Photographer market 2017

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2017

THE SUCCESSFUL
PHOTOGRAPHER’S SECRET!
Thousands of successful photographers have trusted Photographer’s Market as a resource
for growing their businesses. This edition contains the most comprehensive and up-to-date
market contacts for working photographers today: magazines, book publishers, greeting
card companies, stock agencies, advertising firms, contests, and more.
In addition to the more than 1,500 individually verified contacts, 2017 Photographer’s
Market includes:
•

A FREE 1-year subscription to ArtistsMarketOnline.com, where you can
search industry contacts, track your submissions, get the latest photography
news, and much more

•

Up-to-date information on how to start and run a photography business,
including how to find clients, who to contact to submit your photos, what
types of photos they need, and how to submit both digital and film images

•

Markets for fine art photographers, including hundreds of galleries and
art fairs

•

Informative articles on business topics, such as submitting to galleries,
creating a business plan, networking with other photographers, improving
your portfolio, and more

•

Inspiring and informative interviews with successful professionals, including
wedding, magazine, and commercial photographers

Check out ArtistsMarketOnline.com
and ArtistsNetwork.com for more
helpful resources.

US $34.99
R0094

(CAN $43.99)

PHOTOGRAPHER’S MARKET®

PHOTOGRAPHY BUSINESS

HOW TO
SELL
YOUR
WORK

ISBN-13: 978-1-4403-4658-3
ISBN-10: 1-4403-4658-5

RIVERA

INCLUDES A FREE SUBSCRIPTION TO ARTISTSMARKETONLINE.COM

PHOTOGRAPHER’S
MARKET
®

HOW AND WHERE TO SELL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY
TIPS ON
• STARTING A
PHOTOGRAPHY
BUSINESS

• GET TING
FREELANCE
PHOTOGRAPHY
JOBS

PLUS OVER
1,500 LISTINGS
FOR STOCK
AGENCIES, PRINT
PUBLISHERS &
MORE

35313 66644

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04 0124

0

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02
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cnVlZ2VyAFcQxNkCMTMDMTAwATEFVVBD
LUEMMDM1MzEzNjY2NDQ18A==
04 0120

UPC

EAN

53499

40 T H ANNUAL EDITION

781440 346583

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PHOTOGRAPHER’S
MARKET® 2017

EASY-TO-USE
REFERENCE ICONS

QS BIZTIMES MILWAUKEE
E-MAIL AND WEBSITE
INFORMATION

WHO TO CONTACT

This product includes a FREE 1-year subscription to ArtistsMarketOnline.com!

You must have Internet access to use this product!

SPECIFIC PHOTO NEEDS

The attached instructions bound in on the following page give you all
the information you need to start your FREE one-year subscription to
ArtistsMarketOnline.com, and take advantage of all the benefits of the service.
SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS for access to Photographer’s Market on ArtistsMarketOnline.com:

Internet access required. An e-mail account is also required to receive registration
confirmation, newsletters and other announcements.

DETAILED SUBMISSION
GUIDELINES

HOW MUCH THEY PAY

Windows: Pentium or faster Intel processor; Microsoft Windows 95 or later; 8 MB of RAM;
800x600, 256-color display; mouse; and a web browser (Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari
or Chrome).
Macintosh: Mac OS 7.6 or later; 8 MB of RAM; 800x600, 256-color display; mouse; and a
web browser (Firefox, Safari or Chrome).

Start Your FREE One-Year Subscription to ArtistsMarketOnline.com Today!
TIPS STRAIGHT FROM
ART DIRECTORS

ACTIVATE NOW!

North Light Books, 10151 Carver Rd., Suite 200, Blue Ash, Ohio 45242
For technical support, e-mail

Website: ArtistsMarketOnline.com

BizTimes Media, 126 N. Jefferson St., Suite 403, Milwaukee WI
53202-6120. (414)277-8181. Fax:
(414)277-8191. E-mail: shelly.
Website:
w w w.biztimes.com. Contact:
Shelly Tabor, art director. Estab. 1994. Circ. 13,500. Biweekly
business news magazine covering
southeastern Wisconsin.
NEEDS Buys 2-3 photos from
freelancers/issue; 200 photos/
year. Needs photos of Milwaukee,
including cities/urban, business
men and women, business concepts. Interested in documentary.
SPECS Accepts images in digital
format only.
MAKING CONTACT & TERMS

Provide résumé, business card,
self-promotion piece to be kept
on fi le for possible future assignments. Responds only if interested;
send nonreturnable samples. Simultaneous submissions and previously published work OK. Pays
$250 maximum for color cover;
$100 maximum for inside. Pays
on publication.
TIPS “Readers are owners/managers/CEOs. Cover stories and special reports often need conceptual
images and portraits. Clean, modern and cutting edge with good
composition. Covers have lots of
possibility! Approximate 1-week

turnaround. Most assignments
are for the Milwaukee area.”

