--- title: Photography date: 2026-06-04T11:01:00-04:00 author: Tierra Collins canonical_url: "https://brand.umd.edu/applying-the-brand/photography" section: Pages --- # Photography *Applying the Brand* **Photography** [The OMC Photo Library](https://go.umd.edu/omcphotos) offers a selection of campus, teaching and student images. It is refreshed regularly with new photos captured by the Office of Marketing and Communications (OMC) Photo team. For any questions, please email [photo@umd.edu](mailto:photo@umd.edu). [Iconic campus images](https://go.umd.edu/campusphotos) are available to download without a login, but you will need to enter an email address. The Office of Marketing and Communications covers as many aspects of campus life as possible. Colleges, schools and other units can contact OMC about availability and hourly rates for photo coverage, or they can hire freelance photographers to capture important events, people and student life happenings for their own marketing and promotional needs. To request OMC photography, please [submit a project request](https://brand.umd.edu/resources-support/request-support). # Selecting and Shooting Photos **Selecting Photos** OMC’s Photo team’s goal is to visually share the UMD campus experience. These guidelines are intended to preserve the authenticity of that storytelling. - Prioritize using original photography over stock imagery as much as possible. - Use discretion when using [AI-generated imagery](https://brand.umd.edu/resources-support/artificial-intelligence), and disclose via credit/caption if an image is AI-generated. - Preserve the natural look of the subject; use colorizing or other dramatic filters in moderation. - Do not use overly staged photography. - Be mindful of the context in which images are used and the meaning they convey when taken out of that context. Avoid images that may inadvertently perpetuate stereotypes. - Include people and context in building photos to infuse them with life. - Credit the source and/or the photographer whenever and wherever possible. **Shooting Photos** Effective photographs ... - Tell a story. - Evoke a feeling. - Are representative of the Terp community’s diversity. - Have interesting angles and points of view. - Convey a sense of place or of the subject. - Have natural smiles and authentic interactions. - Are bold, dynamic and bright. Request your subject’s name and cell phone number or email whenever possible to indicate consent. - [Learn more about photo releases](https://brand.umd.edu/applying-the-brand/photography#releases) - **Carousel Slide: Solar Eclipse 04082024 SC 9654** — Faculty, staff and students donned protective shades and fanned out across campus on April 8, 2024, to watch a partial solar eclipse that eerily dimmed the daylight across the country. - **Carousel Slide: MSOM 08222024 RS 8854 DAM** — The Mighty Sound of Maryland practices under the summer sun ahead of the start of the 2025-26 school year. - **Carousel Slide: Land Blessing Dining Hall 11012021 SC 8827** — Maurice Proctor, a member of the Piscataway Conoy Tribe, leads the ground blessing ceremony on Nov. 2, 2021, for the new dining hall, Yahentamitsi, which is the first UMD building to be named for Maryland’s Native American heritage. - **Carousel Slide: Homecoming 11012025 SC 1881 1920x1080** — Students and visitors to campus rub Testudo’s nose for good luck during the 2025 Homecoming Weekend. # Portraits Portraits should convey a sense of personality and authenticity with the following attributes: - A simple, uncluttered background or relevant props and environment. - Natural light, when possible. Keep the sun behind the photographer. - Proximity to your subject, especially If your lenses are limited or you’re using a phone. - **Carousel Slide: Terrapin Commitment Epps Josephine MT 04082026 SC 2031** — Josephine Epps '29 is one of the undergraduate recipients of the Terrapin Commitment, which provides assistance for full-time, first-degree-seeking Maryland residents whose families earn $75,000 or less and have unmet financial need. - **Carousel Slide: Rita Colwell 08242017 8781** — Rita Colwell, a Distinguished University Professor with an appointment in the University of Maryland Institute for Advanced Computer Studies, was the 2020 recipient of the William Bowie Medal from the American Geophysical Union. - **Carousel Slide: Nikolas Francis 11042021 JC 8700** — Nikolas Francis is a percussionist in the D.C. jazz scene, an assistant professor in the Department of Biology and the first faculty member recruited by the UMD Brain and Behavior Institute. - **Carousel Slide: Ryan Remi 05202025 RS 7113** — Remi Ryan is one