If you are an avid photographer, you may want to turn your hobby into a profession. In this respect one avenue is photography for magazines. For freelancers this is an opportunity that holds great promise. However, you will first have to understand and learn how the trade works.

Firstly, in order to make profit from photography for magazines you should purchase a few well known magazines and study the pictures that it contains. Make an honest appraisal of the work that you have done as compared to the ones that the magazines hold. If you feel that the quality of your photography is at par, you can go ahead with selling your pictures to magazines. On the other hand, if you find that your pictures lack the quality that you see in the magazines, hold them back. Do not waste your own time as well as that of the photo editor by submitting inferior photographs, as it will not take you anywhere. Strive to perfect your skills before you attempt to sell your photography for magazines.

At the same time, you will also need to study the images that sell. Photography for magazines caters to different categories of readers. So, you will need to develop an understanding of the magazine market.

Once you have decided the type of photography for magazines that you have an interest in and will be dealing with, submit related photographs to the photo editor of a magazine. In order to do this you can either write to them or email them apprising them of the job that you have undertaken. Another good idea is to have a website of your own so that you can enable these photo editors to view the pictures taken by you. This will be helpful to them in gaining a better understanding of your talent and work as the website will contain a wide array of pictures taken by you on different themes.

If you happen to send your photographs by post, it is a good idea to send a stamped self-addressed envelop along with it. This will ensure that you get your pictures back and your labour is not lost.

There are laws governing the use of photography for magazines and it would be advisable for you to understand them. If you click a picture, it becomes your sole property. The normal practice is that your photography for magazines will fetch you a price when you sell it and if the image is used again within five months, you have to be paid again.

Now coming to the price offered for photography for magazines. It goes without saying that the cover picture fetches the highest price followed by the middle centre spread. At the same time the price will also depend on the sale of magazines. Those magazines that sell well offer better prices for pictures. You must also remember that you will be paid after the magazine goes into print. Another very important point to keep in mind if you are interested in photography for magazines is that if you sell your picture to one magazine, do not rush along and submit it to another magazine straightaway. If they happen to discover this ploy of yours they may well not consider your pictures in the future.

Keeping these few points in mind will ensure that you make a rewarding full time or part time career out of photography for magazines.