Table Of Content

PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY get published A GUIDE for WEDDING PHoToGrAPHErS Credits & Copyright Written by: Lara White I worked very hard on this guide, so please do me a www.photomint.com favor and don’t share it directly with anyone. I would LOVE it if you’d help me get the word out about this Publisher: Gryphon Publishing Inc. free resource though. Here’s the best way to share: Graphic Design/Layout: Naomi Creek Writing Consultant: Donna C. Arnds © Copyright 2011 Gryphon Publishing Inc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be Gryphon Publishing Inc. reproduced, stored or transmitted in any form or by any 14850 Hwy 4, Suite A #131 means, electronic, mechanical or otherwise, without prior written consent from the publisher, except for the inclusion Discovery Bay, CA 94505 Share it on Facebook of brief quotations in a review. You may store the PDF on [email protected] your computer, tablet and backups. www.photomint.com Disclaimer: The information contained in this book is based Or you can just share this link directly with people on the author’s experience, knowledge and opinions. The All photos copyright Geoff White Photography Inc. author and publisher will not be held liable for the use or and they can get their own free copy: unless otherwise noted. Magazine covers are misuse of the information in this book. copyright owned by the respective magazine www.photomint.com/getpublished publishers. PHOTO THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY CoNteNts Credits & Copyright _____________________________________2 About the Author _______________________________________4 Praise for Get Published _________________________________5 Introduction ____________________________________________6 Benefits & Opportunities of Getting Published ____________7 Why Get Published? _________________________________8 Opportunities for Getting Published __________________9 Details, Details, Details _________________________________11 Creating Magazine Quality Images ____________________27 Inspiration & Examples _________________________________37 The Process ___________________________________________ 44 Organizing the Submission Spreadsheet ____________45 Your Very Own Assembly Line _______________________46 Submissions Guidelines & Magazine Style ___________47 Getting “In” with the Publishers ______________________49 Advice from the Editors _____________________________50 You’re Published! Now What? _______________________53 Final Thoughts ________________________________________ 54 PHOTO Spread the Word ______________________________________ 55 THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY About the Author Since becoming a As a testament to all our on any given day you might embark on our journey; professional photographer hard work, In 2007 Geoff find us providing shots to a that is, our passionate in 2004, my passion for White Photographers was well-known magazine dedication to both capturing the perfect identified by PPA editor, photographing a photography and business. image has taken me (Professional Photographers baseball player’s wedding, around the world, along of America) as being in the capturing a party on a with my husband Geoff. top 5% profitability of all wealthy client’s yacht, home studios in the United doing a fashion shoot, Today you can find our States. Of course, what they selling photos for corporate signature images in over didn’t say is that our use, or advising other 60 magazines, newspapers, profession has made it photographers about and blogs from countries possible for us to have the the business side of near and far—such as The time of our lives! photography. Knot, Grace Ormonde, We know we have been Bride & Bloom, San This guide is going to set Needless to say, we have incredibly blessed, and Francisco Chronicle, you on the road to getting worked hard as professional that’s why we are so Modern Bride China, published, the first step to artists to get to the top of excited about imparting Professional Photographer, making your dreams come our industry; however, what we have learned American Photo, Style true. Watch and listen. in large part, we owe to you. Unveiled, Get Married, our success to our Trusted by celebrities and among others. backgrounds in business. What we want to tell you heads of state alike to As a professional fundraiser, in this guide is that the Most recently we were discreetly photograph I’ve raised millions for process is not all that honored to be selected for weddings, events, and charity and Geoff sold his daunting—once you know The Knot’s recent book parties, I’ve lived the Silicon Valley tech how to do it. So let’s begin. The Ultimate Wedding dream. Indeed, our lives company for more millions We want you to succeed Lookbook. are so rich and varied that before we decided to as much as you do. PHOTO 4 THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY photomint.com pr Aise for get published: A guide for weddiNg photogr Aphers "Getting “This is THE “PhotoMint's "This guide “Very easy- published is guide for ebook Get includes all to-read, well a learned skill. wedding Published: the tips we wish thought-out, If mastered, photographers A Guide For we could tell and