The Dos and Don'ts of Pitching to Photo Editors
Last year, Kenneth Bachor, a Photo Editor at Buzzfeed News, got a pitch from a photographer that was an “automatic yes.” This story, which took place in a remote French town, was so unusual that Bachor immediately agreed.
“The photographer/filmmaker Skyler Dahan told us that he could have access to photograph an escargot festival in the south of France, which we turned into a story,” Bachor remembers. “Even though this town has this centuries-old custom, it had never been properly documented by a photographer in the way Skyler envisioned. Skyler’s idea was unique, thought out, and ready to go. He just needed to take the images.”
We recently asked photo editors from Buzzfeed News, NPR, National Geographic, Rolling Stone, and more to tell us what it takes for a pitch to stop them in their tracks. From the concept itself (fringe is good, as long as it has universal appeal) to the logistics of executing the project, these are the things they look for when working with photographers.
Find the right publication and editor for your pitch.
It might go without saying, but tailor your pitch to the specific editor you’re contacting. Do some digging to make sure you’re reaching out to the right person for your pitch—what is their area of expertise? What are they passionate about?
Look at the stories they’ve published before. Are they similar to yours? Are they too similar? For some guidance, you can check out our article on what photo editors are looking for in 2023.
“Know your audience,” Joe Rodriguez, Senior Visuals Editor at Rolling Stone, advises. “A photographer should be thinking about where they're pitching just as carefully (hopefully) as where they are sending promos—will a beauty editorial be right for Rolling Stone? Very unlikely.”
Finally, check to make sure they haven’t already covered the story. Sarah Leen, the Founder of the Visual Thinking Collective and former Director of Photography at National Geographic, suggests, “Do your research to avoid pitching an idea they have recently published.”
Make it timely.
“One of my favorite pitches was one from photographer Hannah Yoon where she reached out about covering BTS fans reunited ahead of the band’s first live show in two years,” Emily Bogle, a Senior Visual Editor at NPR, remembers.
“Hannah’s pitch was compelling because it was timely (she was reaching out about six weeks before the concert), she had an idea but was open to other options, and she knew covering this band was relevant and newsy since BTS had not performed live during the height of the pandemic.”
Joe Rodriguez from Rolling Stone agrees. “Your pitch should be newsworthy and provocative,” he explains. “What's in the headlines now? Why/how/when will what you're pitching to me be relevant to my brand's audience?”