8 Pointers on Mixing Writing and Photography

A writer recently asked me about selling photos with articles. It's great if you can do it, but there are some things to consider:

• Know your stuff. Just as you would rightly be insulted if someone suggested that anybody could write an article, photographers and photo editors feel the same way when told that anyone can snap a picture - and the results prove it. Good photography is as hard to achieve as good writing, so learn about the technical and compositional aspects and then practice. If possible, get someone to critique your early attempts so you can avoid telltale signs that you're just pushing the button. Study good photo work in publications you'd like to reach and get yours up to that level. I still work on learning more, and I've been taking photos for at least 30 years and even recently published the Complete Idiot's Guide to Canon EOS Digital Cameras. If I can stand to learn more, you probably can as well.


• Talk to the right people. You wouldn't approach an advertising sales manager with an article idea. Know who looks at photo pitches. Generally it will be a photo editor separate from the editorial department. They don't like having their turf marked up by others, so be considerate and respectful of their positions and don't assume that your editor will assign you photo work.


• You can't always be everything. Yes, it's nice to make more money, but many publications have a prejudice against jacks-of-all-trades. I can remember a magazine where I had contributed for a number of years where the photo people wouldn't even entertain looking at my work because they found that, generally speaking, writers weren't good photographers. (That goes back to the first point.) Realize that some won't want to open the photo door to you.


• Get an introduction. Even though there are separate territories, if you've worked with an editor for a while, he or she might be willing to give you an introduction to the photo people. I've gotten such introductions at most of the magazines for which I've done some shooting.


• Find your strengths. Just as there are certain types of articles and topics at which you excel, you will have photo strengths and weaknesses. Until you can bolster the weaknesses, sell on the strengths, whether formal portraits, candid work, a knowledge of particular conditions, or certain types of formats and results that you can provide.


• Invest in your business. Unlike writing, photography is equipment heavy. Make sure that what you have can provide the quality results that photo departments need. For example, don't try to get away with a point-and-shoot digital that won't give you the image size, resolution, and file format that the editor is likely to want.


• Learn the lingo. If anything in the previous point was confusing, then it's time to learn more about the language of photography - not just how to do it, but how to communicate about it. Know as much about how to communicate with photo departments about their needs as you know about communicating with editors. Also learn the organizational structure of the typical photo department and the usual business practices in the field.


• Watch the rights. Ultimately there is money to be made in reusing photographs. Don't let some publication snow you into thinking that selling all rights is normal. Most photographers are far more sophisticated about rights issues than writers, so learn from them.

It's certainly work to get there, but photography can add significant revenue to your assignments and satisfaction to your story telling.