Visual Communication on a Tight Budget
by
Jörg Arnold, October 2022
Images are the soul of every organisation. Whether photos or video: we use visuals to show who we are and what is important to us. They demonstrate our identity, telling the stories that inspire the public’s interest, purchase or donation in our work. Many of us know that the majority of human communication occurs not through words, but through visual cues. So why do so many communication, marketing and fundraising managers struggle to find budget for photography and video production, and why do we need to solve this?
We wonder what Jaime, a farmer in Mozambique who was taught by his father, would say about the differences between farming and communication. Both have regular seasonality, require ongoing planning and maintence and are greatly impacted by unexpected events.
Photo: Maputo, Mozambique – Mauro Vombe / TdH / Fairpicture
What’s the core problem?
There are two sentences we’ve heard over and over again:
"It is very time-consuming and expensive to get pictures that I can really use for my work."
Followed by:
"We only have a small budget for photo and video production."
Do you see how these statements contradict each other?
Our theory is that this occurs because image editing and procurement comes low on the list of priorities in the budget discussions. This means negotiations are done ad hoc throughout the year on already tight budgets and the time for these projects is often done at the expense of overtime. So how do we solve this? Image production and procurement must be included as the budget is defined.
Planning around unexpected global events also became a regular part of life for Leticia Kwaw, Headteacher of Asuadai MA School. Supported by the Asuadai Farmers' Cooperative, Kwaw was preparing to re-open the school after a ten-month closure due to the COVID-19 pandemic.
Photo: Asuadai, Ghana 2022 – Francis Kokoroko / Fairtrade Finland / Fairpicture
Managing dynamic demands in a creative office
We’re not going to tell you that you can perfectly plan your annual photo and video budget because we don't believe that to be true or possible.
In communications, everything can change at short notice. You may need assets for a report that is being prepared for a financier, there may be a last-minute event that you need to share with your community - or you may need to scrap and project and start over due to a natural disaster. For all of these reasons, it is important to keep your budget flexible and versatile.
Have an estimate of what is needed for daily operations: seasonal and annual campaigns, annual reports, and social media. This forms a global budget that can be divided and allocated according to individual - and unexpected - needs.
Optimise Pre- and Post-Production Costs
Finding a creative partner that decreases your internal workflows will help you better manage your budget. Coordinating productions, brief reviews, data management and payment: these details all cost time, which effectively means money for your organisation.
By working with a partner like Fairpicture who has clearly structured processes that exist in one digital ecosystem, the administrative work will decrease. Additionally, international travel expenses are also reduced, as you will be working with local talent.
Photo: Santa Marta, Colombia 2022 - Lorena Velasco / Fairtrade International / Fairpicture
Have an annual subscription
You can also save direct costs by having a clear partnership. Relationship-building takes time. There are nuances to each organisation and having an ongoing partner who can support your needs, even as a global organisation, can be a huge boost in efficiency. Starting in 2023, Fairpicture will offer a regular subscription model, which will reduce your daily fee. If you’re interested in learning more about this as we develop the offer, get in touch with our account management team.
Starting in 2023, Fairpicture will offer a regular subscription model, which will reduce your daily fee.
Jörg Arnold, Co-Founder Fairpicture
What is important when budgeting for photo jobs?
Always remember: good images and videos require time. Time to prepare the production, time to for the visual creator to gain the trust and proper consent of those depicted, time to edit the metadata. Even with a tight budget, investing an extra day or two will help ensure that the visual creator you work with can do their job properly and professionally. When professionals are asked to rush something, the quality of our work decreases. Budgeting for sufficient time will help everyone involved in your productions to give their best - which is important if we consider images to be one of the most important things in our communication strategies.
More from our blog
January 2022 - Aurel Vogel
Update #8: Connecting the dots
Progress has a strange pace. Months pass without noteworthy changes and suddenly everything comes together. Last year Fairpicture pretty much followed this pattern. So let’s look backwards and connect the dots.
Learn more about Update #8: Connecting the dots
September 2021 - Jörg Arnold
The moment of photography
We asked ourselves: For how long beyond the momentum of photography is it ethical for NGOs to use images for their communication? Jörg Arnold reflects in this blog.
Learn more about The moment of photography
August 2023 - Jörg Arnold
Ethics in Fundraising
"Do no harm - a maxim in fundraising as well?" Jörg's blog post about current ethical dilemmas in fundraising and how to encounter them.
Learn more about Ethics in Fundraising