Welshot Focus - Issue 4 - December 2017

What makes a
GOOD COVER IMAGE?
IMAGE READY
by Derek Buick
One of the most important things to do first is research. Study
the publications in which you would like to have a cover
shot published. What kind of images have they used on past
issues? Research thoroughly the design style and target
readership. Find out what the editor wants and what they are
trying to achieve.
If the publication has an editorial calendar, download it or
request a copy so you can see upcoming themes. This gives
you some idea as to the types of images they might use on
an upcoming issue. Make sure you’re working at least four to
six months ahead of the publication deadline for a particular
issue. For example, if you are looking at getting published in
the September issue, then you need to start working on your
cover image ideas around April. Magazine editors are very
busy people and just don’t have the time to read through
long rambling emails. So, when contacting a magazine, be
precise and to the point and you will have a greater chance of
success.
In a cover image for magazines, the top one-third of the
image must not contain the subject, as this is where the cover
masthead text is printed. This area of the image must have
a background that doesn’t distract and be subtle so as to
not draw attention away from the text. When checking past
issues, look at the text colour on the cover. If the publication
uses a consistent text colour on their covers then make sure
that area on your potential cover image has a contrasting
colour. Otherwise, your image will not be selected because
the text would not show up clearly.
Subject placement is very important. Remember, the top third
must not contain the subject. Locate it from the centre of the
image and down to the bottom one-third vertically. Generally,
this goes against the composition ‘Rule of Thirds’, which is
why most of your images that haven’t been thought about as
cover shots won’t work. The next time you’re out shooting,
take a few extra shots thinking about how they could be used
as cover shots and place the subjects accordingly.
This is a question frequently asked by
photographers who want to get one of
their images published on the front of a
magazine or book cover.
If you are shooting for a book, try to research the feel of
book covers by spending some time in a bookshop looking
at covers, illustrated or photographic, that are similar to
your photographic style. Include as many different genres
as you can in your cover research, looking at books from a
wide range of publishers. Creating mood in your book cover
photography is also very important. The use of colour, lighting
and depth of field will all help to create different types of
mood. Whatever the final subject may be, the main reason an
image works is because the mood is just right.
When you are shooting for cover images, whether it is
for magazines or books, you have to think like a graphic
designer. On book covers, very often the image will be
overlaid with type. Don’t try to create a specific scene.
Instead, create images that hint at the story without giving too
much away. It is important that the photograph has negative
space so that there is room for type to sit comfortably. Unlike
magazines, the position of the book title varies on the cover,
so don’t assume that it will always be at the top. Remember,
the photograph is likely to be used creatively by the designer,
so allow some space so that it can be cropped if necessary.
Most magazines (and book covers) use images in a portrait
format. As a rough guide, cover pages are approximately
A4 in size, so portrait format makes a perfect fit. Rarely do
publications take a vertical cut out of a horizontal image. It is
advisable to submit images in TIFF format with a file size of at
least 10mb, and sized at A4.
If shooting images for book covers is something you are
particularly interested in, then it is worthwhile joining a stock
agency. However, it is a good idea to look for an agency that
works well for you, so do your research. Hundreds of books
are published each month and as a result, there is a high
demand for all kinds of photographs. Amongst those, are
very specific requests for themes that perfectly complement
a current literary trend. Catching these trends at the right
time will increase your chances of selling your photos. It is
therefore worthwhile keeping up to date with what the current
trends are. Also, stock photo agencies love diversity, so the
more different your shots are, the better chance they have
of selling. It is important to upload images regularly. If you
upload very few images, your chances of landing on a book
cover will be quite small.
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Sian Monument
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