CAP Photos for Recruiting Video

[RicL]

I've got a few photo's from our squadron's activities but no where near enough to really put together a recruiting video. Anyone have photo's online that could be used in a video? I'm looking for some good photo's for D&C, cadet activities and SAR. More specifically I'd need the permission of the people photographed in order to use the photos.

Thanks!

[RicL]

By the way, I was completely unaware of the video contest when I started down this road. I just became aware of the contest on usafaux.us today and won't be entering, I'm doing this for my squadron.

[Майор Хаткевич]

I've got a few photo's from our squadron's activities but no where near enough to really put together a recruiting video. Anyone have photo's online that could be used in a video? I'm looking for some good photo's for D&C, cadet activities and SAR. More specifically I'd need the permission of the people photographed in order to use the photos.

Thanks!

I have lots and lots, but the dominant view in my corner of the CAP world is that you should be using your local program to present to potential new members. I also agree with it.

The reason I have tons (thousands!) of images of my local program is because we have these activities that we do. If you don't have enough pictures of D&C, Cadet Activities, or ES why?

Are you doing these things? If not, why would you mislead people into believing you did?

Besides, it's always best to have the recruit MEET the people depicted doing all that fun stuff.

I'm sure Eclipse will wonder in here, and let me know if I got the idea right.

[Eclipse]

I have lots and lots, but the dominant view in my corner of the CAP world is that you should be using your local program to present to potential new members. I also agree with it.

+1 - Nothing frustrates a member more than to find out there's no Hummer, aircraft, or whatever else they saw at the recruiting booth when they show up for the first meeting.

Using your own photos allows you to speak to the activities and the people in the first person.  The point USAFAUX2004 makes is a little direct, but spot-on, if you don't have photos of your unit doing "stuff", either you need more pictures taken or more "stuff".

[RicL]

Well the unit was just chartered in July and I'll be taking photo's when we do O rides on the 30th. I was going to use some photo's from previous encampments but I can't find the portable hard drive that I had all of mine on and the wing encampment website that held most of the photo's of our previous encampments seems to be down also.

Can mission photographs even be used for other purposes such as recruiting? Such as the "seen everywhere" photo's from 9/11?

[jimmydeanno]

Using your own photos allows you to speak to the activities and the people in the first person.  The point USAFAUX2004 makes is a little direct, but spot-on, if you don't have photos of your unit doing "stuff", either you need more pictures taken or more "stuff".

I sure am glad that my local Red Cross chapters don't rely solely on the pictures they take to spread the message of the Red Cross.

My unit does TONS of stuff, but the number of "good" pictures is actually quite minimal.  (Actually, you'll find me, my cadets, my wife, etc in a bunch of CAP materials, but I digress...) 

Maybe he doesn't have quality pictures of his unit doing things.

Maybe the pictures he does have don't meet the purpose he's trying to use them for.

Maybe his unit is small and he's trying to expand it into different areas of what CAP does and needs pictures to represent that.

Just because he needs pictures doesn't mean that his program sucks.  Corporations around the world use stock photography because it meets the message they're trying to send.  So give the guy a break and just point him to some pictures...

[RicL]

So give the guy a break and just point him to some pictures...

That solicited a laugh..

The issue with most of the pics I have is, well, I'll use d&c as an example. Do you really want to use a photo of 8 cadets in BDU's doing D&C if there are pics of full flights doing it in blues? Which looks better for a recruiting video?

[Eclipse]

Just because he needs pictures doesn't mean that his program sucks.  Corporations around the world use stock photography because it meets the message they're trying to send.  So give the guy a break and just point him to some pictures...

No one said it did.

What you're missing is that the ARC does the same basic thing, consistently and to a standard everywhere.  Not so in CAP.

How many units recruit using photos from Katrina, the Challenger, the olympics, and NCC who have never sent a member to any of those?

Too many.

If you're a new squadron and don't have a history, so be it, but make sure your message is that the photos show the potential and opportunity available to active members, but that your unit is in a growth phase.

Can mission photographs even be used for other purposes such as recruiting? Such as the "seen everywhere" photo's from 9/11?

The conventional wisdom is that photos like the 9/11 pictures, etc., can be used in booths and collateral, as can just about anything else posted on NHQ's site.

For anything really fresh its best to directly ask the photographer or talk to wing ops - they could contain data that is still in the OPSEC area, or just be sensitive in general.  If they are already posted on a public website, you're probably safe.

As a courtesy always make sure to so proper attribution.

[jimmydeanno]

What you're missing is that the ARC does the same basic thing, consistently and to a standard everywhere.  Not so in CAP.

So because we do things the exact opposite way of successful non-profits, we should perpetuate it?  The ARC has a unified brand that it pushes out across its organization.  It has a unified message that it advertises and brings to everywhere it goes. 

Maybe part of the "lack of professionalism" in CAP is the lack of professionalism we present when we bring members in, starting with the way we recruit.  If we had a collection of publicly available stock CAP photos that we could use to represent our organization, not only would it present our organization better to the public, but help units who don't happen to have expert photographers.

It's that whole "NHQ supporting the units" thing...just sayin'

[Lancer]

By the way, I was completely unaware of the video contest when I started down this road. I just became aware of the contest on usafaux.us today and won't be entering, I'm doing this for my squadron.

Thanks for checking out my blog Ric...

Do you have a video camera? One that preferably can hook up to a PC that you can pull the video off of? Photos are nice, but making a 'video' totally out of photos, well...it's ok, but it certainly won't give you the bang you're looking for unless you can pull off some great transitions with effects and what not that are timed to the beat of the music.

Video tape your members doing things at your meetings, or activities you are participating in. Interview members for segments that are interspersed through the video with them giving the answer to the question 'Why did I join CAP?'

Whatever you do, don't rush into it, if you're going to put the effort into creating something, make it great!

[RicL]

I've got a Fuji Finepix S700, it's a 7.1MP digital camera (10x optical zoom, no clue on the digital zoom as I've had it disabled since day one). I like it and it works for most general photography but I can't see shooting video at 640x480@30fps with a digital still camera. The audio is always horrible and for the most part you can tell it was shot with a digital still camera. It's like shooting video with a cell phone.

[SarDragon]

Another device for shooting interviews -

Have a series of Qs lined up ahead of time. Structure them so the answers will seem like extemporaneous speaking.
Have the camera on a tripod, while the operator asks the Qs, ans hoot the interview.
Edit out the parts where the Qs are being asked.

I did a similar interview for AFRTS when I was in Misawa, and it made the evening news during our encampment.