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There are a few golden rules that can benefit your photography career with a magazine editor. But should you reach the point and wonder, why is it that editors are not always very friendly? That’s on purpose, they are not there to become buddies and keep their distance to maintain a good professional working relationship. Sometimes, occasionally the editors may warm up to you and even send you a nice email thank you note!, But don’t count on it. Here are a few tips how you can work on bonding with the editors.

1Professionalism: An editor’s career is based on their performance as viewed through the eyes of the publisher. When you grab the attention of a an editor, it’s not always about your images which may have initially opened his eyes. But it’s likely about you and who you are as a person and whether or not you can be trusted with pressure and maintain professional conduct in any possible situation. When the editor trusts that you will make him look good in his boss’s eyes, then you have something that is just as valuable as your images.

2Longevity: Long tern relationships are golden for an editor since he may purchase and publish random images or a pictorial. Editors always operate under pressure from the accounting department and the publisher itself. There is nothing more valuable for an editor than finding a photographer who can oversee entire productions instead of being baby-sat each time without a real satisfying resolution. I remember editors telling me on several occasions how good of a photographer Mr. John-John in New York is.

He has never complained or called in saying that it was raining or had any other excuses why he was not able to make the shoot happen.”

“Gary Cole’s famous quote: I cannot publish your excuses instead of your images.” The photographers who can deliver quality images without obstacles getting in their way, are usually the ones who will find the long-term relationship on which the editors rely.

3There’s more than meets the eye: Photographers get hired for a reason and that’s their ability to see what others can’t. Clients depend on your vision that brings life to their product. It’s not just because you can find good girls (which is a great way to the editor’s heart assuming you know how to photograph them to the industry expectations) but having an ability to capture each situation with perfection and light it to emphasize the product/subject beyond what the average eye can expect to see.

4Your dreams: As much as we love talking about our own vision and goals, which is also important when the time is right, it’s good to remember that editors are only interested in profits and selling the publication via your images and not fueling your wet-dreams (a term used internally at Playboy). It’s a perfect magazine to get your mouth watering but the reality is quite different and the environment is very corporate. Keep you head cool and create images to impress and they will do all the talking instead.

5Individuality: In my case, the black sheep of the family who always stood out and not always in positive ways, turned out to be an individual with recognition. But in your case to separate yourself from the masses and to be noticed above the others who also own a camera, will take some practice in lighting and most importantly in creativity. Never repeat an existing body of work unless it’s a study. Copying is the most sincere form of flattery but it’s hardly a sign of individuality.

Jarmo Pohjaniemi

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