Summary of basics
- Clients should contact the University photographer at least two weeks in advance to schedule a photo shoot using the photo request form online.
- Allow two to five working days to fulfill requests for existing digital photography from the photo archive.
- Use high-resolution photos (high-resolution files measure at least at the size you want them to display at 300 dpi or higher). For websites, optimized images (at 72 dpi) should be used.
Requesting a photo shoot
University photographer Veronica Adrover is available for strategic on- and off-campus photo shoots for university clients. If your request is for a project (website, brochure, etc.) that is being coordinated or managed by University Communications, tell your contact that you need new photography or a photo shoot and he/she will help with the scheduling arrangements. Although photo shoots conducted by the university photographer are free of charge to our clients, you (as the client) must pay freelancers for their services. For weekend requests, a month notice is recommended to avoid scheduling conflicts. Fill out the photo request form online.
Requesting an existing photo from the photo archive
A compilation of the best campus photography is available on our online images archive. The archive is protected and requires all users to log in using their UCM Net ID and password. Upon logging in, campus clients can choose and download high-resolution images at will and free of charge.
Clients requiring file photography not available online should allow one week for our office to fulfill the request. It takes time to locate, edit, copy and distribute each request. To help expedite the process, please provide any details that would help locate the photo such as the date of the event, the persons depicted in the photo and the photographer who took the photo. Our default method of delivering photos is using Box; you will receive a link to the file folder once your images have been collected. Please verify whether the images you request will be for print or Web publication. We will save the images in high-resolution JPG format unless otherwise instructed.
Working with freelance photographers and using stock images
Use of University Communications stock photography and the work of the university photographer is deemed acceptable for on-campus clients, but University Communications is not responsible for any charges billed by off-campus photographers for the use of their photographs or for charges for any stock photography requested by our clients. If you use the work of an outside photographer, copyrighted photographs, or other copyrighted art in your publication or on your website, you as the client are obligated to pay for it. University Communications is not responsible for any charges incurred for the use of images provided to us by our clients without proper permission.
Conducting or using your own photography for your department’s use
Signed releases are necessary for every recognizable student shown on your website. You are required to obtain releases to prove that you have the legal right to use those images of that person to promote or advertise UC Merced. If young children are photographed, you’ll need to have a release signed by their parent/guardian.
Our Style
Photos should tell a story and present subjects and topics in the most intriguing and effective way. The most obvious method to achieve this is by taking photos of people doing the work that is related to the story. Posed shots lose precious energy, which translates into weaker impact. We encourage our subjects to walk, talk, move, to be themselves, to be comfortable. Our goal is for the viewer to see a photo and feel as if the photographer happened upon the person doing an activity and just snapped a picture. We discourage simply taking a mug shot or "grip-and-grin" pose and instead prefer to photograph relaxed poses in a relevant setting that helps tell the subject's story.
We try to use natural lighting, interesting framing and -- depending on the image -- to separate our subject from the background to help the eye identify the primary focal point of the photograph. Examples are shown below that describe a template that creates a unique brand and supports our main goal to tell a story:
Copyright and usage information
Photographs on the UC Merced images archive and those otherwise provided by University Communications are copyright protected. They are only for use related to UC Merced and are not for any commercial use or reproduction.
Though photos may be resized as needed, the only image alteration allowed without prior approval from University Communications is minimal cropping. Photographs may not be used in any way other than in their intended context and for the promotion of UC Merced. Photographs that are copyrighted by the photographer or the university and published in off-campus media or public relations pieces must include a credit. “Courtesy of UC Merced” is preferred, but a credit must appear within style guidelines. “Photo Courtesy of University of California, Merced” would be the minimum acceptable credit. If you have any questions regarding appropriate use of a photograph, please contact Veronica Adrover.
