Your foot - their door

How to get your foot in the door - most budding photojournalists fear this aspect of getting published more than any other rung on the ladder.

So, two examples of how it could happen for you, one from that scurrilous hack, John Bantin (who works full time for DIVER) and one from myself (who would love to work full time for DIVER but is quite happy doing stuff in his spare time).

From John's world:

I discovered their office was just around the corner from where I had a photography studio in London.
I walked into the editor's office (He's now Editor in Chief) and said "Nigel, I'm taking you out to lunch."
He answered that he couldn't come out, he was too busy, and had some sandwiches prepared.
I asked him if the sandwiches were the ones I noticed neatly packed on his desk.
When he nodded in the affirmative, I picked them up and tossed them in the bin, with the words, "I think we can do better than that!"
Yes, I scared him to death!
Ah, the confidence I had in those days!!!

...and yes I was a bully, but the meek shall inherit the earth - but only if it's OK with everyone else!

My story,

I'd just come third in the 1995 BSoUP Beginner's Portfolio competition and DIVER seemed to   really like my pictures with three of them featured in the two page spread they put together about the competition. I also got the cover shot - and if I can share something with you, seeing it for the first time was one of the coolest experiences in my life.

I'd been trying to get my photographs published for a couple of years, this letter was the closest I got to at that time to getting published and seeing my name in print.

Following the BSoUP thing (I must tell you sometime about the argument I had with them on the evening) I started to work out (Duh!) that the best way to get published would be to get some words wrapped around the pictures.

And so, I rang Jonty Summers, who was the editor of DIVER back then. The conversation went something like this:

Me: Er, hi, erm, I'm really excited, the cover shot, wow!

Jonty: Well, we liked your pictures, and the one we used was ideal for a front cover (and incidentally, because they sponsored the competition and had the rights to the photos they didn't have to pay me to use it, £150 saving for DIVER, makes good business sense).

Me: Actually, I was thinking how I would like to write for DIVER.

Jonty: So what are you thinking of?

Me: (wasn't expecting that question, once again, duh! But saved by quick thinking and being cocky) I've just spent a week in a place called God's Pocket which is a small resort on an uninhabited island off Vancouver Island. I've got some great pictures.

Jonty: And? (He was looking for the angle, God's Pocket is a place not an article, and pictures mean nothing without engaging copy to support them).

Me: (quickly getting his jist) This place is one of Howard Hall's favourite sites, I know you haven't covered this area before (I used to and still do read the magazine back to front), and it's different because no-one lives there, you won't see another dive boat, it's in the wilderness, the diving is equally wild, and for cold water diving, the colours match any warm water location I've been to.

Jonty: (who unbeknown to me was preparing a feature on diving off Canada's west coast, this would tag onto the end of it nicely) Sounds good, I need it in three weeks, no more than 1000 words, and with a selection of pictures that illustrate what your copy.

My thought bubble: What's copy...no, don't ask him, he'll think you don't know what you're talking about. But I don't! Erm... say nothing, look it up later!

Jonty: ... with captions.

Me: No problem - I can do that for you, thanks for the opportunity.

Jonty: I look forward to seeing your contribution

A few months later and this get published.

 

Me: wow, that's cool! And they paid me £200 for it! (they still pay the same rate). So - what next?

The lesson here. As John says, it's all about "confidence."

But you can prepare yourself - having a plan of attack is a sure way to ensure you have the confidence to pitch to the editor. After all, if you don't sound confident as you try and get your foot in their door, how can they be confident your work will be what they are looking for?

Keep writing....

Brendan