K E Y TO S Y M B O L S
& A B B R E V I AT I O N S

L
A
E
J
W
X
Q
QQ
QQQ
S
T
U
R
O
C

market new to this edition
Canadian market
market located outside of
the U.S. and Canada
audiovisual market
buyer uses only images
created on assignment
buyer uses only stock

images
market pays $1-150
average per photo
market pays $151-750
average per photo
market pays $751-1500
average per photo
encourages beginning or
unpublished photographers to
submit work for consideration
accepts outstanding work
from beginning and established photographers
hard to break into; publishes
mostly previously published
photographers
closed to unsolicited
submissions
this art fair is a juried event
comment from the editor of
Photographer’s Market

(For definitions of words and expressions relating
specifically to the photographic industry, see the
Glossary in the back of this book.)

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4 0 th A N N U A L E DIT I O N

PHOTOGRAPHER’S
MARKET 2017
HOW AND WHERE TO SELL YOUR PHOTOGRAPHY

Noel Rivera, Editor

CINCINNATI, OHIO

artistsmarketonline.com

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Publisher and Community Leader, Fine Art Community: Jamie Markle
Content Director, North Light Books: Mona Clough
Market Books Assistant, North Light Books: Andrew Dunn
Artist’s Market Online website: artistsmarketonline.com
Artist’s Network website: artistsnetwork.com
North Light Shop website: northlightshop.com
2017 Photographer’s Market. Copyright © 2016 by F+W Media, Inc. Published by F+W Media,
Inc., 10151 Carver Rd., Suite 200, Blue Ash, Ohio 45242. Printed and bound in the United States of
America. All rights reserved. No part of this book may be reproduced in any form or by any electronic or mechanical means including information storage and retrieval systems without written
permission from the publisher. Reviewers may quote brief passages to be printed in a magazine or

newspaper.
Other fine North Light Books are available from your local bookstore, art supply store or online
supplier. Visit our website at fwmedia.com.
Distributed in Canada by Fraser Direct
100 Armstrong Avenue
Georgetown, ON, Canada L7G 5S4
Distributed in the U.K. and Europe by F&W Media International, LTD
Brunel House, Forde Close, Newton Abbot, Devon, TQ12 4PU, UK
Tel: (+44) 1626 323200, Fax: (+44) 1626 323319
E-mail:
ISSN: 0147-247X
ISBN-13: 978-1-4403-4658-3
ISBN-10: 1-4403-4658-5
Project managed by Noel Rivera
Cover design by Paisley Stone
Interior layout by Christina Richards
Interior design by Geoff Raker
Production coordinated by Debbie Thomas
Attention Booksellers: This is an annual directory of F+W Media, Inc.
Return deadline for this edition is December 31, 2017.

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CONTENTS
FROM THE EDITOR........................................................................................................ 7

BUSINESS BASICS

HOW TO USE THIS BOOK .......................................................................................... 9
HOW TO START SELLING YOUR WORK ............................................................. 13
RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS .................................................................................... 17
Submitting Your Work ........................................................................................... 17
Digital Submission Guidelines.............................................................................. 18
Using Essential Business Forms............................................................................ 21
Stock List .................................................................................................................. 23
Charging for Your Work ........................................................................................ 23
Figuring Small Business Taxes .............................................................................. 29
Self-Promotion ........................................................................................................ 31
Organizing & Labeling Your Images.................................................................... 33
Protecting Your Copyright .................................................................................... 34

Nature and travel photographer Brenda Tharp is a sole proprietor, but plans to switch to an LLC.

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ARTICLES & INTERVIEWS

THE BUSINESS PLAN
Your Blueprint for Success
by Vik Orenstein ..................................................................................................... 38

MAKE A GREAT PORTFOLIO

by Luke McLaughlin ............................................................................................... 49

NETWORKING WITH OTHER PHOTOGRAPHERS
by Vik Orenstein ..................................................................................................... 56

SALES THROUGH SOCIAL MEDIA
by Matt Koesters...................................................................................................... 62

THE SECRETS TO SALES
by Vik Orenstein ..................................................................................................... 70

FINE ART PHOTOGRAPHERS
Top Strategies for Finding Gallery Representation
by Kara Lane ............................................................................................................ 83

WHAT A FRAMER CAN DO FOR YOU
Playing With Pieces
by Chris A. Paschke ................................................................................................ 91

PSSST! WANNA SELL YOUR PHOTOS?
by Paul Sullivan ....................................................................................................... 96

TAXING SITUATIONS
by Leonard D. Duboff ............................................................................................. 99

HIGHLY REFLECTIVE
An Interview With Matt Graves
by Tina Topping .................................................................................................... 103

ANALOG STYLE IN A DIGITAL WORLD

An Interview With Katrina Tang
by Luke McLaughlin ............................................................................................. 110

STORYTELLING THROUGH IMAGES
An Interview With Natalie Barret Shelton
by Neely McLaughlin ............................................................................................117

SUCCESS THROUGH SOCIALIZING
An Interview With Jacob Hand
by Matt Koesters.................................................................................................... 125

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U.S. Troops by Stormi Greener.

