November 2020

Photography that shows you care

Experience the power of photography with Venture Studios

In our recent article Every Picture Tells a Story, we explored the power of images and the truth of the old saying that “a picture is worth a thousand words”. We looked at how viewing images can create empathy with the people in the images and make us want to know more about their story.

That is why many charities are using photography effectively to tell their story. Images on adverts, posters, leaflets and social media channels can result in a much greater awareness of the aims of the charity, and gain them more supporters and funds. They enable people to identify with those being helped by the charity and to want to become involved in this as well.

Helping Children in Need

One of the best known regular charity events in the UK is Children in Need. Due to the pandemic, this year’s fundraising efforts will largely be online rather than face to face, but the annual TV event is going ahead as usual.

Children in Need is known not only for its lead character Pudsey Bear, but also for its many powerful images and videos of children whose lives have been transformed by the fundraising.

At Venture Studios we care passionately about children in need: not just the annual Children in Need event, but also on a smaller and more local basis. We are delighted that our Little Face of Venture competition has been able to raise funds for the wonderful Well Child charity, supporting children and young people with long term, complex healthcare needs..

We are also very proud of our brilliant South Woodford Venture Studios team, who are part of a local organisation called The Haven House 100 Club.

The club is a community of like-minded local organisations that aims to support the Haven House Children’s Hospice by pledging to achieve an annual fundraising goal of £1,000 each for Haven House.

How photography makes a difference

So even in this most difficult year, we can all still make a difference to improve the lives of others. For some of us that may mean actively supporting a charity, perhaps in some of the ways we have just been reading about. Or you may be employed in some kind of helping role, or be involved in your local community in a variety of different ways. But we all have a part to play.

Whatever you are doing, photography can make a huge difference. So, if it’s appropriate, try to capture the cause you are passionate about in some meaningful photographs. Not only will these become treasured memories for you to look back on in future, but they could really help your cause. Take a look at some of the images on the above websites to see just what we mean.

So here are five simple ideas about how you could use photography to support the work you are doing, as long as you have permission from people featured in your images:

• Offer them for use on the charity/community website or social media channels;
• Share them on your own social media channels to raise awareness of the cause;
• Ask friends and family to share them on their social media to spread the word;
• Use them to invite other local groups – for example, schools – to get involved;
• Enter them for photography competitions for further exposure.

Last but not least, if you are involved in any special kind of fundraiser – perhaps a marathon or skydive or abseil – why not visit your nearest Venture Studios afterwards for a celebratory photoshoot? Bring all your gear and relive the moment! You will enjoy every minute and will create treasured #memoriesforever.

We are living in strange and difficult times at the moment. However, each of us is still able to play our small part in making a difference. And with the help of photography, we can raise awareness of that difference to encourage others to get involved as well and help to make this world a better place.