About the Episode
About the Episode:
Live from eduWeb, Mallory interviews Alyssa Green, the University Photography Manager at the University of Montevallo. Alyssa shares her experiences and insights on blending creativity with marketing, leveraging AI in her workflow, and attending workshops like "Turning Discontent into Empowerment." Tune in to discover practical tips for higher ed photographers and the power of stepping out of your comfort zone.
Key Takeaways
- Photography in Marketing Requires Strategic Thinking: Capturing images for higher ed campaigns means thinking ahead about how photos will be used across platforms like social media, print, and billboards.
- AI Streamlines Creative Workflows: Tools like generative fill and AI-based image selection can save hours of editing time and allow for faster project turnarounds.
- Step Outside Your Creative Comfort Zone: Attending conferences like EduWeb helps creatives gain valuable marketing and communications insights that can elevate their craft.
- Collaboration Drives Campaign Success: Working closely with MarCom teams and campus stakeholders ensures that photography aligns with campaign goals and organizational priorities.
Why Creatives Should Attend EduWeb
Alyssa Green, with eight years of photography experience in higher ed, stepped out of her creative comfort zone by attending EduWeb. Her primary motivation? To learn more about marketing and communications so she could better support the university’s efforts through her photography.
Alyssa believes that by understanding the bigger picture, including what marketers need from her images, she can create more effective visuals. For example, attending sessions like Megan Corns Russell’s Turning Discontent into Empowerment workshop gave her new perspectives on handling workplace challenges and collaborating with colleagues.
Her advice to other creatives? “Get out of your comfort zone. Even if a session isn’t directly about photography or design, it can still provide you with tools to enhance your work.”
Campaign Spotlight: University of Montevallo’s Capital Campaign
One of Alyssa’s standout projects from the past year was photographing donors for the university’s capital campaign. Working closely with the advancement team, she traveled across Alabama—and even to North Carolina—to capture compelling portraits of alumni and donors who were supporting the campaign.
These images were used in a variety of marketing materials, including print brochures, digital campaigns, and social media posts. Alyssa also conducted interviews with donors to gain a deeper understanding of their connection to the university, allowing her to capture not just their likeness but also their spirit and story.
Her biggest lesson from this project? Think ahead. “The same photo won’t work for Instagram, a magazine cover, and a billboard,” Alyssa explains. By capturing a variety of shots—wide, tight, vertical, horizontal—she ensures her images meet the needs of multiple platforms and projects.
How AI is Changing the Photography Workflow
Alyssa has started integrating artificial intelligence into her photography workflow, and the results have been transformative. Two tools, in particular, have saved her significant time:
- Generative Fill in Photoshop: This AI tool removes distracting objects from the background of images—like light fixtures or picture frames—quickly and efficiently.
- AI Photo Culling Software: This tool helps Alyssa process hundreds of photos in minutes, selecting the best images based on criteria like sharpness, open eyes, and composition.
While AI requires some setup and training, Alyssa notes that the time investment is worth it. “The more I use it, the better it gets at understanding what I want. It’s a game-changer during busy seasons.”
Lessons for Higher Ed Creatives
- Plan for Versatility: Always think about how your photos will be used across different platforms and capture multiple angles and compositions during shoots.
- Embrace AI Tools: Incorporating AI into your workflow can save time and improve efficiency, allowing you to focus on creativity.
- Collaborate with Teams: Work closely with designers and marketers to ensure your visuals align with campaign goals and audience needs.
- Seek Out Non-Creative Insights: Attend workshops and conferences outside of your creative niche to gain new perspectives and ideas for your work.
Connect with Alyssa on LinkedIn
Connect With Our Host:
Mallory Willsea
https://www.linkedin.com/in/mallorywillsea/
https://twitter.com/mallorywillsea
About The Enrollify Podcast Network: The Higher Ed Pulse is a part of the Enrollify Podcast Network. If you like this podcast, chances are you’ll like other Enrollify shows too!
Some of our favorites include Generation AI and Confessions of a Higher Education Social Media Manager.
Enrollify is made possible by Element451 — the next-generation AI student engagement platform helping institutions create meaningful and personalized interactions with students. Learn more at element451.com.
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