Hit Me with Your Best Shot

Photos by Donald Tipton

Great underwater photography is always in demand for books, magazines and use on the internet. And while the pursuit of underwater images is fun in its own right, getting paid for your work is even better! Our resident photo pro, Donald Tipton, is one of the top shooters in the business and in this Seaduction.com exclusive he shares his secrets for turning underwater images into cold, hard cash.  So, if you’ve ever wondered about how to go about getting your images published, here are his top five tips.

Tip # 1: There is just no substitute for technical quality.

When it comes down to it, the first thing an image must have in order to be published is technical quality. That means the photo must be in focus, well exposed and well lit with stunning composition. Without these technical basics you are fighting an uphill battle. The only exceptions to this rule are those very rare photographs with a subject so rare and unique that a publisher will accept some technical flaws. Achieving technical proficiency in underwater photography is a matter of shooting and studying, then shooting and studying some more. We will consider some of the more interesting aspects of focus and exposure in a future article. As for lighting and composition, I suggest that you re-read my first three articles posted here on Seaduction.com.

Tip #2: Show me something new.

Publishers, editors and art directors see thousands of images each week and for the most part, they see the same shots over and over. The best way to get their attention is to show them something different from the usual seafan image or diver-looking-at-coral shot. Are your shots unique and visually interesting? A different approach to composition can be a great way to present a familiar subject in a fresh new way. Look for angles and perspectives that you have not seen in a photo before. Try changing the way you go about lighting a subject -- perhaps highlight some feature or feather your light so that part of the image is darker. Get creative! Study the images of photographers you admire and use their work as an influence. Then try to develop your own unique style of visual expression.

The annual DEMA show is a great place to get your foot in the door. The editors and art directors of dive magazines from all over the world are there looking for new photographers to work with. Bring a small selection of your finest work and have it ready to present in an easy-to-show format. Those editors and art directors will see a different photographer every 15 minutes during the four days of the show, so while the competition is fierce, if you bring something that stands out, chances are you’ll be in business. If you attend the show with the goal of showing your images, it’s smart to make an appointment in advance. If that’s not possible, visit the publisher’s booth early in the show and try to schedule a time to show your work. Be on time for your appointment – but be prepared to wait, too. Photo buyers are under incredible time pressure at the show and your appointment may be delayed. Be patient. Be nice. If you are too pushy, you will alienate the very people you are here to impress. And when it’s your turn to sit down with a buyer, make damn sure you have something significant to show, otherwise you are just wasting everyone’s time.

Tip # 3: Have a good story.

Only in rare cases does an image, even a stunning one, stand alone. Of course, the Holy Grail exception to this is landing the cover of a magazine. But the cover is just one page and a typical dive magazine today has about 70 to 100 total pages that also need great photography. Your odds of selling inside images increase dramatically when you have a story to go with them. If you have the skills, write a story to accompany the set of pictures you’re trying to sell. Or find a partner who can write the story for you. If there’s a specific magazine you’re targeting, ask for their contributor guidelines to find out the types of images and the subjects they need most.

Interested in publishing your images in book form? Traditional book publishing is very difficult to break into, but you can always consider self-publishing your work. There are digital publishing companies that will help you package your photos and stories in book form. You can then pay to have as many (or as few) copies printed as you’d like. Of course, selling and distributing the book will be entirely up to you, and that’s not nearly as much fun as diving and shooting! But it you feel strongly about your work and no one is buying, self-publishing is a good option. For more information do a web search on “self publishing.”There will be no shortage of options.

Tip #4: Diversify.

Traditional dive magazines and books are the first option for underwater photography, but with fewer and fewer players in the field these days, photographers serious about selling their work will need to diversify their client base. Advertising agencies, poster and note card printers and photo stock agencies often need underwater images, too, and their rates are often very competitive. The best resource I’ve found for finding non-traditional clients is “The Photographer’s Marketplace” a book with thousands of listings for potential buyers organized by their photo interests and needs.

Tip #5: Don‘t give up.

Getting published takes time and a lot of hard work. Unless, of course, you are that lucky guy with a borrowed 12-megapixel housed camera who is in the water when a whale shark and an orca playing touch football just happen to swim by. For the rest of us, building a library of marketable images requires a lot of “f8 and be there.” There will be setbacks and frustration. There will be ample opportunities to learn from your mistakes. Just remember that being in the water shooting pictures is a reward in and of itself. If you have the drive to pursue great images and a passion for the sea, keep at it. Marketable images are sure to follow.

Thanks for joining us at Seaduction.com. If you have questions or would like to share ideas, use the comment box below. I look forward to hearing from you and will respond when I can. In the meantime, keep diving, keep shooting and may all your dreams be wet ones.