Point and Shoot!

A simple message: Invest today in a compact, "point and shoot", digital camera; carry it with you to functions you support as a public relations professional; and start using it.

In the past, many public relations practitioners were reticent to venture into the world of imagery. Their reasons may have had merit, and some still do. They include:

1. Taking pictures takes their focus off of "communications work".


2. That's what the media do for us, for free.


3. I need special training to take good images and don't have time to take a course.


4. Photographic equipment is too expensive and bulky.


5. The cost of developing and printing images that may never be used was cost-prohibitive.

It can be argued that point #1 still has some merit but the remainder need to be revisited. Let's do so, in order:

1. A quality image can be captured spontaneously and instantly.


2. Newspapers and magzaines are undergoing significant financial challenges at present. Many outlets have cut their photographic capability in half. Recognize the fact that you can no longer count on a photographer and reporter from the local paper to show at your event, even though they might have in the past. A photo "submitted by" you may be the only way of getting an image into your publication of choice.


3. Virtually any "point and shoot" digital camera over $200 will capture an excellent image that can be downloaded, cropped and published without any special training. Without a doubt, professional photographers with thousands of dollars in equipment "up the ante", but the "quality gap" between amateur and professional images may be narrower than you think.


4. Quality digital cameras are now smaller than a cassette tape...oops, for those not familiar with the concept of the cassette tape, I'll instead make the comparison to an iPod Nano. ;)


5. Today, images are used digitally far more than they are ever printed. However, for those that do need/want a hard copy, any colour, desktop printer can handle this task with ease.

For public relations professionals, how about the fact that images allow you to document an event in a manner that handwritten notes never could? Beyond the ability to take quality still photos, many of these cameras can also capture video and audio, both of which allow you to record interviews and events as they happen. This is just as important for "good news" events as it is for critical incidents. You just never know when you may be called upon to verify or provide information related to a particular event.

Finally, if, despite all of your best efforts, media fails to show for your event, you can issue a quality news release along with the image of your choice supported by a succinct caption. This image may in fact end up being published as a "submitted photo". It's happened to me, on more than one occasion (see attached image for an example).

This is one of the few occasions in the business world where you can say with complete confidence that a small investment, of about $200, will yield astronomical returns.

Public relations practitioners: take notice, take action and start shooting.