How to Get Published in a Magazine

For many photographers, understanding how to get published in a magazine is a big goal.

Whether your ultimate goal is being published in a magazine or not, if you are a skilled photographer, there’s no reason why you shouldn’t consider contributing your work to a magazine.

Doing so will not only give you more confidence in your photography, but will also allow you to showcase your work. This can raise your profile and promote your photography to new audiences.

If you offer prints for sale or run workshops, having work published will help validate your expertise and can attract more clients. On top of this, there is the opportunity to earn a bit of money in the process!

So, where do you start?

Research – how to choose the right magazine

You may already have a magazine in mind, but if not, the first thing is to identify which one(s) you are going to approach, as they will rarely come to you. In addition to printed magazines, don’t forget about online ones too.

Look for particular magazines that fit well with your type of photography, and not just the national publications; consider smaller local ones too.

There will be less competition with these, and although they may not always pay as well, the process of having your work published will provide you with valuable experience.

Read several copies of the magazines you are interested in to see what their interests and style are, and ask yourself if this is the type of magazine you want to contribute to and whether you are a good fit for each other.

Are your photographs up to the standard of those in the magazine and in keeping with its style?

If you tend to do a lot of post-processing to make your photographs appear overly colorful, and the magazine you want to contribute to features mainly natural-looking images, there’s a high chance you’ll be rejected, as this demonstrates a lack of appreciation for the magazine’s approach.

Try to get a feel for the type of photos the magazine uses, as well as the sort of features or techniques contributed by other photographers. Who is their audience? Is the magazine aimed at beginners or more advanced photographers?

The more research you do and the more time you take to understand a magazine, the better prepared you will be. This will help you immensely when it comes to submitting work.

Ways of being published

Many magazines run monthly competitions, which are often based on a theme. To have a good chance of your image winning or being featured, pay close attention to the brief and submission guidelines. Look carefully at the standard of work featured – does yours match?

If you have an aptitude for writing, you will have a better chance of getting your work published if you can accompany it with some useful guidance or tips.

Articles featuring ‘how-tos’ are always popular, so look at what’s been written in the past and try to come up with new ideas that you think may be of interest, which you can then approach the editor with.

Think about what you, as a reader, might be interested in. Is there something that springs to mind that you haven’t often seen covered in a magazine? Writing skills will come in very handy, so if this is not your strong point, work on improving them.

Showcasing your work

It’s important to have a good portfolio of images to show to prospective magazine editors, so take time to work on this, ensuring that it only contains your very best examples. Be ultra-critical when evaluating your work and deciding what to include.

If you already have a website, you can send the editor a link directly to your photo gallery, again making sure it is visually strong. If not, you could perhaps create a free Flickr account, for example, where you can create a gallery and invite the editor to view it.

Other companies, such as Photobucket, also allow you to do this.

If you have an Instagram account, you can send a link to that. Whatever platform you choose to showcase your images, it needs to show off your skills at their best, quickly and clearly.

Read more: How to Create a Wildlife Photography Portfolio

Network

Consider joining various groups on social media platforms, like Facebook or Instagram, that enable you to potentially network with editors and other photographers in the industry.

Engage with relevant magazines and tag those you are interested in on your social media posts. Build your profile and consider going to exhibitions, workshops, or industry events to build relationships.

Check submission guidelines

Make sure you read these thoroughly and follow them. These are normally found on the magazine’s website, but if you can’t find them, email the editor or section editor to ask.

Check file and size requirements and any post-processing guidelines. Pictures should be resized as required, submitted in the requested format, and ideally have your copyright info embedded in the metadata.

It’s important not to send the same image or feature to multiple magazines, as many will not use work that has already been published elsewhere. Tailor your submission to the specific magazine.

Some competitions will require background information or a story to accompany an image. Double-check that your technical information is correct and make your story interesting.

If submitting a possible cover image, make sure it’s suitable—not only should it be in the correct format, but also ensure that there is sufficient space for the magazine title and that any text will stand out against your photograph.

Busy images rarely work well as magazine covers; often, simpler is better.

Finally, do not send hundreds of images; be selective. Only send your very best, and ensure they align with any article you have written.

Read more: How to Choose Your Best Images After a Shoot

How to pitch an idea to a magazine

When contacting a prospective magazine about a submission idea, keep it short but sweet. Include a brief introduction explaining a bit about yourself and your photographic experience, a link to your (relevant) portfolio or blog if you have one, and a reference to any social media.

Provide a summary of your idea, why you feel it would be of interest to the audience, and why it’s a good fit for the magazine. You can also mention any media where you have been featured or published before, and include links.

Finally, add a brief note on why they should choose you. This is where your website or photo gallery comes into play.

Whatever you do, don’t send generic emails to several different publications. Instead, refer specifically to the publication. Demonstrating that you have taken the time to understand the magazine’s unique style and target audience will go a long way.

Be aware of lead times; magazines tend to work far ahead, so there’s no point submitting an idea about photographing in autumn when it’s already autumn!

Tips for professionalism

A well-written email goes a long way. Don’t use abbreviations or emojis. Be professional and polite at all times, and proofread your email before sending it.

Never email images without being invited to do so, as there’s a high chance your email will end up in spam. Also, don’t use short-term file transfer services to submit images unless specifically asked to do so.

Editors receive a lot of emails with requests to publish work, so it may take time to receive a response, and you won’t always get one.

Don’t be afraid to follow up with a polite email if you haven’t received a reply, but give it a couple of weeks before doing so. If you don’t hear back, don’t give up—try somewhere else.

When you are asked to submit work, ensure that you reply to emails promptly, stick to the brief, and meet the deadline given.

In conclusion

Seeing your images or articles in print for the first time is a great feeling of achievement, but it can take time to get there. Persistence generally pays off, so don’t give up. Keep submitting work and use your time to improve both your photographic and writing skills.

If your photos and ideas are good enough, eventually they will get published.

Follow the steps above to build a good portfolio or an interesting and helpful blog, as well as to engage audiences on social media. Taking time to understand a magazine’s style and needs also helps hugely.

All of this will put you in a better position when it comes to approaching magazines and getting your work published. If you are reliable and do a good job, it will help foster a potentially long-term relationship with the magazine and open up future opportunities elsewhere, too.