All of life is story—yours, mine, ours, from a million points of view, in various combinations and permutations, with endless possibilities. Stories of people and places, of individuals and congregations, at home here in Canada and around the world.

Real stories that inspire and challenge, encourage and disrupt. Authentic stories that make people think and make people feel.

Alliance Alive is designed to show Alliance churches what God is doing through the Alliance in Canada and around the world. The video material you provide can be used both to tell your ministry story and as background footage for other Alliance productions.

Taking Better Photographs

Despite all the emphasis today on new media, photography has not lost the power to move us. And although the narrative may help us better understand, it is through the photographs that we remember.

The ability to take interesting and engaging photos is a skill worth developing. Here are some practical tips to help in that process.

1. Good composition. This is the  secret to great photos. Take a few seconds to visualize how you want the photo to look. Compose your shot to emphasize the subject and subordinate the details.

2. Move in close. Taking photos from too far a distance is a common mistake. The best shots are often the most simple. Move in close to eliminate excess details and capture emotion and intimacy.

3. Avoid distracting backgrounds. Plain ones often work best. And make sure nothing is sticking out of your subject’s head like a tree, chimney, or utility pole.

4. Sense of balance. Resist the natural urge to place the subject in the centre of the photo. Instead, dissect the frame into thirds—horizontally and vertically. Place the subject in one-third of the frame. This gives the subject room to move in or out of the frame.

5. Watch the light. Next to the subject, light is the most important part of every photo. Find a spot where lighting is adequate or use the flash, even in daylight conditions. Avoid backlit or high contrast situations and keep the source of light at your back.

6. Ministry context. Avoid mass group shots (e.g. 150 people at a regional Bible study). Mix in close-ups with long shots of larger groups. Show people in action doing various in-church and outreach activities.

7. Map out the story. Think ahead about what shots you’ll need. Vary the shots. It takes different angles to tell a complete story.

8. Photographing people. When taking a picture of someone, hold the camera at the person’s eye level to unleash the power of magnetic gazes and mesmerizing smiles. Provide candid activity shots in addition to people posing. Capture them both in various activities—worship, fellowship, and outreach—and in a variety of settings—church, home, workplace, etc.

9. Identification and commentary. Make sure all photos submitted are clearly identified and attach a commentary describing how each photo relates to your ministry work.

10. Importance of high resolution. Always take photos at the highest resolution possible. Make sure your digital camera has a memory that can produce images to a standard of at least 300 dpi in order to ensure quality reproduction in publications.

11. Memory and backup. Save your photos on a computer and clear your digital camera regularly. Carry a second memory stick or card in the event the camera’s memory becomes full.