BMX photography: How to get noticed?

[Fender5388]

been shooting bmx now for a couple years. its a blast and the reason i even picked up a camera to start with. im starting to feel like my photos are getting better/good enough to send out. ive emailed a couple mags, but havent really heard back at all. How do you get your work out there?

 

[KmH]

By taking an informed approach to marketing and self-promotion. It's a big job. Photographers spend much more time at marketing and self-promotion than they spend doing photography.

You need to:

• Define your goals
• Create a business identity for your work
• Identify which markets would want/be able to use your photos
• Structure your portfolio
• Learn and apply marketing and self-promotion fundamentals
• Promote yourself both online and with direct mail
• Fine tune your marketing message to the markets that respond to your work
• Re-think your marketing/self-promotion approach to those markets that didn't respond.

Do you have signed model releases from the riders and/or other people in your photos so they can be used for more than just editorial purposes?

Your local library will have books that you could borrow for free to learn marketing and self-promotion techniques from.

If you have $20 you're willing to invest in yourself: Successful Self-Promotion for Photographers

I hope the email you sent had the appropriate capital letters and proper punctuation.

 

[GeneralBenson]

Thumbs up for every thing KmH said. Thumbs double up for the last sentence. So much of how a photo editor responds to your query will be how professional you come across. I hope you didn't also tell them that your photos are getting better/good enough.

 

[Rekd]

I would suggest you put stories with the photos. Sell the story with the photos, not just the photos. That's a whole other can of worms, though.

 

[GeneralBenson]

Eh, I would have to disagree on writing with your photos. Sometimes it works out. But unless you are actually a writer, it usually ends up being a LOT more work, at something you're not even very good at, for not a ton more money. And the other thing is that for someone who's ultimate goal is to be known as a photographer, it's dilutes your message and your brand identity to also start being a writer. The other thing, and I've had this validated by photo editors that I know, is that most "writer/photographers" are in fact good writers, who bought a DSLR and can take passable photos. Very few of them are actually photographing on a professional level, just well enough to accompany their writing, and since they were the once on the trip or whatever they're writing about, they already have the photos, and it's easier to use theirs, than to send another photographer. Even fewer, are primarliy photographers, who are trying to supplement their photography with some writing. So, by lumping yourself in there with all the other "writer/photographers", it can be somewhat damaging for the reputation of someone who is trying to be ultimately known for their photography.

I'm not saying this is a hard and fast rule. There are plenty of people out there who are well known for both, and do both very well. But it's not the norm. And most of them likely got well known for one first, then started branching out into the other. It's easier to do that when you already have a good reputation for one. It's much harder when you're nobody, and you're trying to convince people that you're really professional at two things.

 

[Rekd]

Eh, I would have to disagree on writing with your photos. Sometimes it works out. But unless you are actually a writer, it usually ends up being a LOT more work, at something you're not even very good at, for not a ton more money. And the other thing is that for someone who's ultimate goal is to be known as a photographer, it's dilutes your message and your brand identity to also start being a writer. The other thing, and I've had this validated by photo editors that I know, is that most "writer/photographers" are in fact good writers, who bought a DSLR and can take passable photos. Very few of them are actually photographing on a professional level, just well enough to accompany their writing, and since they were the once on the trip or whatever they're writing about, they already have the photos, and it's easier to use theirs, than to send another photographer. Even fewer, are primarliy photographers, who are trying to supplement their photography with some writing. So, by lumping yourself in there with all the other "writer/photographers", it can be somewhat damaging for the reputation of someone who is trying to be ultimately known for their photography.

I'm not saying this is a hard and fast rule. There are plenty of people out there who are well known for both, and do both very well. But it's not the norm. And most of them likely got well known for one first, then started branching out into the other. It's easier to do that when you already have a good reputation for one. It's much harder when you're nobody, and you're trying to convince people that you're really professional at two things.

As a professional writer I would just like to point out that most of the photogs I know/work with are also writers and most do videography as well. :er:

It is because of my writing that I am working on being a photographer. My writing portfolio gets me access to just about everything I apply for.

To the OP in case you want first hand experience on getting into (BMX) magazines: I started out blogging about family motorsports and got track access to some CORRraces and other events. I started trying to get more writing gigs with other outlets and started building my now very desirable portfolio.

I started using a little of the money I was making writing to buy better photo equipment. By taking better photos I've been able to sell more writing and branch out into other fields.

