Image Policies & Guidelines
Image Releases
If you are hosting an event or planning a photoshoot in which photos or videos will be taken for WSU business use, please consult the communications team about the need for an image release. A release grants WSU permission to capture photos, videos, and recordings and use them for promotional purposes. The need for a release depends on the size of the event, who will attend, and the intended use of the captured media. Note that University-sponsored events or activities involving minors must include a photo release form with registration, as stated in EP 14.
Image releases must be retained for the life of the image and six years after the image is deleted or destroyed, per WSU’s Public Affairs Records Retention schedule. WSU departments and units requesting photo services are mutually responsible for ensuring appropriate documentation and retention of releases.
HIPAA Releases
Events that include individuals (patients) receiving care, such as health fairs or health-related outreach events, may require a HIPAA disclosure form to help protect patient privacy. Please discuss any possible healthcare activities with the photographer and/or videographer prior to your event. For events or activities in parternship with WSU Health, please contact the Office of Communications and Marketing in the Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine.
Requesting Images
WSU employees and students may submit requests for images (photos and video) by emailing spok.comm@wsu.edu. Image requests must be for WSU business purposes and not for personal use.
Safety Requirements for Photo and Video Shoots
Photos and videos used to illustrate research activities on the WSU Spokane campus should model best safety practices, including the use of personal protective equipment. When safety precautions portrayed in research images or footage are deemed insufficient by University Marketing & Communications or the Office of Research, those images cannot be used in news releases, marketing collateral, and other external communications.
For that reason, the WSU Spokane Communications Office requests that all participants photographed or filmed in a laboratory setting wear safety eyewear (beyond prescription glasses), gloves, and a buttoned-up lab coat. In addition, participants must have long hair pulled back, trimmed beards, and adhere to safety precautions regarding jewelry, scarves, and fingernail care.
Guidance for Photos of Animals & Human Bodies
In respect of the donors and animals who play an important role in educating our students and reducing undue risk to WSU Spokane or the respective health science colleges (Elson S. Floyd College of Medicine, College of Nursing, and College of Pharmacy and Pharmaceutical Sciences), these guidelines should be followed when taking photographs or using photographs of animals or human bodies for marketing and communication purposes.
