If you are seriously into being a freelance writer, you will sooner or later have to do a travel assignment. If you are lucky, you will get your expenses paid up front, but often you will have to get them reimbursed by your client. They will always pay a lot more if you include your own original travel photography snapshots instead of just sending copy. But you want to be sure about that with your client before you cart an expensive camera along with your luggage.

Get It In Writing

The actual taking of the pictures is the easiest part of travel photography. If you’ve ever taken clear, focused and colorful photographs for your own pleasure or to chronicle your vacations, then you already know what you need to do for decent travel photography. The hard part about travel photography for freelance writers is getting paid for it.

The golden rule of freelancing is “Always get it in writing.” NEVER assume that the editor will honor a verbal contract or even terms loosely given during one email exchange about copy or photography. You need to be crystal clear about what you are going to be paid for on an assignment and what you aren’t going to be paid for.

Things you need to get crystal clear in travel photography for your articles include (but are not limited to):

How much you will get per photo
Are there any specific subject matters the editor wants?
What format is needed for submission
When you will get paid
Who will hold the copyright to your travel photography?

Take Many Pictures

In any professional photography area, you will need to take scads and scads of photos in order to find the one or two that will perfectly illustrate your piece. You might be the one who makes the final decision as to which of your photos run and which don’t. That is usually up to the photo editor (if your publication has one). This also could be the graphic artist or the travel editor, depending on the title. If it is a very small publication, than the editor in chief might also be the layout editor and the photo editor.

See if you can get to send digital photographs. In this way, you can download your travel photography onto your laptop and then email them to your editor (or whoever) in order to get the piece done even before you have to come home.

One of the most overlooked types of photography today is flower photography. There are many different types of flowers that can be used for flower photography and choosing the right ones for your images can be a difficult decision. By keeping a few photography tips in mind when choosing the images for your photographs, you will greatly improve the chance that the picture that you have taken will be something that you are proud of and may even want to share with other people that are interested in photography.

The first step in choosing the right images for your flower photography is determining what types of flowers you actually like. Many beginners are happy with the first flowers that they see because they are easy to access and the person does not have to get into a strange position to photograph them. People that are more experienced in flower photography will attempt to obtain more unique images and will often explore an area for hours before they find the right flower in the right place with the right lighting for them to take their photograph.

Single Flower Photography

The most common type of flower photography is the photograph of a single flower in a beautiful setting. The flower can be one out of a field of many or a loner that is just hanging on while every other flower has succumbed and died. In either case, the single flower is the focus of the photograph, with everything else in the photo relegated to the background of the photo.

This is an example of classic flower photography and can be found in any book or calendar that has nature images in it. The trick to making these kinds of images great is to choose an angle that is unique or a part of the flower that no one really notices. A strange colored rose that is just beginning to open is a much stronger image than the picture of the single red rose in full bloom in the middle of the day. By finding a unique angle for your flower photography, your images will be much more powerful and command more attention than the photographs that appear mundane.

Multiple Flower Photography

Incorporating multiple images into your flower photography can be more difficult because there are many images to incorporate into the picture properly. The photograph will have to be taken from far enough away that multiple flowers can be seen, but close enough that the viewer can tell what the photograph is a picture of. It is very difficult to take this type of photograph and avoid turning it into a landscape photograph, but it can be done with careful placement and focus on the part of the photographer. Great flower photography can be a lot of fun and can create beautiful photographs, but you must choose the right images to make the photography work.

On fashion magazines, fashion websites, clothing catalogs, and more, many of the photos you see are known as fashion stock photography. Fashion stock photography can consist of photographs of models as well as clothing, jewelry, and other accessories. Browsing the internet you can find many websites dedicated to fashion stock photography and eventually find a photo that meets your needs. Here is a background on fashion stock photography and how you can ease your search for that perfect photo.

The Basics of Fashion Stock Photography

Make sure to learn the rules and regulations for each photo you are interested in. Rules will vary from photo to photo and from company to company. When you buy a stock photograph, traditionally you are charged for one-time, non-exclusive rights. If you are going to use the image in a famous publication or advertisement for a big company, buying the rights of the image will cost you more. That also holds true if you are going to print the same photo numerous times for a publication such as a catalog. Depending on the supplier, you can lower the price if you are going to print a high quantity. If you are using the photo for a local or low-circulation publication, the price will be relatively lower.

Figure Out What You Need Before Searching

There are an overwhelming number of photos on fashion stock photography sites and resolutions of the photos will vary. Prior to your search, make sure you know what image size you need for your publication. Decide on the kind of tone you are looking for in your photo whether it be black and white, colorful, or glamorous.

If you need to keep up with the latest trends, sign up with a fashion stock photography company so you can receive updates when the newest photos come in. There are plenty of people waiting to snatch up the latest and greatest photos so be ready.

Connect with Photographers

A way to find the best photos in fashion stock photography is to look for sites that connect you directly to the original photographer’s website. Some photographers will be willing to license their photos directly to you. You may even find photos taken by students or recent graduates of fashion photography schools. You will find that it is possible to find quality photographs taken by photographers of all different experience levels.

Fashion stock photography has come a long way since its first days. With the advent of the internet, it is easy to search for photos but it can also be overwhelming. The key is to know what you are looking for and make sure you are informed about how to purchase the rights of each particular photo you are interested in. With some searching, you are sure to find the perfect fashion photograph for your catalog or publication.