Tang advises young photographers to put themselves out there sooner rather than later.

MARKETS
CONSUMER PUBLICATIONS ................................................................................133
NEWSPAPERS .................................................................................................... 225
TRADE PUBLICATIONS ....................................................................................... 233
BOOK PUBLISHERS ............................................................................................ 271
GREETING CARDS, POSTERS, & RELATED PRODUCTS ........................................ 287
STOCK PHOTO AGENCIES.................................................................................. 299
ADVERTISING, DESIGN, & RELATED MARKETS .................................................. 355

GALLERIES ........................................................................................................ 368
ART FAIRS ......................................................................................................... 439
CONTESTS .......................................................................................................... 511
PHOTO REPRESENTATIVES ................................................................................ 525
WORKSHOPS & PHOTO TOURS .......................................................................... 534

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RESOURCES

STOCK PHOTOGRAPHY PORTALS ....................................560
PORTFOLIO REVIEW EVENTS .......................................... 561
GRANTS: STATE, PROVINCIAL, & REGIONAL ....................... 562
PROFESSIONAL ORGANIZATIONS ....................................569
PUBLICATIONS ........................................................... 572
WEBSITES................................................................. 577
GLOSSARY ................................................................580
INDEXES

GEOGRAPHIC INDEX .................................................... 588
INTERNATIONAL INDEX .................................................605
SUBJECT INDEX .........................................................608
GENERAL INDEX .........................................................669

A portrait by Vik Orenstein.

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FROM
THE
EDITOR
I’m very excited to introduce myself as the new editor of Photographer’s Market! I’ve put
together some great articles that I hope will inform and guide you as you seek to grow and
improve your photography business. Topics include building your portfolio, learning how
to use social media as a photographer, creating a business plan and searching for gallery
representation.
In addition, enjoy the inspiring interviews with four successful photographers working
in different fields: food and beverages, children’s fashion, weddings, and interiors and
lifestyles. As always, we’ve included more than 1,500 individually verified market listings
to help you in your search for contacts.
Keep creating and good luck!
Noel Rivera

www.artistsmarketonline.com
P.S. Don’t forget to register at Artist’s Market Online, which you get FREE for a year with
the purchase of this book. With your free 1-year subscription, you’ll be able to search market
contacts, track your submissions, read up on the latest market news, and much more. Use
the activation code from the front insert to access your free subscription today.

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BUSINESS BASICS

HOW TO USE
THIS BOOK
The first thing you’ll notice about most of the listings in this book is the group of symbols
that appears before the name of each company. Scanning the listings for symbols can help
you quickly locate markets that meet certain criteria. (You’ll fi nd a quick-reference key to
the symbols as well as a sample listing on the back inside cover of the book.) Here’s what
each symbol stands for:
L This photo buyer is new to this edition of the book.
A This photo buyer is located in Canada.
E This photo buyer is located outside the U.S. and Canada.
W This photo buyer uses only images created on assignment.
X This photo buyer uses only stock images.
COMPLAINT PROCEDURE
If you feel you have not been treated fairly by a company listed in Photographer’s
Market, we advise you to take the following steps:
• First, try to contact the listing. Sometimes one phone call, e-mail, or letter can quickly
clear up the matter.

• Document all your correspondence with the listing. If you write to us with a complaint,
provide the details of your submission, the date of your first contact with the listing,
and the nature of your subsequent correspondence.
• We will enter your letter into our files.
• The number and severity of complaints will be considered in our decision whether to
delete the listing from the next edition.

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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

N This photo buyer accepts submissions in digital format.
J This photo buyer uses film or other audiovisual media.
O This art fair is a juried event; a juror or committee of jurors views applicants’
work and selects those whose work fits within the guidelines of the event.

Pay Scale
We asked photo buyers to indicate their general pay scale based on what they typically pay
for a single image. Their answers are signified by a series of dollar signs before each listing.
Scanning for dollar signs can help you quickly identify which markets pay at the top of the
scale. However, not every photo buyer answered this question, so don’t mistake a missing
dollar sign as an indication of low pay rates. Also keep in mind that many photo buyers are
willing to negotiate.