I love the it can pay you back huge who want to get published Wedding Photographers each photographer who is step-by-step tips, as well as dividends. The problem is it's and amp up their business is a must read for any looking to be published. the sample photographs to a skill set nobody knows until strategy and processes!” photographer looking to get We HIGHLY recommend get photographers thinking they either figure it out on their weddings published. that photographers read about what they should Karina Timmel, their own (have a good time The information is easy to this valuable resource! " shoot to get published!... Editor-in-Chief, with that) or someone very understand and follow and Great stuff.” Get Married magazine Heather and Kimberly, kind shares it with you. Lara the best part is,it's free. Editorial Team, Kimberlee West, White has given you that Years of experience and Style Unveiled The Boudoir Divas gift here. Get it, read it, hours of sweat and passion “Very implement it... to your own went into this amazing book. thorough and success." It's the cliff notes for getting comprehensive. published. Do yourself a Dane Sanders, Great detailed favor download this book Author of Fast Track advice along with great Photographer and get to work. When photo examples. You walk your weddings hit the news- the reader through the stands be sure to return submission process step-by- the favor to a fellow step which is very important photographer and give since so many back, just as Lara White did photographers don't know for you when she published where to start when it comes this amazing tool.” to submitting their work.” Robert Evans, Kevin Chin, Celebrity Wedding Top Wedding Photographer, Photographer Bay Area PHOTO 5 THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY photomint.com iNtroduCtioN For many wedding & we just weren’t sure how different picture. about clients with six figure know. And if your work is portrait photographers, it would happen. Certain Our photography studio, budgets. It’s about the already good enough to be getting images published photographers seemed to Geoff White Photographers, process. published, great! This guide is the holy grail that they get their work published gets published regularly will give you the step-by- To be fair, you do need to hope to achieve. While it in all the magazines. in magazines and blogs step process to make that have quality images. Not can be a great ego boost Of course, you assume around the world. happen. Remember, it’s the most amazing images and proof that you’ve a lot of things about those Editors seek us out, often about the process. And if in the world, but your work got what it takes as a photographers—it must be contacting us with requests. you’d like to come along, does need to meet a professional, the main who they know, right? How do we do it? How did I’ll tell you everything I know minimum level of quality. reason to consider getting Perhaps they have an we go from never getting —no secrets held back, If you aren’t at that point your images published is to unlimited budget for all the published to always getting I promise. Let’s get started. yet in your photography accelerate your marketing latest gear? Some other published? career, this guide is going efforts and to build your magic trick you don’t have Let me fill you in on a little to give you a roadmap to brand. access to? Whatever it is, secret from someone who’s get there. This guide will you aim to be like them. Back when we were first been on both sides of the show you how to approach You want that kind of starting out, Geoff & I used fence. It’s not about who shooting for a magazine, success. How did they do to talk about the idea of you know. It’s not about what f-stops & lenses to use, it? Were they super lucky? someday getting published. shooting exotic weddings and many other aspects of It was a lofty goal we Fast-forward to nine years on beautiful beaches the process you need to hoped to reach eventually; later. Now it’s a completely around the world. It’s not PHOTO 6 THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY photomint.com beNefits & opportuNities of gettiNg published Why Get Published? Getting your work published can be a huge There are incredible benefits to getting published, many of boost to your business. It’s like free advertising, which can transform your business and career, including: but better. Much better. Greater exposure to more brides Your work gets seen by potential brides as well Exposure to wedding industry vendors as key players in the wedding industry. You may Higher perceived value from brides and industry vendors find that planners are more interested in working with you when they know their work is more likely More benefits than paying for expensive ads, which may offer little to be published. It’s all upside when you are at return if not targeted properly as part of a full-scale marketing campaign the point in your career that you are looking for More desirable to a “high end” bride who is seeking to have her wedding published more exposure to your work and your brand. Credibility within the industry, and among your peers It’s a trade of your images for exposure. Opportunities to promote and publicize your published