Now more than ever is it easy to share our work as photographers. Technology offers us a variety of spaces to post our work immediately and get eyeballs on our art. We can share photos on our own websites, post to communities like Flickr, and display our work on social media.

And although these outlets provide instant gratification (in most cases), there is something to putting in a little more effort and time to gain more attention. One way to do this is by getting your photos published on popular blogs. Not only is it a great way to attract new clients, but it can also add credibility to your brand and business.

Whether you are a wedding, travel, lifestyle, or food photographer, there is a blog that covers your topic and wants to see your work. If you’re ready to share your photos with a wider audience, keep reading for my success tips on how to submit to popular blogs and get your photos published.

Tip 1: Research Potential Blogs to Find the Best Fit

There are two important things to keep in mind when finding a potential home for your photographs: 1) Not every photo genre suits every blog, and 2) Your work will best be represented (and your brand enhanced) if you choose blogs whose values and style align with your visions.

Some helpful questions to ask yourself:

• What blogs do you read and love? Can you see your photos featured on these sites?
• Who is the blog’s audience? Are they the kind of people you want to attract?
• What kind of photos does the blog regularly publish? Are they more about detailed shots, portraits, black and white photography, etc.?
• What is the vibe of regularly published photos? Moody/dramatic/bright and colorful/whimsical/grungy?

Before you head to the submission guidelines, know the blog inside and out so that you don’t waste your time sending your work to an editor who won’t give your photos a second glance.

Tip 2: Curate Your Submissions

If you answered the above questions, then you’ll know what kinds of photos you should include in your submission. For example, if you are a wedding photographer and the blog loves detailed shots, then include a decent amount of those images in your pitch.

And of course you’ll want to send your best work and the photos that best represent your style and genre (or the style/genre you’re aiming for). Showcasing your best curated images, and ones that will appeal to the blog’s audience, will help you gain more fans, and hopefully, clients!

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Tip 3: Read the Submission Guidelines

Not only should you carefully read the submission guidelines (no skimming!), but you should follow them to a T. Guidelines are there for a reason and not following them wastes both your and the editor’s time. Instead, send your photos in the size/format listed, as well as any information the blog calls for. Doing so will help your submission rise to the top.

Tip 4: Make it Easy for the Editor to Say Yes

The best way to get your submission rejected is to make the process difficult and time consuming for the blog editor. Understand that editors are busy people and likely receive hundreds of submissions throughout a single week. So the easier you make things for them, the better chance you have of acceptance.

Keep things simple and your email easy to read (a.k.a. grammatically correct). Only include the essentials and package everything up in a way that the editor will be able to easily access. And for the love of all things holy, don’t get the blog or editor’s name wrong! Proofread, proofread, proofread.

Also, be prompt and follow deadlines, if applicable.

Tip 5: Send a Follow-up Email

It is highly unlikely that you’ll receive a reply within a day. Depending on the blog you’re submitting to, it could take up to a week for the editor to look over your submission.

If you haven’t heard anything after a week, feel free to send a follow-up email to see where your submission stands. Again, keep it short and sweet, and attach the original email so that the editor doesn’t have to dig through his or her messages to find your information.

Tip 6: Join a Community

Communities like Two Bright Lights offer tools to help photographers and publications find each other. Create image albums, submit albums to publications, let editors source from your work, and much more. It’s basically like having an assistant!

Tip 7: Keep Submitting

The facts of life say you won’t always get accepted for publication, but that doesn’t mean you should quit trying. Even after you’ve published your work, keep submitting, keep shooting, and keep working towards getting your images out there.

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