Photo Submission Guidelines

HCOS invites students and families to submit high-quality photos that foster a sense of community among HCOS students by encouraging them to share their experiences through a photo contest. Please use the guidelines below to ensure your submitted photos are technically high quality.

Who we are 

As a school, we want to feature our students and their talents by visually displaying them and their work through high-quality photos on our website and other touchpoints. Through this contest, we can generate photography that brings the people who matter to us into our online presence, showcasing our appreciation for our community and their many talents.

To learn more about us and what we believe in, visit onlineschool.ca/who-we-are.

Technical Specifications:

• Submit: HCOS Google Form

• File Format: JPEG, PNG & TIFF

• Resolution: Aim for high resolution (300 dpi or higher). 

• File Size: Keep file sizes within reasonable limits (e.g., under 4MB).

• Image size: Aim for at least 1200 pixels on the longest side.

• Aspect ratio: Preferably 3:2 or 4:3.

General Guidelines:

• Clarity and Focus: Photos should be sharp, clear, and in focus, with no unintentional blurriness or graininess. 

• Lighting: A focus on warm and natural light.

• Background: Try to separate the subject and the background. 

• Subject: Ensure your subject matter is apparent within your photo composition.

• No Filters or Enhancements: Avoid filters or other enhancements that alter the image. 

• No Red-Eye: Please avoid photos with red-eye or red-eye alterations

• No Glare: Please avoid glare in eyeglasses or within the image that distorts the visuals.

• Shadows: Please avoid dark shadows across faces or subjects that can cause unclarity in images.

• No Watermarks or Logos

• Composition: Want some more pointers on creating excellent photo compositions? Learn from some of the best, like Adobe.