Imagery
Photography should show who we are and what we do — real UpRys people alongside the organizations we serve. Honest, warm, in motion. Rely less on stock; build a library of authentic frames.
Reference set
Current site references — several still rely on stock. Treat them as placeholders to replace as authentic assets land.
Principles
Authentic UpRys first
Prefer real consultants, clients, and workplaces. Stock is a bridge — not the destination.
People in relationship
Listening, alignment, partnership. Avoid hands-only or anonymous body crops that erase faces.
Client environments
Nonprofit and small-business settings — offices, program spaces, working sessions — not generic coworking gloss.
Natural light, grounded tone
Warm, soft, directional. Avoid overly staged lighting that feels like a catalog.
Brand color in-frame
Bone, ink, and coral should feel present — e.g. a coral accent in wardrobe when it doesn’t look forced.
Earned engagement
Faces engaged in the work, not performing for the camera. Candor over polish.
Photo punch list
Brief for the next shoot or asset request. Not a full production plan — a checklist so new photos reduce stock dependence.
Real UpRys consultants with clients in working sessions
Generic stock “meeting” tables with no UpRys people
Nonprofit / small-business environments (program rooms, offices, community spaces)
Luxury loft / tech-startup wallpaper that doesn’t match who we serve
Pairs and small groups mid-conversation — listening and alignment
Hands-only, faceless crops, or lone heroic poses
Coral/orange brand cues when wardrobe or props allow
Random accent colors that fight Coral or look staged
Soft natural light; documentary warmth
Hard flash, fluorescent flatness, or overly graded “ad” looks
Art direction studio
Preview any shot at the standard crop ratios, switch treatments (Native, Coral wash, Mono), and toggle crop guides + the text safe zone before you export.
Treatments
Default. Full color — warm, natural light.
20% coral multiply. Editorial moments only.
Grayscale. Reportage, archive, press.
Always reflect the people we actually serve — real demographics, never tokenism or posed stock.
Specs, end cards, lower thirds, captions, music, and b-roll.