Now I can (and do) market myself as a writer, or a photographer or as a photojournalist. (You might want to look that one up, GeneralBenson... )

With a little time and effort and fun you can build up a portfolio that will get the attention of the magazine editors. (Note, they are editors, as in "writers", not photographers)

It's not about trying to convince someone you're really professional at two things because you're providing a value-added to them by including two of the three aspects of getting an article into a magazine instead of just one.

Also keep in mind there is a lot of crap writing out there, so if you can string a few coherent paragraphs together with some in-line captioned photos you should be able to quickly get your work out there (paid). You'll obviously want to start writing about what you intend to shoot (BMX in your case) and it will likely open more doors for you than just doing photography alone.

 

[GeneralBenson]

As a professional writer I would just like to point out that most of the photogs I know/work with are also writers and most do videography as well. :er:

As a professional photographer, I would just like to point out that the many photo editors and art directors that I have personal relationship with, have all agreed with me that it is not in the best interest of someone who want to be known as a photographer to also try to market themselves as also a writer. That doesn't mean that it's not useful to be able to write well. I think that no matter what you do, it's useful to be able to write well and communicate clearly. I also do writing from time to time (just had a 2500 word feature in Backpacker magazine), and am getting into professional videography (have a multi segment commercially funded documentary in the works), but you won't find anything about them on my website.. There's a difference between doing them, and marketing yourself as a photographer/writer/videographer. It's one thing to approach an editor as a photographer, letting them know that you would like to shoot an event for them, and maybe saying, that you can also provide photo captions and 300 words on the event if they want. You don't have to bill yourself as a writer/photographer to throw a magazine some words every now and then when they need them.

I started trying to get more writing gigs with other outlets and started building my now very desirable portfolio.

A little cocky, don't you think?

Now I can (and do) market myself as a writer, or a photographer or as a photojournalist. (You might want to look that one up, GeneralBenson... )

Just to clear things up, Photojournalism is being a photographer who does news and story reporting by means of their photography. Not someone who is a photographer/writer. It has nothing to do with writing, besides the fact that it is usually meant to accompany writing, which is probably done by someone else.


I'm not saying there's anything wrong with being a photographer/writer. You're doing it, it's working for you, that's great. But you are exactly what I said in my first post. You're a writer who then took up photography to accompany articles and be another source of income. You're photos are pretty decent, and I'm sure work fine in a lot of applications. But they are very different from what I would expect to see from someone who is a professional ATV photographer. I think being a writer who takes up photography is great. More power to you. But I think it's a whole different ball game for someone who wants to be a well respected professional photographer, it generally doesn't do them good to start calling themselves a writer/photographer, because people will assume something different than they would about someone who is just a full time, dedicated photographer.

I'm not trying to knock you, or say what you're doing is invalid. But the OP is talking about wanting to break into BMX photography. Distracting himself with writing is not the answer, unless he wants to go no further than event coverage. It's different with writing, but with photography, even getting a "very desirable portfolio" among blogs, websites, and some mags, is still small potatoes when it comes to making a living. If you ever want to do more than scratch by, the real money is in commercial work. Working for the companies that make all the things that people play with in the magazines. And they don't give a rats ass how well you can write. They want to see the best photography, and nothing more.

The one caveat I will put forth is that with any niche industry you want to work in, anything you can do to get deep into and entrench yourself in that industry will pay off in spades down the road. Knowing the right people is immensely helpful. And if that means doing some writing, and doing some event coverage, than so be it. But that is still very different than marketing yourself as a writer as well. Many niche sports photogrpahers have come from inside the industry in another way, former athletes, former reps, former company employees, former magazine editors, former writers. Knowing people makes a big difference, but not how you think. That just mean, that when a job is available, they know who you are. You still have to be the best one for the job. So, sooner or later, you still have to convince all those people that you know that you're one of the best ____ sport photographers. In any niche industry that I've taken a close look at, I've noticed that about 75% of the assignments and commercial work are going to about 5-10 people, and that's because they're the 5-10 best people in that niche. If you ever want to rise to that level of photography, it will be from a ball-busting, dedicated pursuit of being one of the 5-10 best, not from pursuing writing.

 

[Rekd]

–noun
1.
journalism in which photography dominates written copy, as in certain magazines.

LoL.

The OP wants to get into BMX rags and I've provided him with a good way of getting there. Of course, reading some of his blog posts it may be more of a stretch at this point, but I've seen much worse that people get paid for.

