Tuesday, March 24, 2009

What Magazine are looking for

I created a few of the most asked questions to me about magazines.  So I asked the people I have relationship with.  These are magazine that represent perhaps the top 5 home decor magazine.  These answer have not been doctored in any way.  They have asked to remain anonymous for legal reasons. 

 Here are the questions and answers....Each color represents the magazine's response

 HI XYZ,

 

I know your crazy busy. I was wondering if you can help me out for a second. I'm doing a "how to" or "do's and don't" video with interior designers that want to be published. Sorta like this one I did on a shoot on my blog: http://scottvandyke.blogspot.com/

 The idea is to inform interior designers what magazines are looking for from the source. I think this would be very good for interior designers not to waste the magazine time or get their expectation up. So if could just answer a couple of question that would be so helpful.


1What is the biggest oversight or mistake with submissions? You can limit one answer or add as many needed. (example...someone sent you a "heavy" country home look and we a contemporary magazine)

 

We need a very extensive explanation of the home’s green features. Also, we need scouting photos of both the exterior and interior (every room). Both of those are often overlooked.

 

#1 biggest mistake? When the person submitting hasn't looked at recent issues of XYZ home. Not understanding that a review process takes time and not understanding a monthly magazine's lead times.

 

I think the the biggest mistake is that people THINK they CAN’T send in a submission. They’re under a misconception that you have to know someone or that we’re looking for a particular style. We consider every submission equally.

 

it really  doesn’t matter if someone sends me contemporary homes even though that’s something we don’t cover...it’s the quality of the photographs that I’m interested in...only problem I have is with digital images – if they take long to open

 

I would agree with the above. Sometimes I get submissions of homes that are not appropriate to the magazine. Not be be a snob, but the home will not be "High-end" enough for the XYZ reader.

 

people sending content that doesn't match that of our publication.  

 

 

2. How does your magazine like to see submissions? (examples...Hard prints, prints with captions or digitally).

 

Digital is great…j-pegs and a Word document listing green features and other pertinent information.

 

how to submit? When someone doesn't know me or XYZ home....with a cd of low res images plus a project description sent in the mail.

 

Hard prints or laser printouts are the best way to present projects these days. 4x5 or 2 1/4” transparencies are still ok. Emailed submissions or disks aren’t good because we don’t have the manpower to make printouts of all the submissions. Captions aren’t necessary.

 

It doesn’t really matter but websites are easiest and portfolios are becoming more of a problem to deal with

 

I prefer digital submissions, with some sort of brief description of the home, and what makes it special or unique

 

we have an online submissions process through our website that is the best way.  second to that is someone emailing one of the editors with a story idea, and images of the project

 

 

3. Do want the submissions to be professional shot? (examples...no, it would be helpful or does not matter we send our own photographer's out...ect)

 

No…amateur scouting shots are fine. We will send out a photographer to do professional shots if we choose to feature the home.

 

professionally shot? No, we generate our own pix.

 

Submissions do NOT need to be professionally photographed. It absolutely does not matter

 

I think however it is executed would be in the best interest of the interior designer – so I would suggest professionally shot.

 

I prefer digital submissions, with some sort of brief description of the home, and what makes it special or unique

 

It makes it easier for us if the homes are already well photographed, and all the important rooms are pictured. If they are stunning, I also like to see an exterior and/or view and landscaping photos, as well.

 

We have accepted jobs that are pitched with only scouting shots. I prefer to use the photographer that submitted the home if possible (as long as their portfolio is good quality)

 

we will send out photographers on anything that we choose as a feature or my house, so all we need for those types of stories are good scouting shots.  if someone is submitting a smaller story, such as houses we love, then they will need to have good images in keeping with the style of photography in the magazine.  If something that would be a feature has been professionally shot, that is fine, but the photographer who worked on the story/shoot, should know that we might assign the story to someone else and have it re shot if the look is not in keeping with our style of photography.

 

4. Any other comments?

 

We are happy to send over a checklist of green features that the designer can fill out and send back to us. This guarantees we get all the information we need to consider the house.

 

The pictures need to fully portray the project, and we must see an image of the living room, dining room and master bedroom in order to make a decision.

 

You hit the nail on the head with number 1. I have received many submissions where the photographer was not familiar with our audience, and sent photos of homes that we would never be able to use.

 

 

 

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