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Topic: photographer turned photo editor???
| Author | Message |
| runnergirl5 | Posted – 1/10/2008 4:37:46 PM | show profile | email poster I am a photographer...assisting and freelancing here and there but I want to be a photo editor at a magazine. Assuming id start as a photo assistant or photo researcher...what is an approach that editors and photo directors will pay attention to? i do not have a publishing internship and cannot afford to do one. but i am willing to learn whatever skills necessary to break into this industry. Any advice would be greatly appreciated!! |
| AWC | Posted – 1/10/2008 4:46:31 PM | show profile Many Photo Editors that I have worked with over the years were full-time photographers in the past, so the jump between the two careers is actually not that uncommon. But as you said, you will most likely have to start as an assistant or researcher. If I were you, I would emphasize the technical expertise you would bring to the job; and I would work on building contacts with photographers, agencies, and stock houses. Your rolodex is the most important tool in the photo editing business. |
| runnergirl5 | Posted – 1/10/2008 5:01:34 PM | show profile | email poster thanks so much! do you mean make contacts before i approach magazines? |
| Village Gal | Posted – 1/11/2008 9:06:35 AM | show profile obviously use the contacts you have made through your work. |
| AWC | Posted – 1/11/2008 10:54:51 AM | show profile Agencies and stock houses will have little interest in talking to you until you're actually working for a magazine. But you must know other photographers, assistants, stylists, etc. through your current work. Making a list of those people is certainly a place to start in building your network of professional contacts. |
| badcam | Posted – 1/11/2008 11:54:34 AM | show profile photographer turned photo editor??? The way many of my friends have made that transition has been to work for the magazine or newspaper you want to become the photo editor of, as a photographer. Get to know the people on staff and the needs of the magazine, and then apply when a photo editor or assistant photo editor position opens. If they like you, and you have mentioned that you would be interested in a photo editor position, you may even get an insider heads-up before someone leaves in their photo department. Learning some programs other than Photoshop, like InDesign, Illustrator, Dreamweaver, Microsoft Office suite, and Final Cut Pro may help you land the job as well. |
| kim780 | Posted – 1/11/2008 3:36:49 PM | show profile it's not really that simple... the chain of jobs in magazines is pretty consistent and since the market for photo ed jobs is so competitive it's very important that you follow the job chain pretty closely. if you want to be a photo ed, you really need to intern at at least one, many times two mag photo department first and then you be a mag photo asst for a couple years and then an associate photo editor for a few years and then you can apply for jobs as a senior photo ed or photo ed after you have about 4-5 years experience at relevant magazines. it's not that easy to just apply for PE gigs after shooting for the magazine. maybe if it's a small regional mag with a small budget, but large national mags want PE's that have experience working for years at their competitor. |
| runnergirl5 | Posted – 1/11/2008 10:54:38 PM | show profile | email poster thank you so much for all of this good advice. very appreciated. |
