Photos are a powerful way to communicate. Photos quickly give a sense of place, convey emotion and energy, and, as cliché as it sounds, are worth a thousand words.

Pasadena City College is a beautiful and diverse campus. It is unlike any other community college. We are determined students, accomplished faculty, dedicated staff and noteworthy alumni. We are optimistic and motivated. We break barriers, innovate and think outside the box. We are high energy and enthusiastic. Nothing is beyond our reach.

Our imagery should reflect us — epic, bright, energetic, a bit edgy, strong, bold, and brilliant. Shoot from a different angle. Suffuse your photos with light and let people shine through. The sky’s the limit — shoot for the sky.

Focus on journalistic credibility — realness.  We are telling stories with the photos we use. Do NOT use stock photography (if you have any questions on stock photography, see below under Stock Photography).

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Taking or Finding Photos

There are various avenues to take when finding or taking photos. We always recommend starting with our in-house photographers, but if that option does not fulfill your needs, below are few alternate ways to get photos.

Book a Photo Shoot

This is the best place to start. Contact Strategic Communications and Marketing to book a photo shoot or have an in-house photographer on site for an event. 

Resources

Many of the photos taken on campus and for PCC are posted to PCC's Flickr account, you are welcome to browse and use any images. Additionally contact Strategic Communications and Marketing if you're in need of specific images or want to discuss what options might be best for your circumstances.

Shooting Your Own Photos or Hiring a Freelancer

You are welcome to shoot your own photos and, in some cases, this is very fitting, ie for an event or gallery of images of an event. But we always recommend using a professional. We all now have devices at our figure tips that can take great photos, but that doesn't necessarily mean we're all great photographers, so our first recommendation is to hire a professional or use the in-house photographers, but if you do decide to take your own photos, the final images will be vetted by Strategic Communications and Marketing prior to publishing on the web.

Note: You will need to have anyone in the images complete a Media Release Form.

Stock Photos

Stock photos should only be used in rare cases and will be reviewed by Strategic Communications and Marketing prior to use. If you have a stock  image you would like to use, we recommend sending a link to the image or file to Strategic Communications and Marketing prior to purchasing.