images Your studio becomes more desirable among key players in your industry Every example you see throughout the book is an image that has been Relationship building with people who can give you more business published. I want you to be inspired Self-satisfaction and personal achievement and motivated to know you can do it for yourself. PHOTO 8 THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY photomint.com TIP: If you are an established photographer who has already been published, the key to getting more work published is developing and refining the process. Make editorial submissions a regular part of your workflow. This creates a steady stream of your images getting published. LocaL MagazIneS/newSpaperS wIdeLy read/ (Austin Brides, San Francisco Chronicle, etc.) MaSS MarketMagazIneS (The Knot, Modern Bride, PROS Get Married, etc.) Local publications greatly increase your chances of being published PROS Opportunities Seen by wider audience Much easier to start and build up a portfolio of brides of published work for Getting Frequently picked up Potential opportunities for paid gigs in your by publications’ blogs; community offers more bang for your Published Bride’s family may actively promote this as their buck, and often a link to bride is now a featured “hometown hero” your website from an authority site When it comes to getting your images Potential engagement with brides’ families who published, there are many, many opportunities. are interested in featuring their bride locally Often a link to if you have Some are more difficult than others, but if your an SEO* strategy, you’ll Wider exposure to brides in your area goal is to build your credibility and establish know this is highly valuable Exposure in your own neighborhood offers a yourself as an expert, each time your work is Formalized submission great “hometown advantage” published somewhere is like getting another process with both local vendors and their clients gold star on your resume. CONS CONS Here are some of the things to think about High-end planners often Often not published frequently, or limited to an when considering submitting your work for prefer to be associated annual wedding issue; advance planning is publication. You can find much of the editorial with an “exclusive” magazine needed contact details in numerous places—at the No national exposure magazine section of a large bookstore, Amazon, in your hometown publications and through researching popular wedding blogs online. PHOTO 9 THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY photomint.com HIgH end pubLIcatIonS SpecIaLIzed MagazIneS With each opportunity come different advantages. By knowing what those advantages are, you can (Grace Ormonde, YWD, (Wedding Cakes, etc.) Ceremony, etc.) position yourself to reap the rewards. Submit your PROS work to a multitude of places so you can take PROS Because the volume of advantage of each benefit available. If you spend H ighly desirable by members submissions is lower than too much time worrying about finding the “perfect” of the high-end wedding the mass-market wedding publication for each wedding, and only submit industry magazines, it may be easier to get published to one place at a time, the chances of getting published are far lower. T hese magazines are widely A single photo (great cake, venue, lounge) read within the industry, so is all you need, not a total package *SEO refers to search engine optimization. It means your work WILL be noticed by that you make an effort to make your website planners, florists and other CONS come up higher in search engine (i.e. Google, up-scale, sought-after With smaller circulation, you may have to Bing, Yahoo) results. Two major strategies of SEO wedding vendors in your area purchase your own copies of the magazines include using specific keywords that your clients are using in their searches as well as getting links CONS May not have a formalized submission process from “authority sites” that are highly trusted by the C irculation rates are often low; fewer brides will search engines. Having your site or blog linked see your work weddIng bLogS to from “The Knot” or “Style Unveiled” will not only (Style Unveiled, 100 Layer Cake, etc.) help your website get higher in search engine S ome only publish within their circle of placement results, you will also get web traffic to advertisers, so if you aren’t buying their print PROS your site from people clicking on the link to see ads, you may not qualify Links to your website from an authority site, more of your work. U sually only publish very high-end weddings very valuable if you have an SEO strategy with a six-figure budget and/or celebrity cache Easy to promote and publicize Blogs need a wider variety of content regularly, thereby increasing your chances TIP: Insist on photo Widely followed by wedding industry leaders credit. Without it, you are who like to keep their eye on fresh talent working for free with no Turnaround is much quicker, often with results in return on the investment 3-4 weeks instead of 6-8 months or longer with of your time and talent. magazines Easy online submission process CONS May not reflect the exclusivity of a printed publication PHOTO 10 THE BUSINESS OF PHOTOGRAPHY photomint.com