It occurred to me today while going through images submitted to Practical Photography magazine that as a Picture Editor I know what magazines, tend to be looking for. So I thought why not share the do's and dont's of submitting work?
When I first got into photography I never submitted work anywhere, I didn't think I was good enough and wouldn't have even known where to start. Now I see people as young 12 getting there images published and it really makes me wish I'd done more.
Of course these points may differ by publication, but it's the best advice I can give. (All views and opinions are mine and not those of the magazine).
Do:
- Do your research! This may seem obvious but it's something people clearly don't do. If you have a set of images in mind, check to see if they suit the magazine. You don't have to buy hundreds of magazines, BUT buying an issue is the best way to see what type of work they may be interested in. If the pages are full of landscapes, nature and wildlife then your serious documentary images probably aren't going to suit the magazine. Buy an issue!
- Follow them on social media - see what sort of images they share, see what photographers they follow and keep up to date.
- Look for submission guidelines - Some magazines have guidelines for submissions on their websites, while others may not mention submissions at all. Always follow the guidelines - they're there for a reason. Alternatively look out for email addresses to contact the picture editor, editor or even the general office, they should hopefully point you in right direction.
- Think editorial - If your portrait image has a centered person (typically most of mine do), then it's very unlikely that it will be featured across a double page spread, as the gutter will go straight through their face. This isn't to say your image won't fit anywhere else, but when sending over work try to offer variety in compositions.
- Think of the season - so you've just taken some awesome winter landscapes and want to submit them? One problem - magazines work ahead of schedules, they could already be planning a summer issue! Right now it's the beginning of April and we're working on June. Always think about 2/3 months ahead, out of season images might be kept on record, but they may also get forgotten about...
- Communicate efficiently - If you get an email back saying your work is being considered for publication, respond quickly and keep to deadlines. You may be asked to supply extra information about how the image was taken and the story behind it. If you're given a brief or a set of questions give as much detail as possible and make sure to answer everything. If we have to email back and forth for missing information it costs us time, and sometimes we are forced to use different images.
- Keep in contact - If your images have been featured and you got everything to us on time, then there's a chance we'd keep you in mind for future issues. I often have photographers email me every couple of months or so with some of their latest images, they don't always get used but there's always a chance. That said, please don't bombard us and please don't be offended if your images aren't suitable.
Don't:
- Send 100s of tiny or massive images, we don't have the time to look through your entire portfolio! We want files to be large enough to see their quality, but not so big that they get blocked by the spam filter! I'd recommend sending a maximum of around 15 lo-res images.
- Don't send a 2 page long description and your CV. Unless the magazine specifies be brief but detailed with your initial email. If there's an amazing story behind your images or you were inspired by something in the magazine then of course people want to know, but get to point!
One more final piece of advice!
Include your contact details on ALL of your social networking sites and online portfolios, or at least have your email address on your official website. If someone comes across your image online and wants to include it in their magazine, but can't contact you, it's a usually an opportunity missed. Trust me you'd be surprised how difficult some people make it to contact them.
If you want to submit any work to Practical Photography email us at ppsubmissions@bauermedia.co.uk and if you have any questions leave a comment or get in touch with me on Facebook or Twitter
