MEDIA: How to take a photograph the media would want to use

JUST as important as a good quality press release, is attaching a print-ready photograph as part of your pitch to the media. The media won’t necessarily use your photo, but it’s best to have one for those times when a photographer isn’t able to get to you.

There are a few rules though. That grainy photo, with last year’s Christmas decorations in the background and someone’s arm poking out at the side isn’t going to cut it. Here are some things to consider before taking your shot:

• Consider your background. Is it clear and uncluttered? The only reason you would go with a busy background is if you were going to blur the background (use bokeh) to draw attention to the subject
• Make the photo relevant to what you’re pitching. If you’re pitching your craft business, then have a photo of you with your craft items in it. If you’re pitching your photography blog, how about you holding a camera?
• Use props where possible. A photo of you staring at the camera smiling can be dull. No offence.
• Never send in a photo of a cheque presentation. It won’t get used. If the photo looks boring to you, then it will probably look boring to everyone else too.
• Take a look at a newspaper or magazine and see what type of profile shots they’re taking. Do they have props, what’s in the background, how is the subject positioned etc.
• Never try and cram too many people into the one shot, otherwise their heads just become dots in a photo. It’s best to aim for no more than three or four people.
• Make sure it’s at least 2Mb, 200 dpi and in jpeg format. Anything less than this and it will become too pixelated for print media.
• These days, it’s best to send in a digital image. The days of sending in a hardcopy are fast going. While it’s not impossible for these to be scanned in, it is however creating more work at their end.
• If you are using an image someone else has taken for you, make sure you have their permission or own the copyright to distribute it first.
• Where possible, provide more than one option (preferably a horizontal and a vertical).

Next week will be the final in the Media Room series here on Three Li’l Princesses. However, don’t despair, the series will be continued on a new site dedicated to helping bloggers, small business owners and other organisations pitch their stories, brand or product to the media.

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