Q
QQ

QQQ
QQQQ

Pays $1–150
Pays $151–750
Pays $751–1,500
Pays more than $1,500

Openness
We also asked photo buyers to indicate their level of openness to freelance photography.
Looking for these symbols can help you identify buyers who are willing to work with newcomers, as well as prestigious buyers who publish only top-notch photography.
S Encourages beginning or unpublished photographers to submit work for consideration; publishes new photographers. May pay only in copies or have a low
pay rate.
T Accepts outstanding work from beginning and established photographers; expects a high level of professionalism from all photographers who make contact.
U Hard to break into; publishes mostly previously published photographers.
r May pay at the top of the scale. Closed to unsolicited submissions.

Subheads
Each listing is broken down into sections to make it easier to locate specific information
(see sample listing on the back inside cover of this book). In the first section of each listing
you’ll find mailing addresses, phone numbers, e-mail and website addresses, and the name
of the person you should contact. You’ll also find general information about photo buyers,
including when their business was established and their publishing philosophy. Each listing will include one or more of the following subheads:
Needs. Here you’ll find specific subjects each photo buyer is seeking. (Use the subject
index at the end of the book to help you narrow your search.) You’ll also find the average

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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
1 How do companies get listed in the book?
No company pays to be included—all listings are free. Every company has to fill out
a detailed questionnaire about their photo needs. All questionnaires are screened to
make sure the companies meet our requirements. Each year we contact every company in the book and ask them to update their information.
2 Why aren’t other companies I know about listed in this book?
We may have sent those companies a questionnaire, but they never returned it. Or if
they did return a questionnaire, we may have decided not to include them based on
our requirements.
3 Some publishers say they accept photos with or without a manuscript. What does
that mean?
Essentially, the word manuscript means a written article that will be published by a
magazine. Some magazines will consider publishing your photos only if they accompany a written article. Other publishers will consider publishing your photos alone,
without a manuscript.
4 I sent a CD with large digital files to a photo buyer who said she wanted to see
my work. I have not heard from her, and I am afraid that my photos will be used
without my permission and without payment. What should I do?
Do not send large, printable files (300 dpi or larger) unless you are sure the photo buyer
is going to use them, and you know what you will be paid for their usage and what rights
the photo buyer is requesting. If a photo buyer shows interest in seeing your work in
digital format, send small JPEGs at first so they can “review” them—i.e., determine if
the subject matter and technical quality of your photos meet their requirements. Until
you know for sure that the photo buyer is going to license your photos and you have
some kind of agreement, do not send high-resolution files. The exception to this rule

would be if you have dealt with the photo buyer before or perhaps know someone who
has. Some companies receive a large volume of submissions, so sometimes you must be
patient. It’s a good idea to give any company listed in this book a call before you submit anything and be sure nothing has changed since we contacted them to gather or
update information. This is true whether you submit slides, prints, or digital images.
5 A company says they want to publish my photographs, but fi rst they will need a
fee from me. Is this a standard business practice?
No, it is not a standard business practice. You should never have to pay to have your
photos reviewed or to have your photos accepted for publication. If you suspect that a
company may not be reputable, do some research before you submit anything or pay
their fees. The exception to this rule is contests. It is not unusual for some contests listed
in this book to have entry fees (usually minimal—between five and twenty dollars).

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HOW TO USE THIS BOOK

number of freelance photos a buyer uses each year, which will help you gauge your chances
of publication.
Audiovisual Needs. If you create images for media such as fi lmstrips or overhead transparencies, or you shoot videotape or motion picture film, look here for photo buyers’ specific needs in these areas.
Specs. Look here to see in what format the photo buyer prefers to receive accepted images. Many photo buyers will accept both digital and fi lm (slides, transparencies, prints)
formats. However, many photo buyers are reporting that they accept digital images only, so
make sure you can provide the format the photo buyer requires before you send samples.
Exhibits. This subhead appears only in the Galleries section of the book. Like the Needs
subhead, you’ll find information here about the specific subjects and types of photography

a gallery shows.
Making Contact & Terms. When you’re ready to make contact with a photo buyer, look
here to find out exactly what they want to see in your submission. You’ll also find what the
buyer usually pays and what rights they expect in exchange. In the Stock section, this subhead is divided into two parts, Payment & Terms and Making Contact, because this information is often lengthy and complicated.
Handles. This subhead appears only in the Photo Representatives section. Some reps
also represent illustrators, fine artists, stylists, make-up artists, etc., in addition to photographers. The term handles refers to the various types of talent they represent.
Tips. Look here for advice and information directly from photo buyers in their own
words.

