Why the Third Floor?

I guess I’m pretty fortunate.  I do college admissions photography work at some of the most stunning campuses in the country.  The Princeton Review will back me up on that.  But it dawned on me the other day as I stood in front of a college admin. building, I’ve got to go to the third floor… again. 

This is an interesting phenomenon in my book.  Many of these colleges and universities have been around for a long time,  Old former residences get pressed into service for college administrators I’m sure for practical reasons, but since these offices receive visitors, they also serve a more subtle purpose.  These buildings are greeting places.  The foyer of an institution is that old house on campus. 

Harmonious architecture is the general rule on any campus.  The new blends with the old.  The institutional traditions are played out with its buildings.  But it’s that house on campus, you know, where the college admissions office is, that seems so interesting.  Walking up three flights of stairs is never a chore.  Once up there the compass gets set and instead of exiting the building, you enter the campus.

 

Paul O’Mara   www.photomara.com

Some recent work is now posted on Flickr.  along with coverage of a college prep school ecology trip to Costa Rica this spring  http://www.flickr.com/photos/25356498@N05/

Every college and university has a unique personality

The great and worthwhile challenge of showing the uniqueness of a college campus is the top priority of my Admissions and Higher Ed. Photography.  If I follow my instincts on a campus, I’ll find something that the shoot list never mentions.

Physically no two are the same.  That’s fairly straightforward when you look over a campus.  The prominent buildings and landmarks help define the externals of an institution.  Academic strengths factor strongly into the personality of a college or university.  Dynamic faculty usually abound there along with students eager to gain their knowledge. 

Colleges and universities are communities.  When college applicants really look deep at an institution, the majority of applicants are looking at that community and how they will fit in.  This goes back to my previous posting on my daughter’s college search.  Her interest in a school was guided initally by visuals.  The schools which successfully, or at least for her, got her interest did so because the search piece revealed something  visually which appealed to her. 

The personality of colleges and universities are as unique.  How do you stand out?

Dig deep, beyond what you see on the surface.  Show that and they will find you.

 

Paul O’Mara Digital

www.photomara.com

 

 

 

Do Admissions Marketing Search Pieces Work?

Our mailbox overflowed for most of the last two years with college search material.  Naturally I was interested in how institutions used admissions marketing photography.  I’d give the brochure, card or book a once over and put that day’s pile of solicitations in a spot for my daughter to go over when she got home from school. 

I thought that this was a great chance to see how colleges and universities used photography.  A few of the pieces were from institutions I work with so it was great to see these pieces in the mail.  The real test came every afternoon when my daughter would look them over.  Out of the next room I’d hear, “Oh Dad, that’s so bogus” or “How cool”.  There seemed to be no in between.

Well, she’s chosen a great college.  It’s actually a university who I work with.  I would like to think my wonderful photography was what won her over, but it’s not.  In her case there are far too many other factors which came into play.  But her running commentaries on the incoming mail told me a lot.  Admittedly she has a bias in her judgement of admissions photography content,  but what made her take that longer look at a particular brochure?

It boiled down to two things: An engaging photograph of campus and a photograph which gave her the feeling that she could see herself there.  The first seemed to be the “hook”.  That got her to look inside.  Ultimately her pile of “keeper” college search pieces consistently had those two elements.  When the next piece arrived from her “keepers”, they were the first to be opened.  She “knew” the school by the time the second piece arrived and she wanted to learn more.

When I shoot on a campus now I am just a little more aware of those things my 18year-old noticed when she was opening up her mail.   I wish we could do it again next year.  I’m glad I paid attention.

Paul O’Mara  www.photomara.com

 

Under promise and over deliver

I have a local college client who has asked me to help them put together a Book of Majors.  This is not the first time I’ve done this, but it is the first time that I had the luxury of time (throughout the entire school year) and the ability to schedule shooting around interesting subject matter. 

We narrowed it down to 26 majors and armed with a campus directory I started picking at it beginning last October.  I am now down to my last two or three and looking back over this project I realized what a gift it was to have gone through this.  I have had time to think and plan.  I could scout a class or lab and many times make eye-to-eye contact with the faculty member I was to photograph before the shoot.  But it’s the results which have been most pleasing. 

All of this will be added to the institutions photo database, becoming a powerful resource for the coming year.  A new agency was hired this year to do some re-branding and the usual menu of publications there so this gives the Admissions Marketing portion of those publications: Search pieces, website and Viewbook a solid start even before the art director hits campus.

The best news for me and the college is that it is some of the best work I’ve done in classroom settings.  This has much to do with their faith in my abilities and trusting that I would produce a great product for them with a little flexiblility on both sides. 

A selection of that effort will be added to my website www.photomara.com

 

Paul O’Mara

 

  

 

Here’s to bigger and better

It’s taken a while for me to process the way word gets out about you and your work, but I think I’m catching on… just a bit.

As a professional photographer, it’s essential to grow your business.  Mine takes a fair amount from institutional work: Colleges, universities and college preparatoy schools, both day and boarding.  It’s not too difficult for me to find good schools to partner with, but now I’m interested in schools learning a bit about me.  Perhaps this is a valid approach.

First, I would like to thank FJ Gaylor Photograpy for showing me the way on this.  We have never met, but I have followed their work (Father and son team) through their blog.  They are quite good at what they do, so thanks guys.

As a test for this I have posted some photos on Flikr.com of a trip I made to Costa Rica with my daughter.  We traveled with a group from her school, going birding in the mornings and side trips in the afternoon to go ziplining, rappeling and such.  It is stunning country and a most interesting place to follow these kids around as they explored this natural and wild world.

You can see my work at  www.photomara.com