Traveling Assignments

Over the past decade the market has changed considerably and the budgets that magazines and newspapers have for photography in general, and to send people overseas in particular, has shrunk dramatically. With the rise in use of wire services fewer and fewer outlets see the need or have the funds to send people overseas.

That’s not to say that it can’t happen. From my experience here are a few suggestions:
1. Have a speciality or area of interest. If you happen to be an area expert on a particular region or country and have a large body of work, it might just convince an editor that they NEED to send you somewhere.

2. Be able to write or develop relationships with writers. Few magazines or papers want or do run photos in isolation and what’s the point of sending someone far away at a costs of thousands of dollars to get a few images they could pull off of AP? Most places that are investing in overseas coverage want packages with photos and stories.
3. Hook up your website. To have your photojournalism section under construction is not going to reflect well to an editor. They want to know that you are a pro and your website need to show off your work. Make the investment because the web is now how most editors will, at least intially, be seeing your work. If it seems unprofessional they won’t bother calling in your book or talking with you on the phone.

4. Be willing to travel. Much of the non staff or contract work you see in newspapers or magazines is done on spec. I know I have sold many stories, often months or years later that I have done on spec. It is not the ideal way to operate but until you develop relationships with editors or get a contract it might be the only way to get yourself overseas. Remember, there are a lot of hungry photographers who simply pick up and move to wherever they want to work and then survive as stringers. Just look at the membership here at Lightstalkers, there are amazing photographers in every part of the globe, why should Time Magazine pay you $5,000 to go anywhere when they can simply post a message here and get a dozen responses from people already on the ground?

I hope some of what I said makes some sense, I am sure others here will have more suggestions…

Damaso
www.damaso.com