Shooting magazine content on spec

[Jay Villa]

I'm looking for info on submitting work to magazines on spec. Does anyone here have any experience with this? Any tips or suggestions you can provide?

[scottbuckel]

Many years ago John Shaw wrote a book on "The Business of Nature Photography" and to summarize that book: "Shoot your local area and submit to local publications." Several years ago I got together with a writer friend and we published a number of articles with his words and my photos worked very well. The key is to provide editors with complete packages, both photos and words.

Scott

[Jay Villa]

How do you make the first contact?

[scottbuckel]

We found contact information from Photographers Market and we then wrote query letter. Depending on what your photographic niche, you may want to search photo business books on Amazon.com.

Scott

[Jay Villa]

I have several photographer's market books, but most magazine companies seem to be niche magazines outside of my realm of experience or something to that effect.

[hue-e]

go to the magazines website and look for digital file requirements. Otherwise, save yourself the headache and call the art dept of the magazine and talk to one of the production or graphic designers.