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BUSINESS BASICS

HOW TO START
SELLING
YOUR WORK
If this is your first edition of Photographer’s Market, you’re probably feeling a little overwhelmed by all the information in this book. Before you start fl ipping through the listings, read the eleven steps below to learn how to get the most out of this book and your
selling efforts.
1. Be honest with yourself. Are the photographs you make of the same quality as those
you see published in magazines and newspapers? If the answer is yes, you may be able to
sell your photos.
2. Get someone else to be honest with you. Do you know a professional photographer
who would critique your work for you? Other ways to get opinions about your work: join a

local camera club or other photo organization; attend a stock seminar led by a professional
photographer; attend a regional or national photo conference or a workshop where they offer daily critiques.
• You’ll find workshop and seminar listings in the Markets section.
• You’ll find a list of photographic organizations in the Resources section.
• Check your local camera store for information about camera clubs in your area.
3. Get organized. Create a list of subjects you have photographed and organize your
images into subject groups. Make sure you can quickly find specific images and keep track
of any sample images you send out. You can use database soft ware on your home computer
to help you keep track of your images.
Other resources:
• Photo Portfolio Success by John Kaplan (Writer’s Digest Books)
• Sell and Re-Sell Your Photos by Rohn Engh (Writer’s Digest Books)

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HOW TO START SELLING YOUR WORK

• The Photographer’s Market Guide to Building Your Photography Business by Vik
Orenstein (Writer’s Digest Books)
4. Consider the format. Are your pictures color snapshots, black-and-white prints, color slides, or digital captures? The format of your work will determine, in part, which markets you can approach. Below are some general guidelines for where you can market various photo formats. Always check the listings in this book for specific format information.
• digital—nearly all newspapers, magazines, stock agencies, ad agencies, book and
greeting card publishers
• black-and-white prints—some galleries, art fairs, private collectors, literary/art
magazines, trade magazines, newspapers, book publishers
• color prints—some newsletters, very small trade or club magazines
• large color prints—some galleries, art fairs, private collectors

• color slides (35mm)—a few magazines, newspapers, some greeting card and calendar publishers, a very few book publishers, textbook publishers, stock agencies
• color transparencies (2¼×2¼ and 4×5)—a few magazines, book publishers, calendar publishers, ad agencies, stock agencies. Many of these photo buyers have begun to accept only digital photos, especially stock agencies.
5. Do you want to sell stock images or accept assignments? A stock image is a photograph you create on your own and then sell to a publisher. An assignment is a photograph
created at the request of a specific buyer. Many of the listings in Photographer’s Market are
interested in both stock and assignment work.
X Listings that are interested only in stock photography are marked with this
symbol.
W Listings that are interested only in assignment photography are marked with
this symbol.
6. Start researching. Generate a list of the publishers that might buy your images—
check the newsstand, go to the library, search the Web, read the listings in this book. Don’t
forget to look at greeting cards, stationery, calendars, and CD covers. Anything you see with
a photograph on it, from a billboard advertisement to a cereal box, is a potential market.
7. Check the publisher’s guidelines. Do you know exactly how the publisher you choose
wants to be approached? Check the listings in this book first. If you don’t know the format,
subject, and number of images a publisher wants in a submission, you should check their
website first. Often, guidelines are posted there. Or you can send a short letter with a selfaddressed, stamped envelope (SASE) or e-mail asking those questions. A quick call to the
receptionist might also yield the answers.
8. Check out the market. Get in the habit of reading industry magazines.
9. Prepare yourself. Before you send your first submission, make sure you know how
to respond when a publisher agrees to buy your work.

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HOW TO START SELLING YOUR WORK

Pay Rates
Most magazines and newspapers will tell you what they pay, and you can accept or decline. However, you should become familiar with typical pay rates. Ask other photographers what they charge—preferably ones you know well or who are not in direct competition with you. Many will be willing to tell you to prevent you from devaluing the market
by undercharging.
Other resources:
• Pricing Photography: The Complete Guide to Assignment & Stock Prices by Michal
Heron and David MacTavish (Allworth Press)
• fotoQuote, a soft ware package that is updated each year to list typical stock photo
and assignment prices, (800)679-0202, www.cradocfotosoft ware.com
• Negotiating Stock Photo Prices by Jim Pickerell (www.jimpickerell.com)

Copyright
You should always include a copyright notice on any slide, print, or digital image you send
out. While you automatically own the copyright to your work the instant it is created, the
notice affords extra protection. The proper format for a copyright notice includes the word
or symbol for copyright, the date and your name: © 2017 Jane Photographer. To fully protect your copyright and recover damages from infringers, you must register your copyright
with the Copyright Office in Washington DC.