Am I cocky? I don't think so. I'm confident. If that rubs you as cocky too bad. I'm sure you'll get over it.

 

[Fender5388]

–noun
1.
journalism in which photography dominates written copy, as in certain magazines.

LoL.

The OP wants to get into BMX rags and I've provided him with a good way of getting there. Of course, reading some of his blog posts it may be more of a stretch at this point, but I've seen much worse that people get paid for.
.

whats that supposed to mean?

i'm very confident in my ability to take photos. If I don't know how to do something. I am very capable of finding out how to do it, and do it well. Ever since I started photographing bmx. i compare mine to those I see in Magazines, and different online articles. Im beginning to see images that I believe i could have shot different/ improved on what the original photographer. now you won't ever here may say these things out loud, because I am a very modest person.

I do think its important to be able to write a short paragraph about these images, because it adds to the feel of the photograph. I as a bmx rider want to read the story behind the photo. Will i ever market myself as anything other the a photographer/ maybe cinematographer; no i will not.

I did try to make my emails as professional as I could. Having them proof read by my girlfriend who has more then enough experience writing papers and formal letters.

what I'm really interested in right now is making contacts with different magazines, and possibly having photos published in print or on the website. I will keep the model release forms in mind when i start shooting people outside my group of friends, but as it stands now, no company is going to use a photo of one of my friends for a bmx ad. so the model release isn't necessary for me just yet.

 

[Fender5388]

By taking an informed approach to marketing and self-promotion. It's a big job. Photographers spend much more time at marketing and self-promotion than they spend doing photography.

You need to:

• Define your goals
• Create a business identity for your work
• Identify which markets would want/be able to use your photos
• Structure your portfolio
• Learn and apply marketing and self-promotion fundamentals
• Promote yourself both online and with direct mail
• Fine tune your marketing message to the markets that respond to your work
• Re-think your marketing/self-promotion approach to those markets that didn't respond.

Do you have signed model releases from the riders and/or other people in your photos so they can be used for more than just editorial purposes?

Your local library will have books that you could borrow for free to learn marketing and self-promotion techniques from.

If you have $20 you're willing to invest in yourself: Successful Self-Promotion for Photographers

I hope the email you sent had the appropriate capital letters and proper punctuation.

i agree with everything you have said, and i have been researching marketing techniques here lately. My photo class just the other day watched a live webcast on marketing photos.

 

[Rekd]

Of course, reading some of his blog posts it may be more of a stretch at this point, but I've seen much worse that people get paid for.

whats that supposed to mean?

Without being offensive it means exactly what it says, that your writing is not quite good enough to get you published, but that I've seen much worse writing getting published and being paid for so it's entirely possible that you could get into magazines by writing. At least it will be easier than just doing photography.

Your photography isn't bad, but I don't think it'll get you into many magazines all by itself.

Will i ever market myself as anything other the a photographer/ maybe cinematographer; no i will not.

I was just trying to help you get into a magazine, but writing isn't an option for you so I'll just shut up now.

 

[Fender5388]

Im still young in photography terms and at the rate im progressing, in another year I will look back and laugh at what I'm considering good now. haha
and i understand your pushing writing because thats what you do, and I understand that it's important to have the ability.

how would you suggest submitting photos to magazines in the first place? I have emailed a few, but I don't feel like that is enough

 

[Rekd]

Im still young in photography terms and at the rate im progressing, in another year I will look back and laugh at what I'm considering good now. haha
and i understand your pushing writing because thats what you do, and I understand that it's important to have the ability.

how would you suggest submitting photos to magazines in the first place? I have emailed a few, but I don't feel like that is enough

The problem with selling just photos to the magazines is they have to fit something. You'll need to get their editorial calendar and try to provide them with something they can plug in to a planned piece of writing or photo gallery.

I query them with a story AND pictures. All they have to do is some minor editing and formatting and they're done.

And I see what you mean about how I propose writing because that's what I do. It just seems like such a natural progression (in BOTH directions) that it would be beneficial to anyone interested in getting into magazines.

 

[CCericola]

Maybe try to contact some of the writers who contribute to the BMX magazines. Maybe you could provide the photography for their stories.

 

[Rekd]

Maybe try to contact some of the writers who contribute to the BMX magazines. Maybe you could provide the photography for their stories.

That's a good idea. Never considered that. I imagine it might be difficult but definitely doable.