Oh snap!

Five Features of Fabulous Fundraising Photos
By Doreen Brannigan, Account Manager/Graphic Artist

 
Creative envelope teasers and subject lines will do much to pique donor interest, but, a well-captured photo is worth the proverbial thousand words! It may be difficult to assess the fundraising value of one photo in your mailing or email, but there is little doubt that a carefully chosen image can play a crucial role in getting that envelope or email opened.

Luckily for us in the animal welfare world, we have charming and loveable subjects to feature in our photos. Few can resist the soulful eyes of a pleading pup, or the adorable take-me-home gaze of a kitten. And that’s a very good thing!

Use the tips below to capture your subject’s full potential.

With all of this working in our favor, there are still some things to consider when selecting the best images to use in your appeals.

1. Aim high – We’re talking resolution here. Most of the photos taken of your animals are likely intended for use on your website’s adoption page. A low-resolution photo is perfect for online applications, but a higher-resolution picture will result in a better quality image in your printed piece. Aim for a minimum of 300 dpi for a 5″ x 7″ image.
2. Face facts – Humans love and connect most with pictures of faces – especially furry ones. Select a photo in which the animal is looking directly at the camera with much of its face visible. With groupings, think about the composition. It’s more appealing to see a close-up shot of one or two kitten faces than it is to view an entire litter looking in many different directions.
3. Lost in translation – A photo may look beautiful blown up in full color on your monitor, but try to imagine how it may look when reduced and converted to black and white to fit on a mail piece. Is the background too busy? Are too many animals, people, or other elements competing for attention?
4. Show ’em what you got – Consider ways to convey your services through the pictures you select. A touching photo of an animal care provider bottlefeeding a tiny kitten, or an animal cruelty investigator holding a rescued dog makes for some compelling imagery.
5. Bring it home ­- Photograph the breeds of animals unique to your location and show them with local foliage or in regionally specific settings. Let us know more about your animal population mix so we can help you find suitable images.

A donor may not read your entire letter or email, but if that one powerful photo draws her in, she’s more likely to take action.