This Is What Happened When I Started Submitting My Art To Magazines
How I Got My Work Published in a Magazine With Bishop Briggs on the Cover
When I first started photography, my only concept of a career was being a lifestyle/wedding photographer. Honestly, that’s what initially inspired me to want a camera at all. I very quickly realized that what I really loved about taking photos was that I could turn my visions into reality. I did pretty much all of my photoshoots of my best friend and my sister using my Canon Rebel T5i. I would do fashion editorial-inspired photo shoots in my backyard and in the field across from my best friend’s house. I remember dreaming about shooting for Vogue magazine.
I started discovering photographers on social media, like Jessica Kobeissi, Irene Rudnyk and Kelsey Maggart, and I was opened up to the concept of photography that wasn’t just giving your clients exactly what they want, but instead giving yourself exactly what you want. This may sound selfish to some, and I honestly did feel selfish. I felt like it was wrong of me to not enjoy taking photos for others. Most people pride themselves on being someone who “captures memories” and I absolutely respect that and actually, admire it. I wish I was someone who could be happy as a lifestyle photographer, and I’ve tried to force it honestly because I believe that I’m skilled, and I can make money off of it. I think when I got my first film camera, that’s when I really began shooting for myself.
When I delved deeper into learning more about film photography, I was excited to learn more about other worlds of photography. Street photography, fine art photography, still-life photography.
I watched a documentary in photography class in high school, Finding Vivian Maier, about someone who won an auction for a storage unit, and when looking through everything found hundreds of undeveloped film negatives. The documentary goes on to explore the photographer behind some of the best street photographs ever made.
I explored all styles of film photography, but none of them felt like me.
This is when I decided that I needed to go back to where my passion first bloomed. Doing creative portrait photo shoots with my best friend. This time, on film! This is also the time when I discovered my now favorite photographer, Carianne Older. I first discovered her when she was known as Peggy Shoots Film on Instagram. I remember being so inspired by her creativity and I remember resonating with her because her dream was to shoot for Playboy Magazine. I watched her make that dream a reality, and since then I’ve decided that if I want to shoot for Vogue one day, I will.
Basically, it sounds silly, but I realized that I could still do portrait photography on film. I don’t know why, but I initially subconsciously blocked the concept of portrait photos on film out of my mind. I think that I felt like I couldn’t trust the outcome if I couldn’t see them while I was shooting. At that time, I didn’t really fully trust myself with shooting in manual, which I honestly think is a necessity if you want to achieve exactly what you’re envisioning with film. For example, a couple of the shots above were shot with a Canon Rebel G. I could absolutely turn it on auto and be all set. But in order to use the multiple exposures feature, the camera must be on a manual setting. Luckily, I was able to fake my way through it in 2019, but I can confidently say that I fully rely on manual photography now.
Something I have tried to overcome throughout my creative journey is the fact that my brain compartmentalizes things and I mentally block myself from too much because I unknowingly sabotage my creativity. For example, when I imagined digital photography, it was for portraits and lifestyle photos. When I thought about film photography, I pictured fine art photography. When I reminded myself that I am not limited, things got really exciting.
Don’t worry, I’m getting to the point.
I felt like I had to provide the necessary context about my journey in order for this article to resonate the most with people. Basically, all of this led me to the world of editorial photography. The more I played with styled photo shoots, the more I explored still-life photography and my own unique style, the more I discovered all the magazines that are out there.
How was I ever going to shoot for Vogue if I didn’t start getting my work published?
I discovered so many different ways I could get my work out there. It started by using hashtags on Instagram to be featured on what are known as “feature accounts”. People make them to curate a page for a specific aesthetic. For example, a page featuring still life photography, or one featuring street photography and so many more! These are so amazing just because it’s photographers supporting other photographers! Once I discovered these accounts, I started finding Instagram accounts for magazines. All different magazines, but the ones that really resonated with me were the ones that highlighted queer photographers. Lots of these magazines are independently run and therefore desperately seeking artists to submit their work to be published. Submitting to smaller magazines won’t get you paid, but it will get you published. To me, being published is more important than making money, although I do want this to be my full-time job. I think being published, even if not getting paid, just feels very meaningful.
I’ve had my fair share of Instagram features, and I, of course, am always looking to reach more people on social media. However, it’s more important to me for my work to exist beyond social media. We may have it now, but with the future being uncertain, I want to have my work published physically or in online magazines for longevity purposes. I suppose my first notable publication would be this editorial VSCO made in 2020 about human connections.
