How to Sell Photography to Magazines

A professional photographer.

Magazines provide a constant source of income for freelance photographers all over the world. Publications have regular contributors they trust to bring them high-quality pictures. In the challenging world of freelance photography, there are a few vital steps to take to get your pictures in print.

Things You'll Need

• Digital SLR camera
• Computer
• Internet connection

Instructions

1. 

   Glossy magazines.

   Buy a selection of magazines that you would like your photographs to be featured in. These should relate to your field of interest or your main field of study. Carefully compare the images chosen for publication and your own.

2. Decide whether your own pictures are of a similar standard. Honesty is important. If your pictures are not up to par you can always improve upon your photography and try again.

3. Organize and select your best photos. Once you have chosen enough pictures, invest in your own domain name and web space. A small hosting plan is an inexpensive yet professional way to showcase your work.

4. Build a functional website to display your images. If you lack the skills to build a site consider paying a web-design company to come up with a design. Include copyright information and some text detailing your work, contact details and image descriptions for search engine optimization.

5. Contact publications offering your services. Go back to the magazines you chose in Step 1 and contact the editors via email or post. Explain your work and include your website address and sample pictures if necessary, making sure the pictures are relevant to each publication.

6. Continue to submit photography to various publications. There are a lot of photographers offering similar services so perseverance is vital to getting your pictures printed. Once your photographs have been published, you will be paid for your work.

Tips & Warnings

• If you feel your photographs are not up to standard, then improving on your photography will help bring the quality up. Try photo sharing websites like DeviantArt and Flickr for constructive criticism from the community.

• To maintain a professional image and increase your chances of being selected for publication, do not rely on free photo-sharing sites to display your work.

• If you are concerned about your images being used elsewhere, consider watermarking your images using a photo-editing program. Watermarking involves putting text on the image so that it cannot be used for other purposes. Using smaller images is another way of safeguarding your property.

References

• Ezine articles: Selling Your Photography to Magazines
• Brave New Traveler: The Complete Guide to Selling Your Travel Photography

Resources

• Flickr
• DeviantArt