Photographs have to not only tell, but also match the story

[KennyG]

Just a few musings while I have some time on my hands.

I have had a number of people ask me how to get their motorsport pictures published. In most cases they have some technically really good shots but, despite a lot of effort in trying to get them into print, they often end up as give-aways or going to the drivers concerned. That may be all you want out of your effort and that's fine, but if you are working towards accreditation and a professional standing then you really need to get into print as it can be a requirement to get that magic media badge.

If your target publication is weekly then the need to tell a newsworthy story with the picture is of a higher priority than with say a monthly magazine that may not hit the news stands until 6 or 7 weeks after the event. You can have a fantastic shot, but if it isn't newsworthy then it may never be used by either.

Working on assignment is a different ball game, where the publication will advise you of specific or types of shots beforehand, or if they know you well enough, trust you to submit what they want. The trust element only comes after they get to know you and your work, which could take many months.

Why not tell the publication the story of your picture yourself? If you think it has news as well as technical merit, then put some words to the shot and convince them it is worth running. I have done this a number of times and have had a reasonably high success rate. Just make sure of your facts before commiting them to the written word.

Here is an example of a newsworthy shot. The driver (Lee Caroline) won the race and won the championship. The shot shows him winning, where he won and a marshal giving him some applause for the win. I have other technically and artistically better shots from that race, but they don't tell the story of the win and won't fit with the magazine story of the driver becoming the season's champion. This will run in a magazine next month.
http://www.motorpix.co.uk/misc/op-lee-win.jpg


Here are two examples of what is and isn't newsworthy:

Technically a good picture. Very sharp, nice wheel blur, a clean uncluttered background (more about that in another post), easily identified and is of the group winners. Worth putting in print, no. Worth putting on the garage wall, probably.
http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images30/cr-018.jpg


Technically not as good, reasonably sharp, messy background but shows the drivers who won the group. Worth putting in print, you bet. It tells the story far better than the first shot and not a car in sight. This one also hits the press next month.
http://www.motorpix.co.uk/images30/cr-024.jpg


Sports are immediate and have news value for a very short period. There are some exceptions, such as a season review where the age of the shot isn't as critical. You have to be as much aware of the sport and the event you are covering as you are of taking the pictures, and IHMO, more so. I have to keep up-to-date with championship standings and who to watch in a race that may effect the season's outcome, not just that specific race. I have no doubt that it is the same for football, soccer, baseball etc.

In summary, to get your motorsport pictures published, think news as much, if not more than photograph.

[Pekka]

Very good post. The bottom line is indeed the content, as it is also in my "niché" - music related photography. Think about to whom you shoot for. About 20% of the photos in this gallery (http://www.lieksabrass.com/gallery/list.php?exhibition=55&u=944|87) were used in magazines and newspapers covering the event - many more than last year because I learned from attending journalists what they really needed and tried to produce that kind of material. The challenge and the interesting part was (and always is) to try to make great photos at the same time.

Most PJ's use wide angles (16-35 or 17-40) most of the time (in daily news and feature stuff). Reason for this is simple: you can get the subject, the situation and the surroundings in one image. Those images sell. Buyers seldom needs nice closeup candid portraits per se. They can get those from any archive.

One question I would like to raise: when do you reach a point when lack of technical quality prevents great content being published. Or is there such a point?

[defordphoto]

Ahhh I love this stuff. Kenny's #1 and #3 photos tell a story. Photo #2 is a stock photo shot. Nothing wrong with stock photo shots, but to critique myself, I shoot alot of stock photos. Technically excellent shots, but they do not tell "the story."

As you grow as a photographer you need to keep this in mind at all times. Yes, as a motorsports photog we shoot lots of stock photos at every event, but we need to be in search of the photos that tell the story.

Like Rod Stewart said many years ago: Every picture tells a story don't it?

I will be leaning more of my shots in that direction next season.

Great, great topic Kenny. Thank you.

[KennyG]

One question I would like to raise: when do you reach a point when lack of technical quality prevents great content being published. Or is there such a point?

I make that judgement on the target publication. For glossy magazines there is a real and often specified bottom limit to technical quality, but for newsprint you can lower the bar quite a way. I have seen some really technically horrible pictures in print, but they were the only shots of a particular even/incident and the publications ran with what they had.

I had one photo editor tell me that as long as he can identify what is in the picture and his staff can tidy it up, then, if it is newsworthy he will use it. He did come from a provincial newspaper background where colour was only used once a year for the Xmas edition which may have had some bearing on his style.

For myself, I am always trying hard to raise my own standards, both technically and journalistic. I don't always get it right but that's life. I believe we are seeing a general raising of publication standards from the old film and scan days now that digital is the weapon of choice. I know what it takes for me to get a two page spread - it has to be both newsworthy and technically acceptable. Fail on either and it won't be used.

Competition is tougher with more people entering into the market and there is some good talent out there. I am just trying to keep one step ahead.