My next publication was actually here, on Substack! My photo was published in Process by Wesley Verhoeve Issue 041 in 2021. This was super exciting for me because I really look up to this photographer and still read Process to this day, and you should too!
This photo, as you may have already noticed, has sort of become my “lucky photo”, and has been featured in many ways, as you’ll soon see. As exciting as these online publications were, I was excited to have my work published physically someday. My daily routine became getting on Instagram, refreshing my explore page, looking for open calls, and applying to any that I found and was eligible for. Now, currently, I’ve primarily submitted film photography, just because it’s my preferred medium of photography. I am presently trying to shoot film and digital equally, simply to maximize my shooting opportunities and keep my creativity flowing.
My next publication was a spread in The 87th Magazine Issue 01, that was published in 2023. This is a bit of a time jump because, as some of you may know, I’m also a full-time classical voice student. But, more on that in future articles. It was an amazing opportunity to be featured alongside so many amazing photographers. Getting my copy in the mail and flipping to my spread for the first time felt so surreal. And just like that, I needed more.
As you can see, there’s my lucky photo again. I mean, I’m not complaining, it is the photo of mine that I’m most proud of, and I’m grateful that it has gotten the recognition that I feel it deserves. The black and white photo was one that I altered by drawing with marker on the developed negative and rescanning the photo. The top right photo was the view of the window above my kitchen sink in my first trailer. The bottom left is my best friend holding a copy of my favorite album by Ozzy Osbourne, Diary of a Madman. And finally, the bottom right is a shot of my Nonna’s house, which I’m so glad that I have because I don’t get to visit as much now that I’ve moved away.
My next publication was PETTY Magazine Issue 01: Lost & Found. Unfortunately, the physical copy of Issue 01 is sold out, but I’ve linked the digital copy! Issue 02 is also available for purchase.
Yet again, it didn’t feel real. I thought, surely nobody actually wants to publish my work. But here it was, happening again. These photos I submitted to fit the theme of the magazine, “Lost & Found”. You’ll have to check it out to learn more!
And along came the next. Because when submitting to magazines, there’s ALWAYS a next. Get used to constantly submitting photos. Yes, there will be magazines that won’t publish you. But if you stop submitting, your chances are zero. Any and all features and publications are meaningful and really worth it.
I was lucky to have my work featured in High Asf* Zine’s Final Issue.
A couple of photos that have never been published, and some that you’ve seen above. As you can see, I pretty much have a portfolio of photos that I deem worthy for publication. I try to keep them accessible in an album for submission purposes.
Up until this point, I had my work featured in more magazines than I thought would have been possible in such a short period. But now that I’ve begun, I have no intention of slowing down. I know that this is what I want my career to be, or at least a majority of it. I’ve recently been able to gain access to some studio space, and I’m so excited to take my work to the next level. I’m going to be doing many more styled film shoots in a studio setting, which I’ve never had the chance to do before, so I’m really eager to start sharing those processes with you all.
After getting a few indie publications under my belt, I thought it was time to aim higher. Nothing as big as Vogue yet, of course. But some larger magazines. When I saw one of my dream magazines, The Luna Collective Magazine, post about an open call, I knew I had to submit. The theme was “solace”, and I knew my lucky photo would be perfect to submit. I, of course, submitted others, but my photo of the bird flying above the moon was a must.
When I got the email that my photos would be published, I honestly couldn’t believe it. This magazine features amazing and popular musicians. Each issue, they have two different musical artists as the cover. For example, Remi Wolf, Reveena, and Wallows have made the covers just to name a few. My first thought when getting the email was “who’s going to be on the cover?”. I was so excited that my work would be alongside an artist I probably listen to on Spotify.
Not only was I featured in the magazine, my lucky photo was the cover page of the “Solace” section in The Luna Collective Magazine Issue 24. Along with a few of my other photographs, I was featured alongside 10 other amazing artists. I waited what felt like forever (it was only a couple of months) for the issue to be announced and the covers revealed. And when they were, it really couldn’t have been any better. Bishop Briggs was one of the issue’s featured artists, along with Girl Ultra.
Bishop Briggs has been one of my favorite artists since high school, so this was unreal. I genuinely wonder if she’s flipped through the magazine and seen my photos. I think I’d like to hope she has.
My dream is to eventually be able to officially collaborate with a magazine like The Luna Collective to photograph the artists on the cover, or other editorials within the magazine. This is what I’ve decided I’m going to work towards when it comes to my photography career, and I hope you all stick around for the ride!
If you’ve been thinking about submitting to magazines, this is your sign to do it! You never know what will happen.
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