of 11 students in the Class of 2025 who are part of the Fostering Terp Success program, which offers resources and services to students who don’t have traditional family support. # Events Event photography should capture the unique aspects of the event along with the sponsoring unit’s brand or mark. A photographer should seek opportunities to capture the interaction of the speaker(s) with the audience and shoot from different angles. Think variety: wide (overall, the entire event), medium (a close image of the audience or presenters engaged with the audience) and tight (close-up of speakers or presenters or interesting details). - **Carousel Slide: Commencement 05202024 JC 7690** — The sun shines through as the Class of 2024 takes in Commencement in SECU Stadium. - **Carousel Slide: AIM Launch Event 05022024 SC 8824** — Provost and Senior Vice President Jennifer King Rice speaks during the launch of the Artificial Intelligence Interdisciplinary Institute at Maryland. - **Carousel Slide: Mpact Conference 03262026 DS 0223** — UMD President Darryll J. Pines speaks from the podium while in front of the Maryland Ocular. - **Carousel Slide: Feller Lecture 04212022 SC 2906** — Department of Government and Politics Assistant Professor Chryl Laird talks with Tom Perez, former U.S. Secretary of Labor and former chair of the Democratic National Committee, at the College of Behavioral and Social Sciences’ annual Feller Lecture on April 21, 2022. # Campus Life When considering scenic imagery, consider the time of day for lighting, the traffic pattern of the area and any zones with special privacy considerations (i.e. the Health Center, residence halls, the Center for Young Children). Other considerations: - People - Composition, leading lines and framing - Scale, depth and layers - Action within the space and sense of energy - Showcasing the functionality of spaces and their intended uses - **Carousel Slide: Idea Factory 04212022 SC 3236 2** — The E.A. Fernandez IDEA Factory opened in Spring 2022 as a new hub for campus innovation. - **Carousel Slide: First Look Fair SC 09122019 8681** — Students flock to the First Look Fair every September to meet representatives of clubs and organizations across campus. - **Carousel Slide: NEXTNOW Dance 09052024 DS 9841** — Students in the School of Theatre, Dance, and Performance Studies perform during the NextNOW Festival, a weeklong annual arts experience that encourages UMD community members to engage in creativity of all forms. - **Carousel Slide: Service Day SGC 08232024 DS 1535 dam** — Students in the Science and Global Change program of College Park Scholars pull invasive weeds during Scholars Service Day at Kenilworth Park & Aquatic Gardens. - **Carousel Slide: ASTR288 T 04012025 RS 1264 1920x1080** — Students in “Introduction to Astrophotography” look at an image they captured of Thor’s Helmet nebula during an observation visit at the Astronomical Observatory on April 1, 2025. - **Carousel Slide: Free Fest 08242024 RS 2985 DAM** — Students gather to play spikeball on McKeldin Mall. # Recommended Specs **Print images** CMYK color format: TIFF, PSD or JPEG at 300 dpi **Web/digital images** RGB color format: JPEG or PNG ranging from 72 dpi to 300 dpi # Photo Releases Much of the campus is considered a public space, and releases are not required from people whose images are captured in photographs or video. Public spaces include: - Lobbies and atriums - Sports fields or arenas - UMD-sponsored events - Outdoor common spaces Individuals have a limited scope of privacy rights when they are in public spaces. They can be photographed or recorded on video without their consent. Exceptions exist in places where individuals have a practical expectation of privacy, such as medical facilities, residence halls and the Center for Young Children. When shooting close-up images of individuals in other campus spaces, photographers should inform the subjects that their image may be used for marketing or communication purposes and/or ask them to sign the [Photo Release Form](https://umd.app.box.com/s/falrfa6lciw1jj8967up3b2gwul0j62m). To maintain patient privacy and ensure HIPAA compliance, any photography or videography in or near the Health Center requires permission. Please contact photo@umd.edu for more information. Respect the requests of community members not to be photographed, even in public spaces. # Questions? Email [photo@umd.edu](mailto:photo@umd.edu) or request support from the Office of Marketing and Communications. - [Request support](https://brand.umd.edu/resources-support/request-support) - [Request Support](https://brand.umd.edu/resources-support/request-support)