Many photographers and couples have asked how we manage to get our work featured in (legitimate) publications. And while each blog and magazine will vary on what they look for, the main areas that you need to focus on in order to get your wedding featured are:
- Editors look for uniqueness, which means that if a wedding or engagement session was a complete replica of something on Pinterest – it isn’t unique. They want to feature shots, details, and ideas that aren’t done over and over again. After all these editors are looking at weddings all day long so you have to do something that is going to make your work pop!
- Submit for the right FIT! Any well-known publication has a very tailored readership, that’s what makes their brand so powerful. If you want the more well-known publications to feature you, it’s important to hone in on exactly why their readers would appreciate your content and highlight that in your submission.
- It’s all about the details. Making sure that all of your bases are covered and each little detail is perfect will help your wedding or engagement stand out from the rest. Many editors are looking for ways to let their readers relate to the story you’re telling with their images. It’s important for readers to feel like they know you even if you’ve never met! Now, this is going to take time! Take some time to plan and execute these details, and time to capture each of these details on the day.
- Say goodbye to the blog. Most well-known publications require exclusive publishing rights, meaning they need to be the first to showcase your day. If the images have already been shown on social media or all over the web, you’ll most likely get declined by the more well-known publications.
- Timing is everything. Most publications plan out their content really far in advance in order to provide relevant inspiration to their readers. If you do a snowy engagement session in the middle of March, you can expect that probably won’t get picked up for publication until October/ November (at which point it may no longer be relevant!). Turning around your work as quickly as possible will allow for editors to fit you into the most current publications.
By following these five suggestions, you have much better chances of having your work featured in major publications. Oh, and make sure that you follow the instructions to submit your work! After you have done everything to make sure that your shoot will stand out, you don’t want to ruin it at the last second by not following the submission instructions.
Best of luck on your future features!
Behind the Scenes, Weddings & Engagements