Evening star., 1950-08-06

| II may COiIle dS surprise 10
you, but large percentage of the
pictures you see in newspapers
and magazines are made by anna
teurs and free-lance photogra-
piers. AS a matter of fact, you
probably have a number of pic
lures in your own collection that,
| if properly presented, would be
snapped up by some picture
editor.
All sorts of publications, par
ticularly the magazines. are lean
ing more heavily on pictures
rather than words to lend the
punch and zip necessary to boost
circulation and important adver-
tising accounts. If you are any
sort of a photographer, you might
Just as we'll climb on the band
wagon and make a few extra dol
lars.
I But hold on a bit before you
start mailing out pictures indis-
Icriminately. There are a few
points that you will have to be
familiar with before you will
have much success selling your
work. First you will have to know
the markets, editorial policies of
the publications. when you will
have the best chance for selling a
particular shot and a few other
odds and ends that govern picture
sales.
Newspapers are often the best
bet for the beginner who has a
picture to sell. OF course. you can't
hope to compete with news pho
tographers for spot news pictures.
Once in a blue moon you may
happen to be on hand with your
camera when an accident or fire
occurs with no competition from
the news photographers. Even so.
you will have to be on your toes
to gain anything from such
situation.
Time Element Is Important.
You won't have time to send
your film to flnisher. You won't
even have time to process the
shots yourself. If you ever find
yourself the exclusive possessor
of a hot news photo. rush the roll
of film to the newspaper and let
the Photographic staff take over
from there. They will be able to
rush the work along in time to
make the editions while if you do
the processing yourself and take
the picture in the next day Or
too late to make a last edition,
the chances. are you won't even
make a sale.
Feature pictures though are a
different matter. Shots of local
interest are good for sales to
rotogravure editors who are always
on the lookout for something
for the Sunday section. Human
interest pictures, with an empha-
sis on children, pretty girls and
animal shots, are usually in high
demand-especially if you employ
some local angle or twist. Single
pictures or sequence covering a
single bit of action are equally
acceptable.
Magazines. picture and adver-
tising agencies pay much higher
rates for photographs but the
competition is stiff and their
standards are much harder to
meet. However, if you have a
good picture your chances are
just as good as the next man, so
don't be hesitant about sending
your work in on the chance 1t
might make a sale. After all it
is the business of picture editors
to screen hundreds of pictures
daily and they will be just as
pleased as you if your picture is
a good one and will appeal to
their readers.
Before sending out any pictures,
no matter how good, be sure in
your own mind that a given
picture can be utilized by the mag
azine or agency to which you
intend to submit it. Clues to spe-
cific needs or requirements are
often found in the title of the
publication. A child's magazine,
for example. would have little
use for a picture of a prize fight
no matter how good the shot may
be.
Carefully scan the last few
issues of magazines that you
feel might be interested in your
pictures and determine for your
self just what their Photographic
needs are. If you are in doubt, you
can always write to the picture
editor and obtain positive infor-
nation as to picture policy. And
you can count on getting reply
because these editors never have
too many sources for good ma
terial.
Give Your Best in Prints.
Now. while these picture editors
are constantly on the lookout for
something new and different, they
do rightfully insist on work of
good quality. So don't send in just
any old picture showing pin holes,
scratches or other faults. If you
do, you will only discourage fur
ther interest in your work and
waste your own time and money.