getting your photos published

babygodzilla

I hope this is the right forum to post in, because I didn't see any other appropriate ones.

Does anyone have any advice on getting your pictures published? I have some nice travel picture and it'd be cool to have them published. Not looking for money here, mostly just to see if any of my pics are good enough to be published.

I looked at Nat Geo and the likes, but the competition is extremely tough of course...

Would love your advice.

Thank you!

SamirD

Everybody wants to get published, but being published isn't an accolade as to the quality of your shots.

Look at your shots and see how they compare with others you see published. Critique their work as if it was your own. You'll know sooner or later if you're on par or not.

Here's the drawback to getting published--you're one in just a sea of unlimited photos that publications can get without payment. It's changed the whole game of how photographers get paid--which they don't. Look at any magazine and see how many of them have staff photographers anymore.

babygodzilla

Thanks for your input. I half agree with your statement, but only half because that's your point of view as a photographer. For non-photographers, such as my siblings, my parents, most of my friends, it'd be a wow factor for them to see my photos published. It's great publicity for sure. Exposure to thousands and millions of people, instead of just my friends on Facebook.

I'm not actually sure you gave a drawback to being published. I'm not looking for payment (at the moment), if that's what you're saying. I do want the exposure, and the satisfaction of knowing that one of my photos is actually useful instead of just sitting in my computers, on Facebook, or shown off on Dgrin.

Thank you!

SamirD

babygodzilla wrote: »

I'm not looking for payment (at the moment)...

And no one is getting paid anymore because of this. There's such an endless supply of 'good enough' images that photography is quickly becoming a commodity. It's become such a problem that companies have been busted for taking people's pictures off of facebook for major marketing campaigns instead of buying photo stock with proper licenses.

I understand that it would be a really neat wow factor to be published, even once. And it's not so much your work as who you know and what you're willing to give away. Magazines get hundreds of submissions by people just like yourself with pro work. You're going to need an inside road to the publisher.

babygodzilla

SamirD wrote: »

There's such an endless supply of 'good enough' images that photography is quickly becoming a commodity.

So sad, yet so true. Damn you technology... I just recently read that publications have started making deals with TwitPic to get the rights to use whatever pictures are uploaded onto it. So sad...

mercphoto

babygodzilla wrote: »

I'm not actually sure you gave a drawback to being published. I'm not looking for payment (at the moment), if that's what you're saying. I do want the exposure, and the satisfaction of knowing that one of my photos is actually useful instead of just sitting in my computers, on Facebook, or shown off on Dgrin.

My photo was SO good somebody didn't give me any money for it! And they used it to make a profit for themselves! I'm being a drama queen on purpose hoping you get a flicker of a light bulb going off in your head. Either you are insecure in the quality of your photos or you're setting your bar far too low in what you should be getting in return for your photos, not sure which. But free commercial use of your photos.... to a profit making corporation.... do you really need that to convince yourself your images are useful?

Ask an entirely different way, what "exposure" are you wanting in particular, and why? And if you get that exposure what are you hoping it will lead to? There ARE times it is good to do something for free (I've done it before, I will do it again) but only if you have a realistic goal as to the positive outcome you're hoping to get from that freebie. If you simply want "exposure" with some vague idea that it will possibly maybe help you in some manner in the future, probably not a good enough reason. If you have a really good solid idea of how this free exposure will help you the story starts to change.

But I'm telling you from personal experience, free generic exposure is vastly over-rated....

babygodzilla

mercphoto wrote: »

My photo was SO good somebody didn't give me any money for it! And they used it to make a profit for themselves! I'm being a drama queen on purpose hoping you get a flicker of a light bulb going off in your head. Either you are insecure in the quality of your photos or you're setting your bar far too low in what you should be getting in return for your photos, not sure which. But free commercial use of your photos.... to a profit making corporation.... do you really need that to convince yourself your images are useful?

Ask an entirely different way, what "exposure" are you wanting in particular, and why? And if you get that exposure what are you hoping it will lead to? There ARE times it is good to do something for free (I've done it before, I will do it again) but only if you have a realistic goal as to the positive outcome you're hoping to get from that freebie. If you simply want "exposure" with some vague idea that it will possibly maybe help you in some manner in the future, probably not a good enough reason. If you have a really good solid idea of how this free exposure will help you the story starts to change.

But I'm telling you from personal experience, free generic exposure is vastly over-rated....

Thanks for your answer. I guess it's simply a confidence booster for me, especially if my picture gets a thumb up from a real pro at a real publication. It'd just be something to be proud of But I see the merits of your words. Thank you.

SamirD

One of the places I really value feedback on my work is by other professionals--not by the publishers, not by the public, but by others in the same craft. It's why the Academy Awards mean so much to the entertainment industry--because it's an award of peers.

orljustin

babygodzilla wrote: »

Does anyone have any advice on getting your pictures published? I have some nice travel picture and it'd be cool to have them published. Not looking for money here, mostly just to see if any of my pics are good enough to be published.

Sure they're good enough. Go to blurb.com and make your own book, print it and send one to your family. They'll be impressed and you won't be giving away your content for free just for an ego boost.

wildviper

I think OP's original question has been forgotten as quite often happens in these forums. I feel it would be helpful to answer the question as per your interpretation and leave it at that. Asking questions on the question that the OP is asking is not really helpful if it is leading to differing opinions on how the business is or where it is going....can we all just get along??