Rights
In most cases, you will not actually be selling your photographs, but rather, the rights to
publish them. If a publisher wants to buy your images outright, you will lose the right to resell those images in any form or even display them in your portfolio. Most publishers will
buy one-time rights and/or first rights.
Resource:
• Legal Guide for the Visual Artist by Tad Crawford (Allworth Press)

Contracts
Formal contract or not, you should always agree to any terms of sale in writing. This could
be as simple as sending a follow-up letter restating the agreement and asking for confirmation, once you agree to terms over the phone. You should always keep copies of any correspondence in case of a future dispute or misunderstanding.
Resource:

• Business and Legal Forms for Photographers by Tad Crawford (Allworth Press)

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HOW TO START SELLING YOUR WORK

10. Prepare your submission. The number one rule when mailing submissions is: “Follow the directions.’’ Always address letters to specific photo buyers. Always include a SASE
of sufficient size and with sufficient postage for your work to be safely returned to you. Never
send originals when you are first approaching a potential buyer. Try to include something
in your submission that the potential buyer can keep on fi le, such as a tearsheet and your
résumé. In fact, photo buyers prefer that you send something they don’t have to return to
you. Plus, it saves you the time and expense of preparing a SASE.
Resource:
• Photo Portfolio Success by John Kaplan (Writer’s Digest Books)
11. Continue to promote yourself and your work. After you’ve made that first sale (and
even before), it is important to promote yourself. Success in selling your work depends in part
on how well and how often you let photo buyers know what you have to offer. This is known
as self-promotion. There are several ways to promote yourself and your work. You can send
postcards or other printed material through the mail, send an e-mail with an image and a
link to your website, and upload your images to a website that is dedicated to showcasing
your work and your photographic services.

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BUSINESS BASICS

RUNNING YOUR
BUSINESS
Photography is an art that requires a host of skills, some that can be learned and some that
are innate. To make money from your photography, the one skill you can’t do without is
business savvy. Thankfully, this skill can be learned. We’ll cover:
• Submitting Your Work
• Digital Submission Guidelines
• Using Essential Business Forms
• Stock List
• Charging for Your Work
• Figuring Small Business Taxes
• Self-Promotion
• Organizing & Labeling Your Images
• Protecting Your Copyright

SUBMITTING YOUR WORK
Editors, art directors, and other photo buyers are busy people. Many spend only 10 percent
of their work time actually choosing photographs for publication. The rest of their time is
spent making and returning phone calls, arranging shoots, coordinating production, and
doing a host of other unglamorous tasks that make publication possible. They want to discover new talent, and you may even have the exact image they’re looking for, but if you don’t
follow a market’s submission instructions to the letter, you have little chance of acceptance.

To learn the dos and don’ts of photography submissions, read each market’s listing carefully and make sure to send only what they ask for. Don’t send prints if they want only digital fi les. Don’t send color if they want only black and white. Check their website or send for

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guidelines whenever they are available to get the most complete and up-to-date submission
advice. When in doubt, follow these ten rules when sending your work to a potential buyer:
1. Don’t forget your SASE. Always include a self-addressed, stamped envelope whether you want your submission back or not. Make sure your SASE is big enough, has enough
packaging, and has enough postage to ensure the safe return of your work.
2. Don’t over-package. Never make a submission difficult to open and fi le. Don’t tape
down all the loose corners. Don’t send anything too large to fit in a standard fi le.
3. Don’t send originals. Try not to send things you must have back. Never, ever send
originals unsolicited.
4. Label everything. Put a label directly on the slide mount or print you are submitting.
Include your name, address, and phone number, as well as the name or number of the image. Your slides and prints will almost certainly get separated from your letter.
5. Do your research. Always research the places to which you want to sell your work.
Request sample issues of magazines, visit galleries, examine ads, look at websites, etc. Make
sure your work is appropriate before you send it out. A blind mailing is a waste of postage
and a waste of time for both you and the art buyer.
6. Follow directions. Always request submission guidelines. Include a SASE for reply.
Follow all the directions exactly, even if you think they’re silly.
7. Include a business letter. Always include a cover letter, no more than one page, that
lets the potential buyer know you are familiar with their company, what your photography
background is (briefly), and where you’ve sold work before (if it pertains to what you’re trying to do now). If you send an e-mail, follow the same protocol as you would for a business
cover letter and include the same information.

8. Send to a person, not a title. Send submissions to a specific person at a company.
When you address a cover letter to Dear Sir or Madam, it shows you know nothing about
the company you want to buy your work.
9. Don’t forget to follow through. Follow up major submissions with postcard samples
several times a year.
10. Have something to leave behind. If you’re lucky enough to score a portfolio review,
always have a sample of your work to leave with the art director. Make it small enough to
fit in a fi le but big enough not to get lost. Always include your contact information directly
on the leave-behind.

