Photography
Red Hat® photos capture the spirit of their subjects in authentic and meaningful ways. Through photography, we add context and depth to our messages. Every photo, no matter its type, serves the same purpose: to tell a true, coherent, and compelling story.
Photography is best used when you want to highlight the human experience, a specific customer, partner, or associate, or when you need to visually represent an abstract concept for a technology or industry.
Attributes of a Red Hat photo
Our photography should inspire openness, authenticity, helpfulness, and bravery. We can achieve this goal with photos that are confident, realistic, and thoughtful. Take and choose photos that are true to Red Hat’s personality by making sure the photo:
- Captures the spirit of the subject in an authentic and meaningful way.
- Captures life as it exists for our associates, customers, and partners.
- Is properly composed.
- Has appropriate color balance.
- Is not overly stylized and does not use overlay graphics.
- Does not depict stereotypes.
- Maintains a global perspective.
- Features a setting that is authentic to the story and subject of the image.
- Features a Red Hatter or a model that represents our associates and company culture accurately.
- Focuses on an activity if a person is in the photo but is not the subject of the photo.
Types of photography
If we want to create an emotional ad, promote our brand in a press release, or grow excitement around an upcoming event, we need different types of photography. This includes event photography, portraits, photojournalism, stock, and associate photography.
Events
Event photography
Event photography should match the color and tone of the event. In general, use the light that is available to you, and include minimal corrections and coloring if necessary.
When shooting photography at an event, it is important to capture wide shots that showcase the environment, like the expo hall at Red Hat Summit.
Attendee photography
It is also important to capture tighter photographs that highlight attendees interacting and participating throughout the event.
Portraits
Employee headshots
Employee headshots are taken in a studio with a solid background and studio lighting to highlight the subject’s personality instead of the environment.
Customer photography
Photos of our customers should be shot in their environments to capture their personalities and add depth to their stories.
Photojournalism
Customer stories
These photos show our customers’ journeys with our technologies and often depict a change in the culture of their companies. We want to document what life is like for customers in their daily environments.
Life at Red Hat
These photos document a moment in time using as much available light as possible. They might show our employees at work, documenting their everyday roles at Red Hat or their volunteer work.
Stock
Purchased Stock
Stock photos are licensed through stock photography agencies. Look for photos without licensing restrictions that don’t feature people as the subject of the photo; they should feature an action or a space instead. Make sure you know what you are buying.
Custom stock
Custom stock photos are specific to Red Hat, and feature a Red Hatter, customer, or partner (or a model that represents them and our company culture accurately). A custom photo can show our customers using Red Hat technology or highlight our branded stickers and swag.
Associate
Associate photography
When it comes to authentic photography at Red Hat, the best photos often come from our associates. When taking photos to submit to The Show or the Brand and Creative Team, keep these guidelines in mind to make sure your photos are high quality and easy for the team to use.
Photography in use
Photography is often featured in web headers and cards on redhat.com to add a human element to our products and offerings.
Photography works well in presentations when we’re highlighting the experience of a customer, partner, associate, or industry.
Take and choose photos that are authentic and true to Red Hat’s personality.
Do not take or choose photos that feel staged.
Take and choose photos that are free of overlays or additional graphic elements.
Do not overlay or add additional elements onto Red Hat photos.
