Photography tips for rebuilding days - WHY US?

 Recently, RTS Director Margie Thirlby had a chat with Cynthia Woodruff, VP of Marketing and Communications at Rebuilding Together National (D.C.) about photography on rebuilding days.  

"We began emailing about what makes a rebuilding day photo great," said Margie.  "Cynthia truly captured what marketing experts are looking for, and what makes a rebuilding day photo compelling to our community and supporters."

The simple answer?  WHY US.

If you're volunteering with us on Spring Rebuilding Day this Saturday and planning on snapping some photos, we want to use those photos to tell our story and answer the question "WHY US?"  When we tell the Seattle community about our vision of a safe and healthy home for every person, we need to show them WHY US?  Why join Rebuilding Together Seattle?

Below are additional tips from Cynthia about rebuilding day photography.  Enjoy!

"We are happy to see anything you have...

But we have a shortage of before/after that truly clear visuals that would make sense to someone who does NOT know what RT does, or understands there’s the need out there, or has a choice of who to support.  Why Us? Give me pictures that say “why us."

I more often than not look at photos that staff or affiliates show me and deflate their excitement.  I have a big “so what” factor.   (My job to be a critic!).   More often than not we get close ups of a rotten tub or stairwell and then the after, but, that may be easily identifiable and impressive to a house captain, or volunteers who were there but does it really show Jill-know-nothing that we changed a life that day?   Nope.  I need to someone get the visuals of the whole house change (I’ll take the stairwell before and afters, I’ll take the smiling volunteers standing in front of their sponsor sign but…come on!

Give me homeowners in front of house

Before and afters that tell the story

And I hope you are happy you invited yourself into my soap box speech."

THANK YOU CYNTHIA!