It is without doubt that good photography is key when promoting your event or organisation through on and offline media. Whether a photo is being sent accompanying a piece of editorial to promote your event, to be included in an advert or as part of a competition, the power of good photography should never be underestimated.

When supplying editorial, it is imperative that good photography relates to the copy supplied. Without an image or with a photo that is either too low in resolution or simply badly taken, the chance of achieving any press coverage drops significantly as it is widely known that images are the first thing to either entice or turn away a reader.

Not only does the quality and type of image affect how powerful your message is and how many people will be enticed to go on and read the article but it also has an effect on how readers view the publication in which it appears – this again stresses the importance of high quality photography as picture editors make clear the difference the right image makes is key to all editorial decisions.

So what are picture editors looking for and how can you ensure that you are spending your budget wisely ensuring the photography you commission is right?

Originality is incredibly important for both successful campaigns, competitions and to achieve acceptance for editorial. When readers are confronted with images in magazines, papers and online, it is the images which capture attention that entices readership. Over-branded photos are definitely something to steer clear from – as tempting as it is to sell your brand or product; it is far less likely the image will be used. Try to sell the product or brand on the strength of the photo rather than emblazing your logo wherever possible.

Ensure your photos don’t fall into the ‘too busy’ category. Good photos concentrate on one central subject which correlates to the supporting editorial, if there are too many distractions; the photo will not draw in readers and will lack affectivity.

Make sure your photo speaks a thousand words. Photo captions are a must when supplying imagery to photo editors, however, the image must also be able to tell the story on its own as it will most likely appear in the media without a supporting caption.

Finally, when commissioning a photographer, make sure you request that all photos are shot both portrait and landscape. Some images may work better one way but depending on space in the relevant publication or website, offering images in both layouts could guarantee you coverage due to offering flexibility.