DIGITAL SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
Today, almost every publisher of photographs prefers digital images. Some still accept “analog” images (slides and prints) as well as digital images, but most accept only digital images.
There are a few who still do not accept digital images at all, but their number is rapidly decreasing. Follow each buyer’s size and format guidelines carefully.
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STARTING A BUSINESS
To learn more about starting a business:
• Take a course at a local college. Many community colleges offer short-term evening
and weekend courses on topics like creating a business plan or finding financial assistance to start a small business.
• Contact the Small Business Administration at (800)827-5722 or check out their website
at www.sba.gov. The U.S. Small Business Administration was created by Congress in
1953 to help America’s entrepreneurs form successful small enterprises. Today, SBA’s

program offices in every state offer financing, training, and advocacy for small firms.
• Contact the Small Business Development Center at (202)205-6766. The SBDC offers
free or low-cost advice, seminars, and workshops for small business owners.
• Read a book. Try Commercial Photography Handbook: Business Techniques for Professional Digital Photographers by Kirk Tuck (Amhearst Media) or The Business of Studio
Photography by Edward R. Lilley (Allworth Press). The business section of your local
library will also have many general books about starting a small business.

Previews
Photo buyers need to see a preview of an image before they can decide if it will fit their needs.
In the past, photographers mailed slides or prints to prospective photo buyers so they could
review them, determine their quality, and decide whether the subject matter was something
they could use. Or photographers sent a self-promotion mailer, often a postcard with one or
more representative images of their work. Today, preview images can be e-mailed to prospective photo buyers, or they can be viewed on a photographer’s website. Th is eliminates
the hassle and expense of sending slides through the mail and wondering if you’ll ever get
them back.
The important thing about digital preview images is size. They should be no larger than
3×5 inches at 72 dpi. E-mailing larger fi les to someone who just wants a peek at your work
could greatly inconvenience them if they have to wait a long time for the files to open or if
their e-mail system cannot handle larger fi les. If photo buyers are interested in using your
photographs, they will definitely want a larger, high-resolution fi le later, but don’t overload
their systems and their patience in the beginning with large files. Another option is sending
a CD with preview images. This is not as efficient as e-mail or a website since the photo buyer
has to put the CD in the computer and view the images one by one. If you send a CD, be sure
to include a printout of thumbnail images; if the photo buyer does not have time to put the
CD in the computer and view the images, she can at least glance at the printed thumbnails.
CDs and DVDs are probably best reserved for high-resolution photos you know the photo
buyer wants and has requested from you.

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Size & Quality
Size and quality might be the two most important aspects of your digital submission. If the
quality is not there, photo buyers will not be interested in buying your image regardless of
its subject matter. Find out what the photo buyer needs. If you scan your slides or prints,
make sure your scanning quality is excellent: no dirt, dust, or scratches. If the fi le size is
too small, they will not be able to do much with it either. A resolution of 72 dpi is fine for
previews, but if a photo buyer wants to publish your images, they will want larger, highresolution fi les. While each photo buyer may have different needs, there are some general
guidelines to follow. Often digital images that are destined for print media need to be 300
dpi and the same size as the final printed image will be (or preferably a little larger). For example, for a full-page photo in a magazine, the digital fi le might be 8×10 inches at 300 dpi.
However, always check with the photo buyer who will ultimately be publishing the photo.
Many magazines, book publishers, and stock photo agencies post digital submission guidelines on their websites or will provide copies to photographers if they ask. Photo buyers are
usually happy to inform photographers of their digital guidelines since they don’t want to
receive images they won’t be able to use due to poor quality.
Note: Many of the listings in this book that accept digital images state the dpi they require for final submissions. They may also state the size they need in terms of megabytes
(MB). See subhead Specs in each listing.

Formats
When you know that a photo buyer is defi nitely going to use your photos, you will then
need to submit a high-resolution digital fi le (as opposed to the low-resolution 72 dpi JPEGs
used for previews). Photo buyers often ask for digital images to be saved as JPEGs or TIFFs.
Again, make sure you know what format they prefer. Some photo buyers will want you to
send them a CD or DVD with the high-resolution images saved on it. Most photo buyers appreciate having a printout of thumbnail images to review in addition to the CD. Some may

allow you to e-mail images directly to them, but keep in mind that anything larger than 9
megabytes is usually too large to e-mail. Get the permission of the photo buyer before you
attempt to send anything that large via e-mail.
Another option is FTP (fi le transfer protocol). It allows fi les to be transferred over the
Internet from one computer to another. This option is becoming more prevalent.
Note: Most of the listings in this book that accept digital images state the format they
require for final digital submissions. See subhead Specs in each listing.

