People Photography
Guidelines
Photography should align with its intended purpose, whether for recruitment, marketing, or showcasing our team and culture. Each image must highlight what makes EllisDon unique: our people, our projects, and our collaborative approach. The tone should be professional and authentic, focusing on our core values —collaboration, accountability, and innovation.
Audience
Photography should showcase a culture that is welcoming, innovative, and people-focused, allowing potential employees to envision themselves thriving within the organization. It must also appeal to clients, partners, and stakeholders by emphasizing professionalism, collaboration, and the strength of our teams and projects.
Brand Alignment
Photos should align with the EllisDon brand by incorporating our colour palette and displaying logos naturally, like on safety vests, helmets, or clothing. The mood should authentically reflect our values, capturing genuine moments that emphasize safety, teamwork, and innovation.
Subject Matter
Photos should include a mix of people across the company, from workers and supervisors to engineers and executives. Aim to reflect diversity in roles, genders, ethnicities, and ages. Use a balance of candid shots that show real work happening and occasional posed portraits when appropriate.
Wardrobe and PPE
All individuals in photos must wear clean, branded uniforms or appropriate safety gear that meets PPE standards. Type 2 climber-style helmets, vests, gloves, and goggles must always be worn properly.EllisDon logos should be clearly visible and consistent across all clothing and equipment.
Wardrobe and PPE
All individuals in photos must wear clean, branded uniforms or appropriate safety gear that meets PPE standards. Type 2 climber-style helmets, vests, gloves, and goggles must always be worn properly. EllisDon logos should be clearly visible and consistent across all clothing and equipment.
Take photos in clean, visually clear locations. Whether on-site around construction zones, machinery, and scaffolding, or off-site in offices, training spaces, or community areas.Check for background clutter, distractions, or any elements that appear unsafe or draw focus away from the subject.
Use eye-level for connection, low angles for strength, and wide shots for context. Focus on people over equipment. Use depth of field to highlight the subject or include the environment when it adds to the story. Apply the rule of thirds for balance. Use leading lines to guide the eye. Frame subjects with windows, doorways, or equipment. Leave negative space to reduce clutter. Capture candid moments to show real action and emotion.
Lighting and Mood
Use natural light whenever possible, making sure faces are clearly visible and well-lit. Choose a time of day that fits the mood. Golden hour creates warmth, while midday offers more clarity.
In harsh sunlight, use diffusion panels or reflectors to soften shadows on faces. Backlighting can add a dramatic effect, but always expose for the face to keep it well-lit.
For indoor shoots, position subjects near windows and avoid strong overhead lighting that can create harsh shadows.
Encourage relaxed, natural expressions that convey confidence and authenticity. Focus on real interactions that show teamwork, communication, and engagement. Avoid staged poses or clichés such as exaggerated thumbs-ups to keep the photos genuine and reflective of EllisDon’s culture.Use natural light whenever possible, making sure faces are clearly visible and well-lit. Choose a time of day that fits the mood. Golden hour creates warmth, while midday offers more clarity.
In harsh sunlight, use diffusion panels or reflectors to soften shadows on faces. Backlighting can add a dramatic effect, but always expose for the face to keep it well-lit.
For indoor shoots, position subjects near windows and avoid strong overhead lighting that can create harsh shadows.
Post Processing
Keep Edits Clean and Consistent Apply natural color grading, balanced contrast, and appropriate sharpness across all images.
Correct White Balance and Exposure Use custom white balance and match exposure to ensure consistency—especially in image sets or multi-location shoots. Respect the Crop Use proper aspect ratios and never crop out important elements like PPE, tools, or site signage.
Minimize Retouching Preserve realism. Limit edits to distractions or exposure issues while keeping faces, gear, and site details authentic.
Use Subject Masks for Targeted Adjustments Brighten faces or PPE without overexposing the background using Lightroom’s masking tools.
