UCLA Arts Strategic Communications produces photo and video documentation across the school to capture the depth and vibrancy of our community. Our documentation is used widely across the school’s communications platforms to support both internal needs and outward-facing visibility. ## **Guiding Principles** We prioritize documentation that spotlights student experience, public engagement, cross-disciplinary collaboration, and the school’s creative activity in classrooms, studios, labs, and research centers. Our goal is to build a well-rounded archive that showcases the richness of our programs while supporting content needs across communications, enrollment management, development, leadership initiatives, and more. We operate with care and sensitivity when documenting students and faculty and ensure participants understand why we are documenting and how we will use documentation. We secure consent via standard waivers and respect the wishes of those who let us know that they do not want to be documented. We also make sure that participants know how to reach us should they change their minds or decide they are only comfortable with their likeness being used in specific use cases. ## **How to Work With Us** At the beginning of each academic year, our team will consult with each area of the school to identify key opportunities for documentation. These may include public events such as performances, exhibitions, and lectures; academic activities such as class sessions, critiques, and labs; or other opportunities that offer a window into the making and learning happening across UCLA Arts. To request photo or video documentation of an upcoming event, course, or project, please complete the **[Strategic Communications Request Form (SCRF)](https://form.asana.com/?k=Vo6Eh2oqnHnnlC1LqM5_1Q&d=134753301162464)** as early as possible. Be sure to include relevant dates, times, locations, and a brief description of what will be happening during the session. We also maintain the centralized archive of documentation captured independently by departments, research centers, and other functional areas of the school. Sharing your imagery helps us build a more complete record of the school’s activity and ensures your work can be represented in schoolwide storytelling, publications, and promotional materials. _Please note: Due to limited bandwidth and the volume of activity across the school, we cannot accommodate all documentation requests. When evaluating documentation requests, we consider the alignment of each opportunity with institutional priorities, gaps in our existing archive, and scheduling available of our team and freelance partners._ ## **Photography Guidelines** While the arts have a distinct visual identity, UCLA Arts’ photography practices align with UCLA’s broader photo and video standards. We follow [campus-wide best practices](https://brand.ucla.edu/identity/imagery/photography-and-videography) for image quality, composition, accessibility, and consent to ensure that our visual content is consistent, inclusive, and reflective of the university’s values. We have also developed [guidelines specifically for the arts](https://ucla.box.com/s/r61qjlq665xajls1ebt0h82zfi8wv8nl) that address our most typical photographic needs.  ## **Waivers** All individuals featured in photography or video must have a signed [waiver](https://ucla.box.com/s/x0c3mzkpos8f4orbtiweadiun3sydl79) on file. Completed waivers must be submitted for every shoot—along with the images—whether documentation is captured by our team, a freelancer, or your unit. # **Notice of Photography** For larger gatherings and public events when securing waivers is not practical or possible, we post (at a prominent and visible location) a standard notice of photography. Please feel free to use [this notice ](https://ucla.box.com/s/oy19pxwfjlx889dg1vsn2ioa8413p0iu)for similar events when appropriate.