I attended the first PhotoShelter session at the IdeasTap office near London Bridge last Thursday, 17th May.
The session was on ‘What Photo Buyers want from Photographers’. Speakers included Dagmar Seeland, UK Picture Editor for STERN Magazine, Russ O’Connell, Picture Director Q Magazine and James Mullinger, Photographic Director GQ Magazine. The event was hosted by Allen Murabayashi from PhotoShelter.
They all talked about what they looked for when commissioning photographers. Commissioning basically means identifying the style of a photographer for a particular job and getting them to take a photograph. This can depend on the style they want to achieve for a regular or feature section of a magazine.
It was quite interesting to learn about the process of commissioning and how they look for personality and character from their photographers.
Mullinger from GQ Magazine said that the style of their magazine has changed throughout its history. He said that the effective use of light can help to create an iconic image and how it is important to try something different. The iPad has has contributed massively to the way we digest and interact with content, as well as the way photographers take their photographs. Todays photographers can be challenges to think about sound and video to compliment their still photography.
Mullinger said that magazines often have an ‘opener’ or an opening image which is used to capture the reader. With ‘No opener, there is no story’. He said that photographers have to make the story happen through their images and sometimes photographers need to break the rules.
It was good to connect with various photographers and learn about the commissioning process for some leading consumer magazine.