A photo draws our eye instantly to a page, demanding attention and making us read the story to find out the explanation for the picture.
There is something incredibly powerful about a fantastic image, which is why you should always consider sending a photo when pitching a story to the media. Including a photo with a pitch or an article can make the difference between the story running on the front page, at the top of a left-hand page or, sometimes, not at all.
So what are the rules around sending images to media?
Here are five tips:
Use the right format
Make sure you save photos as a JPEG file because this can be used either in print or online media and can be opened on both PC and Mac computers.
Think about the size
If sending a photo to a print publication, it should be at least 200dpi and a minimum size of 1mb, but you can usually send photos up to around 4mb. If your photos are bigger than this, consider sharing online via YouSendIt or DropBox rather than compressing them. Photos for use online can be smaller, so check the size needed.
Consider the quantity
If you are sending the journalist several photos to give them a choice, make sure you send them via a few separate emails so you don’t clog up their server.
Use people
Always send a photo with someone in it (preferably the person quoted in the media release or pitch). Even if you’re sending product shots, have a person demonstrating how the product is used, rather than a straight product shot.
Supply captions
List the people in the photo from left to right with the correct spelling of their name and their title so the journalist doesn’t have to chase the information. If someone should be credited for the photo, make sure to include their name as well.
You can refer to the photo in your pitch, using the image to illustrate your point and tell the story. Even if the media outlet doesn’t use the photo you supply, it can often give them an idea for another image to illustrate the story. That means they are interested in your pitch!