As to the question, I would also apprecaite a reply to that if anyone has experience in getting published.....and as to not getting paid or getting paid...we are in a different world now...just like how we are not going back to black and white film or b/w television. And to top it off..that was not the original question.

orljustin

wildviper wrote: »

As to the question, I would also apprecaite a reply to that if anyone has experience in getting published.....and as to not getting paid or getting paid...we are in a different world now...just like how we are not going back to black and white film or b/w television. And to top it off..that was not the original question.

"Different world" - nonsense. It's still a world where people try to get as much as they can for as little as they can (or free). And the advice to self publish is pretty good. Impress your friends and neighbors with your very own authentic photo book!

mercphoto

wildviper wrote: »

Asking questions on the question that the OP is asking is not really helpful if it is leading to differing opinions on how the business is or where it is going...

Rubbish. The OP said my questions were of great value. Sometimes you have to question the motives behind a question in order to get to a real answer. This is a valid means of discussion, and it works. We use it all the time in my day job and if we didn't, we'd be worse off. This type of discussion gets to better answers quicker than your suggestion.

can we all just get along??

People really need to stop quoting Rodney King..... "can we all just get along, since obviously my repeated violent resisting of arrest isn't working here?"

wildviper

mercphoto wrote: »

People really need to stop quoting Rodney King..... "can we all just get along, since obviously my repeated violent resisting of arrest isn't working here?"

Jeez...touched off a raw nerve huh???? Easy there...easy....

I will refrain from replying off-topic...now either we can get some sort of an answer to the OP's question(not from either one of you obviously)....or we just head off into the sunset!

SamirD

wildviper wrote: »

...now either we can get some sort of an answer to the OP's question...or we just head off into the sunset!

It really depends on what level of publishing exposure the OP wants. The cover of Time is a lot different than the user submission section of Maxim. The more prestigious the publication, the more of an inside connection the OP will need.

Photoarts

Very much to the point
I think mercphoto is very much to the point here, I asked myself the same question about exposure and being published recetly. Apart from your ego you do want people to recognize you and your work and hopefully that will generate sales as well. I realized the pricing of my prints on Smug was average to high relative to some my counter parts but I didn't really expect to generate a lot of web based sales without doing some personal marketing as well as local contacts etc.
Always asking yourself what the motive for what you desire is a good thing hence the question what do you want to get out of recognition of your work. I think I have answered that for myself.
PN
Photoarts
www.nashery.com

mercphoto wrote: »

My photo was SO good somebody didn't give me any money for it! And they used it to make a profit for themselves! I'm being a drama queen on purpose hoping you get a flicker of a light bulb going off in your head. Either you are insecure in the quality of your photos or you're setting your bar far too low in what you should be getting in return for your photos, not sure which. But free commercial use of your photos.... to a profit making corporation.... do you really need that to convince yourself your images are useful?

Ask an entirely different way, what "exposure" are you wanting in particular, and why? And if you get that exposure what are you hoping it will lead to? There ARE times it is good to do something for free (I've done it before, I will do it again) but only if you have a realistic goal as to the positive outcome you're hoping to get from that freebie. If you simply want "exposure" with some vague idea that it will possibly maybe help you in some manner in the future, probably not a good enough reason. If you have a really good solid idea of how this free exposure will help you the story starts to change.

But I'm telling you from personal experience, free generic exposure is vastly over-rated....

Art Scott

1st time published - was for a company newsletter show over 100 recipients of patents in 1 photo...shot it off the top of the facility.....my super knew i was doing some shoots for money and dropped my name at a mangers meeting. That became a monthly thing...taking shots for the company Newsletter......did it while on the clock so I was paid my normal rate of pay......this went on for nearly 13 yrs until I was laid off........my mistake here was not keeping copies of this work, hind sight is always 20/20 or better :~[

Next came shooting the front and back cover for a cookbook - Definitive Microwave Cookery ll, while working for a small uhf tv station....there was a cooking section and the author was the host and like my tv camera work and hired me to do the stills for the covers.......

recently I was shooting a local statue and another shooter started talking to me and asked for a card then told me he was the art director for a publishing company...well did not hear from him for months and then got a frantic call needing photos in less than a week and he gave me an almost impossible task of over 300 images........same art director called and wanted me to go to Lexington Ky to shoot the city but no horses and horse stuff........both were paid jobs.....you have to watch all publsihers cause they easily forget where the images came from......by that I mean you will get your credit but you may have to badger to get the paycheck or your copy of the book your images were used in.......especially from small publishers......
My family is always wanting to know why I do not talk about the famous people I have shot or the published works and all I can say is......I love what I do and the time spent doing it is incredible but these people are just people .....just like us........as to the books.....I sometimes forget that I shot for cookbooks and books about cities.....just another day behind the camera doing what I love to do.......

I will recommend you spend approx $50 on the Photographers Market and follow the guidlines for making contact with people doing what you want to get into, whether it is offering travel images for books or post cards etc etc..........You really do not need to buy one every year unless you want to....every 2 or 3 yrs is really enough......or see if you local library has a copy you can check out and study.......