Video and Photography

The photo and video teams at WCU provide photography and video in support of the WCU brand that showcases the full college experience through brand development, paid media, social media, and the WCU website. Our primary focus is on the student experience and storytelling that highlights academic programs, university initiatives, and life on campus.

We also support content creation highlighting the success of our faculty/staff and alumni in their professional lives. We highly encourage faculty and staff to provide storytelling opportunities to University Communications and Marketing that could be useful in promoting the WCU brand.

What We Do

Our services capture still and moving images of student activities, campus life and athletics events, and showcase the variety of educational opportunities both inside and outside of the classroom. 

We produce images and video that are used for various print and online material such as external media, the university magazine, the Western Carolina University website, social media platforms and various other projects that require high-quality visuals.

Due to the high volume of requests for professional headshots, the UCM photography team hosts monthly open studio sessions that are open to all faculty and staff. These sessions will be posted in InsideWCU and individual appointments or requests are not needed in order to attend.

Group photos are not accommodated by University Communications and Marketing. UCM photographers encourage faculty and staff on campus to utilize cell phones and other technology available on campus to capture group photos for their web pages, social media, and print materials.

Project Scope

Capturing the student experience through events on campus is an important part of what we do as university photographers. Not all campus events will yield work that contribute to UCM’s marketing and branding objectives. When thinking about requesting photography for a campus event, think through how the photos will be used, does the event involve active student engagement, and is this something that could help serve as marketing for WCU. Event requests will be accepted on a case-by-case basis based on workload and relevancy to UCM strategic goals.

UCM encourages folks on campus to use cell phones and other technology available on campus to capture events that have an internal focus or are going to primarily use for social media. Executive leadership involvement in an event does not automatically qualify it for coverage by university photographers. If your event isn’t accommodated by UCM, a list of approved contractors is available.

UCM does not offer video recording services for lectures or guest speakers unless they are identified through the teams’ strategic goals. Some facilities on campus (i.e., Bardo Arts Center) offer recording services as part of their packages and we encourage faculty and staff to leverage those resources when planning their special events. UCM encourages folks on campus to utilize our film and broadcast programs, as well as other available technology on campus to capture their special events for archival purposes.

Informational videos for program and department websites can be a useful tool when working with current or prospective students. Due to the high numbers of programs on campus, UCM does not accommodate program videos that will be used on departmental websites or social media.

UCM understands the value of live streaming certain events such as commencement, but live streaming is not offered as a service unless approved by executive leadership.

Photography Priority Guidelines

The guidelines for photo requests are listed in priority order, with Level 1 having the highest priority. Note that listings within each level are in no particular order:

Level 1 - photographed by WCU staff

• Admissions and recruitment photography
• Local, regional or national news stories and major web page stories for media release
• High-profile Alumni events
• High-profile Advancement events
• WCU magazine assignments
• Major recurring events (commencement, convocation, Homecoming, etc.)
• One-time historic events and speakers
• Groundbreakings, dedications, major campaign events
• High-profile speakers (visiting dignitaries, commencement keynote)
• Assignments from the Office of the Chancellor
• Faculty and staff portraits and headshots
  • Open Studio Sessions
• Top-tier web photos

Level 2 - photographed by students or freelancers, WCU staff available as a backup

• Speakers (except Level 1)
• Conferences, symposiums and other events
• Administrative or academic departmental needs (speakers, events, portraits, classroom photos, etc.)

Level 3 - photographed by students or freelance photographers

• Student headshots for lookbooks, rosters, etc.
• Group photos
• Receptions
• Employee-centered events

University Communications and Marketing maintains a list of freelance photographers who have worked on campus. Student photographers can occasionally be assigned directly to cover your assignment.

Please contact us for freelance rates and contact information.

Project Request

University Communication and Marketing (UCM) has adopted Asana as our project management platform. You can use our Asana Form to submit your photography, videography, graphic design, social media, website, and paid media requests and questions. For questions regarding photo and video requests in Asana, please contact Sam Wallace, Senior Director of Creative Services.

GO TO THE UCM PROJECT REQUEST FORM

  

Requesting Existing Photo and Video Assets

Images and video produced by the university photographers/videographers are available for communication, promotional and marketing purposes, and are maintained on servers located within our office, as well as our WCU Photoshelter library. To download non-watermarked images on Photoshelter, please login with your WCU credentials on the Photoshelter website.

Video assets may be requested via the UCM project request form. These requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis and assets will be delivered by a video producer in University Communications and Marketing.

Requests for archival photography not housed on the WCU Photoshelter can be made through Ashley Evans, University Photographer at aevans@wcu.edu.