Sending photos for print publication? Don't edit them.

I've had the pleasure of working with many fantastic photographers in my life. I enjoy getting all the necessary elements together for them to set up a fantastic shoot. Along the way, I've learned quite a bit.

One of those things is that when you're sending a photo for a newspaper publication, don't "fix" the photo first. One of my dearest friends was over the United Press International (UPI) bureau in Miami for years. I got to know him when he was the chief photographer for the Wilmington Star News.

He gave me a piece of advice I have always remembered - and that continues to be echoed by newspaper editors. Send the original photograph. Don't edit, fix or doctor it up. The paper will do that. Newspaper folks know when a photo has been doctored. They really don't like it, but will probably use it anyway. 

Photographers may or may not know the printing requirements that the paper follows. That is why it is best NOT to fix a photo before sending it. 

Make it easy. Send it as a jpg attachment with the story or the cutline.

MARKETING TIP: Keep your newspaper folks happy. That business isn't dead yet. People are still reading papers - online and hard copy.