How to Get Published In Fashion Magazines

Everyone wants to be a Fashion Photographer these days and get published in Vogue, Harper's etc. Going through tonnes of request everyday about how do get published makes me think , is there are a simpler way to do this? Now lets get this right, it might seem the need of the hour to get published but one needs to understand the entire media implications before getting published. Back in 2011 when I started shooting commercially, it was more about weddings and portrait photography. Over the years I have shot with friends, models, aspirants, makeup artists and co photographers to make a portfolio. However Fashion magazine have a different objective, its not about memories or portrait photography. They are looking out to highlight the outfits. It did take me some time to realise that one has to shoot the clothes and/or the jewellery in the best way possible using the model and the team. Magazines do look out for a current trend so it becomes essential that clothes are available in stores or would be available for the next 6 months. Ideally give or take a 4 weeks timeline between the shoot and print to make sure that your outfits are still out there trending. Submitting your editorials to magazines is a good starting point even though they don't pay. Nobody is going to hire you if you have nothing to show. (Emerging)Stylists are less likely to work with you if there's no intention of submitting their work anywhere. You shouldn't submit to free magazines(that publish via magcloud or on demand or are completely free to read on issuu)

if your goal is:

1)Get exposure (the only people reading those magazines are photographers like you)

2)Get clients (same reason).

You should submit to free magazines if you want to

1) Get experience in editing your images up to a certain quality/size/standard. It affects your shooting, especially with a cheap camera. You start remembering that you will have to cut most of the picture out(remember all the crying over great shots that couldn't make it cuz you had to cut off the models head to fit her in the 8.5x11 inches frame) so you start to position your model differently (until you buy a full frame camera then it's all over again).

2) Get experience working with people

3) Show off to clients that are impressed by tear sheets

4) Work with people more professional than you

5) Make your mama proud