Color Space
Another thing you’ll need to find out from the photo buyer is what color space they want
photos to be saved in. RGB (red, green, blue) is a very common one. You might also encounter
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RUNNING YOUR BUSINESS

CMYK (cyan, magenta, yellow, black). Grayscale is for photos that will be printed without
any color (black and white). Again, check with the photo buyer to find out what color space
they require.

USING ESSENTIAL BUSINESS FORMS
Using carefully crafted business forms will not only make you look more professional in
the eyes of your clients, it will make bills easier to collect while protecting your copyright.
Forms from delivery memos to invoices can be created on a home computer with minimal
design skills and printed in duplicate at most quick-print centers. When producing detailed

contracts, remember that proper wording is imperative. You want to protect your copyright
and, at the same time, be fair to clients. Therefore, it’s a good idea to have a lawyer examine
your forms before using them.
The following forms are useful when selling stock photography as well as when shooting on assignment:

Delivery Memo
This document should be mailed to potential clients along with a cover letter when any submission is made. A delivery memo provides an accurate count of the images that are enclosed, and it provides rules for usage. The front of the form should include a description of
the images or assignment, the kind of media in which the images can be used, the price for
such usage, and the terms and conditions of paying for that usage. Ask clients to sign and
return a copy of this form if they agree to the terms you’ve spelled out.

FORMS FOR PHOTOGRAPHERS
Where to learn more about forms for photographers:
• Editorial Photographers (EP), www.editorialphoto.com
• Business and Legal Forms for Photographers by Tad Crawford (Allworth Press)
• Legal Guide for the Visual Artist by Tad Crawford (Allworth Press)
• ASMP Professional Business Practices in Photography (Allworth Press)
• The American Society of Media Photographers offers traveling business seminars that
cover issues from forms to pricing to collecting unpaid bills. Write to them at 14 Washington Rd., Suite 502, Princeton Junction NJ 08550 for a schedule of upcoming business seminars, or visit www.asmp.org.
• The Volunteer Lawyers for the Arts, 1 E. 53rd St., 6th Floor, New York NY 10022,
(212)319-2910. The VLA is a nonprofit organization, based in New York City, dedicated
to providing all artists, including photographers, with sound legal advice.

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Sample property release

Terms & Conditions
This form often appears on the back of the delivery memo, but be aware that conditions on
the front of a form have more legal weight than those on the back. Your terms and conditions should outline in detail all aspects of usage for an assignment or stock image. Include
copyright information, client liability, and a sales agreement. Also, be sure to include conditions covering the alteration of your images, the transfer of rights, and digital storage.
The more specific your terms and conditions are to the individual client, the more legally
binding they will be. If you create your forms on your computer, seriously consider altering
your standard contract to suit each assignment or other photography sale.

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Invoice
This is the form you want to send more than any of the others, because mailing it means
you have made a sale. The invoice should provide clients with your mailing address, an explanation of usage, and the amount due. Be sure to include a reasonable due date for payment, usually thirty days. You should also include your Employer Identification Number
or Social Security number.

Model/Property Releases
Get into the habit of obtaining releases from anyone you photograph. The releases increase

the sales potential for images and can protect you from liability. A model release is a short
form, signed by the person(s) in a photo, that allows you to sell the image for commercial
purposes. The property release does the same thing for photos of personal property. When
photographing children, remember that a parent or guardian must sign before the release is
legally binding. In exchange for signed releases, some photographers give their subjects copies of the photos; others pay the models. You may choose the system that works best for you,
but keep in mind that a legally binding contract must involve consideration, the exchange
of something of value. Once you obtain a release, keep it in a permanent fi le.
You do not need a release if the image is being sold editorially. However, magazines
now require such forms in order to protect themselves, especially when an image is used as
a photo illustration instead of as a straight documentary shot. You always need a release for
advertising purposes or for purposes of trade and promotion. In works of art, you need a
release only if the subject is recognizable. When traveling in a foreign country, it is a good
idea to carry releases written in that country’s language. To translate releases into a foreign
language, check with an embassy or a college language professor.

STOCK LIST
Some market listings in this book ask for a stock list, so it is a good idea to have one on hand.
Your stock list should be as detailed and specific as possible. Include all the subjects you have
in your photo fi les, breaking them into logical categories and subcategories.

CHARGING FOR YOUR WORK
No matter how many books you read about what photos are worth and how much you should
charge, no one else can set your fees for you. If you let someone try, you’ll be setting yourself up for financial ruin. Figuring out what to charge for your work is a complex task that
will require a lot of time and effort. But the more time you spend finding out how much you
need to charge, the more successful you’ll be at targeting your work to the right markets and
getting the money you need to keep your business, and your life, going.

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