General Guidelines
for Third-party Photographers and Videographers
- Do not disrupt normal university operations or scheduled events.
- Do not shoot inside any campus buildings.
- Do not include any Samford emblems or names of campus buildings in images or videos.
- Observe all university parking and safety regulations.
- Comply with instructions from university employees including but not limited to public safety and event management personnel.
- Obtain proper release forms from university employees or students that appear in their images or videos.
Request Samford Photos
Samford images are organized in Photoshelter, an online database. To request a high resolution image, search Photoshelter and email photography@samford.edu with the file names. Images may only be used to promote Samford and cannot be used for personal use. Due to copyright issues, you may not share these photos with students or other groups without consent from the Office of Marketing and Communication.
Request a Photographer
Samford's Office of Marketing and Communication partners with reputable freelance photographers to fulfill the photography needs of campus. To schedule a university photographer, you must submit the photography request form at least two business days before your expected photoshoot date.
If you are part of one of our ten academic schools, please contact the marketing and communication colleague within your school to request a photographer. If you are not within an academic school, please complete the photo shoot request form. Once the request is received by photography services, a response will be provided within two business days.
If we are unable to fulfill your request, we will communicate with you via email.
The Office of Marketing and Communication will only cover the cost for photoshoots with a defined marketing and communication purpose. For other requests, like for event coverage, headshots and group photos, the school or department that requests it will be responsible for covering the cost. Our photography payment guidelines explain in more detail.
Employee Headshots
First Tuesday of Each Month at 10 a.m. in the Rose Garden
All Samford employees are encouraged to have a professional headshot taken for use in communications and on the university website. Employee headshots are taken outdoors by a professional photographer. The Office of Marketing and Communication covers the cost of these regularly scheduled monthly sessions.
During each session, the photographer will capture one vertical and one horizontal image. The Office of Marketing and Communication will use the image as captured; headshots cannot be edited.
Dates and Alternate Location
Unless otherwise noted, headshots are taken on the first Tuesday of each month from 10-10:30 a.m. in the rose garden, adjacent to Harrison Theatre. There is no need to schedule an appointment in advance. In case of rain, the alternate location is at the front steps of the university library.
- January 7
- February 4
- March 4
- April 1
- May 6
- June 3
- July 1
- August 5
- September 2
- October 7
- November 4
- December 2
Commercial Photography and Videography Enterprises
Images of Samford's campus are an important part of the university’s brand. Sharing the campus beauty with the public benefits the university. However, protecting the university’s image from misuse for commercial gain is important.
Submit a Written Request
Commercial photographers and videographers wishing to use Samford facilities must submit a written request to photography@samford.edu for approval at least one week prior to the requested date. The request should include the date, time frame, location, number of individuals involved, number of vehicles involved, distribution plans for the images as well as an on-site contact person's name and cell number.
Provide Liability Insurance
Third parties are required to provide their own liability insurance while shooting on campus.
Third-party Group Photos
Samford loves and appreciates our area high schools and their students, and we are thankful for the partnership of our local schools and the community we share. However, due to a number of circumstances on our campus, including historic and unprecedented construction projects underway, significantly constrained parking availability and numerous events (e.g., weddings, commencements, etc.) we are unable to allow large groups of high school students to come to campus to take photos for prom and other school events.
At Samford, the safety of our students, employees and visitors is of paramount importance. Thank you for your cooperation as we seek to meet the needs of our campus community. For more information, please email
events@samford.edu.
No Expectation of Privacy
Samford students, employees and visitors should have no expectation of privacy when they are in a place to which substantial groups of the campus community or public has access. Examples include, but are not limited to, the Quad, campus plazas, dining facilities and recreation venues, concerts, convocations, ceremonies, community worship, commencement, and athletic events. Subject to the requirements of governing law, including the Family Educational Rights & Privacy Act, as amended (FERPA), Samford photographers and videographers may capture images of people, events and campus life for publication in print, digital and social media of the university.
Photographers and videographers should be mindful that even though a person may be in a so-called “public space,” it can still be “a wrongful intrusion into one’s private activities, in such a manner as to outrage or cause mental suffering, shame or humiliation to a person of ordinary sensibilities.” Therefore, pictures of people in any compromised circumstance (e.g. wind blowing dress up) are not permissible.
