Nothing conveys the Pinnacol brand personality like photography. Strong photography triggers emotions, helping us make a personal connection with the viewer, our customer. Our photography should always be real and compelling — making our customers the heroes.
Please review the sections below for guidance on imagery selection. We also have a collection of brand-approved stock imagery available for use here. Consider these images as a starting point for exploring photography; we do not require you to use them for your creative needs.
Images approved for internal-use only can be found here.
People are at the core of Pinnacol’s business. So when choosing the right imagery, remember that people play the most important role. Look for an authentic and diverse group of people who are passionate about their work. We’re looking for nuances in facial expressions that represent real life. Use photographs of people who appear approachable and personable, as opposed to overly smiling and laughing. Candid moments bring about more authentic reactions than do those from a posed scenario. Pinnacol is a forward-thinking brand, so our images should convey a sense of collaboration and innovation. A balance of close-up images and those taken from farther away help set the scene and tell a bigger story within a composition. In the overall communication, there should also be a balance of imagery depicting groups as well as individuals.
When selecting images, we are looking for moments in time that tell a story and convey a genuine sense of realness. Oftentimes this imagery will capture the subject in action. It may be slightly blurred or off-center to indicate movement. Subjects may be looking off-camera and going about their business. This enhances the authenticity of an image — as if we’re stealing a moment as opposed to staging a scene. Images that are overly staged do not feel authentic. A shallow depth of field creates a more accurate visual representation of how the human eye sees the world and lends a more genuine quality to the image. Look for colors that feel more natural and slightly subdued. If everything is in focus and brightly colored, the images will feel artificial.
All images should adhere to the basic principles of photography laid out in the brand standards; however, when selecting images of injured workers pay particular attention to the below-listed guidelines.
Don’t show images of extremely severe injuries or images that cause an adverse emotional reaction. Images that focus on extreme injuries detract from the intended communication and overpower the message. Use images that focus on the positive aspects of a negative situation: Images that showcase the subject in physical therapy, healing, being helped by people, or receiving aid by others in response to the injury.
• Authentic situations
• Showcase warmth and kindness
• Nothing overly posed or staged
• Natural lighting, not studio lighting
• Soft focus
• Positive
• Imagery that depicts extremely severe injuries
• Imagery that causes an adverse emotional reaction
• Injuries that are visible or external like a gash, show blood or broken bones
• Subjects that look like they are in physical pain, unresponsive or incapacitated
