Photography

Our visual style presents life at Ruhr University Bochum in a realistic and vibrant way. It depicts people and architecture from various perspectives and emphasizes collaborative learning, cultural diversity, and an inclusive community.

At a Glance

Documentary Photography: For events and similar occasions, we photograph in a documentary style. The goal here is to capture moments authentically, without staging them.
These guidelines don’t need to be applied strictly to documentary shots—but we encourage using them as a reference. However, we strongly encourage you to use it as a guide.

Photography for internal and external communication: We incorporate our visual style into photos for the website, social media, or other communication channels. This style helps make the RUB recognizable.

Three themes define our visual language.

Visual Theme 1: Closeness

Short communication lines, flat hierarchies, an open campus where people interact as equals—captured photographically through close-up shots, half-portraits, and candid scenes.

Visual Theme 2: Community 

At RUB, change does not occur on an individual basis, but rather collectively—among people, disciplines, and cultures. This is reflected in the photography through a focus on groups, interaction, and exchange.

Visual Theme 3: Change of Perspective

Breaking down barriers, challenging existing perspectives, and opening up new paths. Through photography, we convey this using unusual angles, deliberate framing, and the interplay between people and campus architecture.

For the design and photography

Depicting “Closeness” Through Photography

We create a sense of closeness and belonging through photography from different perspectives. We deliberately use half-portraits, upper-body shots, and close-ups to achieve an authentic and personal visual effect. We depict individuals in lively situations. One technique is to let other people appear out of focus in the foreground or background—or to present the subject as a staged portrait. In both cases, we strive for a natural and relaxed look.

Incorporating Interesting Perspectives and Architecture

We showcase Ruhr University Bochum as a dynamic and vibrant campus. Architecture is a central design element and is deliberately integrated into the photography. Unusual angles and deliberate framing create exciting perspectives. As a result, the images appear distinctive and vibrant, conveying the campus’s unique atmosphere.

Collaborative Learning

We showcase authentic and vibrant scenes of collaborative learning, exploration, and social interaction. Movement, conversations, and genuine moments take centre stage. Depth is a central element of the visual language. It is created through the deliberate use of foreground and background blur—for example, by intentionally blurring hands, shoulders, or objects in the foreground. This gives the images a multi-layered, lively, and natural feel.

Exposure

We prefer natural sunlight and avoid flat, diffuse lighting conditions. Side lighting or backlighting is ideal, especially in the morning and evening hours, to create warmth and depth. We avoid harsh midday sun. Instead, we work in the shade with clear lighting direction. Indoors, we use the strongest possible window light with a clear direction of light and avoid gloomy scenes with low contrast. The images are deliberately exposed slightly brighter to achieve a friendly and open effect. Skin tones serve as a guide for exposure.

Dos and Don’ts

The following examples show best practice and what to avoid.