Ambrose Loc: North America

I'm curious of the Hoggers here that have been pubished in newpapers, magazines, etc., how did you get there?
Was it a contest? Was it an open invitation? Or did you simply send images into the publisher unsolicited?
I look forward to your replies. Thanks!

Nikonian72 Loc: Chico CA

Most of my 'photo use' inquiries come from my Flickr page.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

If you have something especially good, in your opinion, post it in the critique forum and see what they have to say. There are some pretty sharp photographers there. If you have a grab shot that is interesting and connects with a local event then go to your local newspaper with a print and see what they have to say. Sometimes what we think is special or exceptional really isn't, but it is worth a try. Good luck.

DavidPine Loc: Fredericksburg, TX

Many of the shots you have made are exceptional. I have viewed your pages several times. Many are really amazing.

Allen Hirsch Loc: Oakland, CA

I've had two images published in Birding Monthly that I submitted.

I've had featured images in the last two Golden Gate Audubon Society calendars, which were submitted (sort of a contest).

I've also covered the Tour of California with a press photographer's pass multiple years for my local weekly newspaper, which published images but all I received was a credit.

And I've sold licensing rights to two images where they found me. One, from a contest I entered, and the other, from seeing my image online which they wanted to use in a tourism brochure.

BHC Loc: Strawberry Valley, JF, USA

The first, published 50+ years ago in a now defunct newspaper was shot at an automobile accident. By the time the reporter arrived (anything was news then; they had people covering quilting bees), everything was gone. I was asked if I had any good pictures (the camera was obvious). The paper bought the unprocessed roll, then paid me a pittance for the one shot they ran on an inside page four columns wide without attribution. I was later credited in a small errata note in the standard section at the beginning of the classified ads. I was ashamed of the picture and never mentioned it to anyone!

The second was a shot of a Great Blue Heron in full flight at a local wildlife refuge. I gave the set of shots to the refuge office with a written release to use them for any purpose dealing with helping expand membership, fund-raising, etc. The photo was used on Page 1 of the local newspaper as the lead-in for the biggest fundraiser of the year. Conservation stories ran first in the small college town; politics and crimes started about half-way back. The picture, cropped slightly, was six columns wide and properly attrinuted. The paper also, as I recall, mentioned that several of my pictures would be included in the silent auction at the fund-raiser.

Those have been my only two publications with the exception of several shots I took of an annual elementary school parade and picnic, when I was in my early teens. My mother was a teacher and pro-tem teacher and I was very involved in the school board activities because I had a bigger camera than anyone else (TLR). I have no ifea how many pictures were poblished over the years, but most were grossly underexposed and used as one column fillers for the article that was run in our small weekly newspaper. At the time I had no idea what attribution was, got none, but received a loy of praise and thanks for some really horrible shots.

All in all, in inglorious career!

GrayPlayer Loc: Granby, Ct.

First published was a shot of firemen manning a hose. With cameras and cell phones, uploads to media outlets are a "dime-a-dozen!" ...........and pay as much!
Community newspapers, senior centers and youth organizations good places to start.

Moles Loc: South Carolina

Start with a local paper. They don't pay much, but they are usually grateful for freelance submissions.

anotherview Loc: California

Happenstance led to the first and only publication of one of my photographs. I took a group photograph of a local youth soccer team. The staff reporter/photographer for a local newspaper failed to get the shot due to inclement weather. The mother of one soccer player asked if she could submit my photograph for publication along with a story about the team. I said yes, and viola!, my photograph appeared in print. I felt a little thrill.

LoneRangeFinder Loc: Left field

My publications appeared in industry newsletters covering events for which I had been hired. The last of these jobs was perhaps 20 years ago. Typically, I would submit contact sheets, meet with the art director and they would select what they wanted for publication.

Strictly shoot for myself these days--and that's what I prefer

spphoto Loc: Long Island,N.Y.

I donated 120 wildlife pictures to the local Fish and Wildlife preserve.They then used the pictures for banners ,posters,and general display.Ney York Conservation magazine published some of the pictures.Peterson magazine also published some pictures
Now I take pictures of Movie people (Actors,writers,Directors)for a Local art theater and the local papers publish these.

Beemerboy

You are a master of macro.

Avranches Loc: Bonita Springs, FL

Hello Ambrose,
Getting published is difficult. I have had a number of lighthouse photos published in calendars. And, I have had a few other photos published in various books. All have been unsolicited. I contact the publishers and ask if I can be of service to their needs. Few answer. But, once you get published, the publisher may contact you as to what subject they are looking for. Don't expect to get rich--I get $150 for a lighthouse in a calendar and get my name as the photographer.
There is an annual publication that is helpful --"Photographer's Market." It lists publishers by category and a short write-up as to what generally looking for and how to contact them initially. It's cost varies, but the last one that I got was $18.00 at Barnes & Nobles. Good Luck.

cntry Loc: Colorado

In the late 80's, I entered a photo in a contest. I made Honorable Mention and it was published in one of those huge coffee table books. Unfortunately, all I got was credit and if I wanted a copy of the book it would cost $80+ (can't remember exactly), at the time I was a single parent, dead-beat ex, making less than $150 a week. Buying the book was out of the question. There were several of those near-scams back then - have a contest, get lots of free photos, print cheesy certificates, sell the book for big $$. The publishers were the only ones who made money. The book was actually published, I saw it once in a book store.

Years ago I used to shoot concerts (early to mid 90's). One of my favorites was country singer Billy Dean. His fan club made a calendar every year of concert shots that benefited St. Jude Hospital. Everyone (not just fan club members - it was posted on his web page) was invited to submit a photo and they (fan club officers, his mgmt, maybe him - not sure) would choose. I submitted several photos for 2 or 3 years and made it in those calendars. And I was contacted for the next 2 years asking if they could still use my photos (he had cut his touring schedule due to voice issues, if I remember correctly), of course I said yes. I got photo credit and nice thank you letters from St. Jude each year.

Prairimages

It was a much different editorial world when I had my first "professional" publication--almost 50 years ago--in a regional newspaper. I had shot pix for our local newspaper, my high school yearbook, then college newspaper... I had a two-fold motivation: good light and a good story. Composition, technique, etc., grew with practice & experience & constantly studying the work of top photogs. After college I joined the Peace Corps & went to Afghanistan; my cameras were my entree into exploring and interpreting an utterly new world (this was in the early '70s). Came back home and began doing feature stories & photos for a bi-weekly newspaper. After a couple of years, I pitched my first story idea to the editor of a regional magazine; I got that assignment, and I continued working on assignment (text and photos) for them the next 30 years. As I said, things were different: editors and publishers would stay w/ the same pubs for years; they knew each other; they'd recommend writers & photogs to their colleagues. Talk over an assignment, shake hands, and get to work: that word-of-mouth and a handshake took me to more regional & national magazines, book publishers, etc. In 30+ years I recall submitting only 2 formal story proposals. I never got rich, but I had an awful lot of creative fun, and I earned enough to keep on. Digital has made it easier to submit photos, but the continuity, loyalty, and trust are mostly gone now. The bean counters and hotshot editors are pointed to squeezing the creators for quick turnaround & quick profits--they're no fun to work with, so I don't. I still love making beautiful images that tell stories, but there's just a very small handful of editors that I've stayed with. Now I mostly shoot pix for not-for-profit & charitable organizations--for free, or at-cost. I don't mean to discourage here, but instead to suggest another way to gain experience and build a portfolio: keep your day job, and hone your skills working for religious, benevolent, environmental or other beneficial organizations. Build personal relationships as you do and see if your network evolves.