points, and so it is important that they are well represented in our communications.

When shooting exterior, try to include greenery in the form of trees, the hills and grass as well as the lake to keep the outdoors present.

Exterior

Interior

Life at Stirling

A big part of life at the University exists ‘beyond the books’.

Our photo library includes images from sporting activities to the student union and are an excellent showcase of the University facilities and campus.

Further afield

Our location within Scotland is a big part of the University identity and a key selling point for our audience, therefore we can use images from stock sites to demonstrate life beyond the campus through our place in Scotland and the opportunities this affords to our students.

As part of Brand Scotland’s #ScotlandIsNow campaign, all University of Stirling staff have free download access to a collection of Scottish-themed images and videos. Register for access via: Scotland.org/toolkit

When using stock photography, please ensure it feels part of the same suite of images as our own photos. This can be achieved by adjusting saturation and contrast levels and choosing scenarios with a natural, aspirational feeling rather than something which feels posed.

Please contact marketingtools@stir.ac.uk for usage guidance and approval.

Please remember

Keep it real - The scene should feel completely natural and believable and never contrived. The subject should not be obviously styled/made-up/posed. Lighting should always be natural. 

Warmth - From the natural behaviour of the subject, colour in the shot, lighting and context, photography should always be warm. 

Simply styled - Allowing space around the subject for additional messaging.

Photography don'ts