Authors who venture into writing articles for magazines have an edge in achieving publication if their work is accompanied by pictures. Photography is not terribly difficult – you point the camera and shoot – right? Not necessarily.
First of all, what kind of camera do you use? Film or Digital? If you use film,
you will achieve
the best photos from lower film speeds. Listed on the box is an ASA number, film
speed refers to the size and density of the silver grains on the film. Lower ASA numbers (100 or
less) mean less grain – for a clear picture you need a lot of light, but the picture will have the best
quality.
Higher ASA speeds (200 to 1000) capture pictures in darker lighting conditions, but they
will be grainy. Unless a specific photo effect is being sought, grainy photos will not be accepted
for publication.
Photos from film should be submitted with your article in 8x10 glossy format prints,
which means the article must be sent snail mail. Make up a label that is affixed to the back of
the photo containing your name and contact information. Also attach a piece of paper to the back
with tape that has the name and contents of the photo. Do not use a pen, as it mars the surface,
and do not paperclip.
If you are sending a query, write “proof” on the front of the image with a marker. This
allows the editor to see what you have to offer, but no one can use the image until you resend it
with the finished piece.
Digital photos have an edge because they can be emailed with your article. You have to
query the magazine as to what format and size are required. Submitting digital photos requires a
computer program, such as Adobe Photoshop, to manipulate the data.
Good digital cameras will allow you to set the file size. When shooting family pictures
you can use a small file size to get the most shots possible into the camera’s memory. When you are shooting professionally, always use the largest file size possible. This gives you latitude
when it comes time to work with the image.
Upload the image to your computer and look at it critically. Is the subject centered? Are
the colors perfect, or should you enhance them? Does the photo need to be converted to black
and white? What kind of file and size does the magazine want?
Most magazines want a very high .dpi or digital pixels per inch. To “see” a pixel, go to
VIEW on the toolbar and keep zooming in until the photo is nothing but a lot of square spots.
Those are pixels. The more pixels present – the higher the quality of the photo.
For home viewing or for online magazines your dpi can be as low as 72, but for anything
that will be printed, the magazines want a minimum of 250 and usually prefer 300 dpi.
Another factor to consider is the file type. Many cameras automatically shoot in a .jpg
format. The problem with .jpg is that the file will deteriorate each time it is manipulated, so most publications will request either .tiff, .gif or .pdf formats. They may also specify a physical
size – stated in either total pixel widths or normal inches.
A limitation of the internet is that many servers do not allow you to email files larger than
3 mega bytes, and large picture files can easily exceed that limit. In this case you may end up
sending the files on a CD by snail mail.
Your cover letter should state that you would like to be credited for the photos. To
If photography is new to you, there are hundreds of books that cover lighting, framing,
Photography in itself is fun, just like writing. Pictures draw in your audience and allow a
their files for the publication they are sending the photo to – which is helpful for them to keep
track of, but useless to the editors trying to identify your picture in a list of hundreds.
and subject options. Taking close up pictures of people requires a signed “model release” or the
magazine may not accept the photo. Large crowd pictures or ones covering major public events
are usually exempt but it is best to read up on the legal requirements of photographing people and their property.
magazine to attract a wider readership. Put your camera in the glove box, and reach for it the next time you see a double rainbow.