Wisconsin Trails would not be the high-quality magazine it is without the help of our talented photographers. We work with freelance photographers for every issue and are always interested in working with new talent.
Please keep these things in mind when shooting anything that you may want to submit to us:
- We're interested in beautiful, unusual, unfamiliar, and innovative views of the people, places, nature, scenery, and the unique things that make Wisconsin a great place to live.
- Submit a mix of horizontal and vertical images with varied angles, perspective, and even lens lengths.
- Be sure to cover the subject with opening shots, close-ups/detail shots, distant shots, overview shots, double trucks, and cover possibilities.
- In addition to stock shots, look for subjects that would make a great portfolio, seasonal cover, or calendar shot.
- We're open to story ideas, so if you find imagery that has a neat story, include the idea with your submission.
- Don't forget that lighting is everything and sets the tone and mood for the piece. Take advantage of sunrises, sunsets, foggy days, and misty afternoons.
Freelance Contributors
The majority of the imagery
in our magazine is freelancer-submitted stock photography, but sometimes we'll
assign a specific story to a photographer. Rates for assigned stories will be
set before the assignment letter is sent to the photographer. Any stock art we
use is paid on a sliding scale based on image quality and published image size.
ILLUSTRATORS: We often use illustrations in the magazine (a mix of stock and assigned illustration work). Again, rates for any assigned illustration work will be set before the assignment letter is sent.
First-Time Contributors
If you've never worked with
us and are interested in submitting your work for consideration, please email a
short bio, your contact information, and 15-30 samples as a PDF file set up as
a 2-4 page contact sheet to our art director. If you have a website with more
images available, please include the link. Be sure to label each file with the
location and any pertinent information. If your work is a good fit for us,
we'll contact you and add you to our freelance database. All freelancers must
sign a contract and W-9 form before working with us, which we will then send you.
Image Identification
Every image you submit MUST
be properly labeled. Please be as specific as possible: name of river, park,
plant or animal species, and the county the photo was taken in. This
information can be provided in either print format or as electronic metadata
for each file. If this information is not provided, we cannot use the image.
Often we hold images on file and refer to them as story ideas come up. Please
indicate if your images may be kept on file indefinitely for future
consideration or if they must be returned by a certain date.
Image Usage
Wisconsin
Trails purchases one-time publishing
rights with the option to purchase additional web rights. If we publish an
image, we ask that it not be republished within 60 days from the date of
publication in our magazine. You are responsible for obtaining appropriate
model releases for any photographs submitted. Any reprints will be paid at half
the original fee.
Photo Returns
We will return your images after the issue has been printed and mailed. Please
keep in mind we are a small staff and it may take a while to return your
images. If you have submitted images via CD please indicate if you'd like the
CD returned.
Contact
Contact our art director to get a copy of our yearly wish list that contains each
issue's photographic submission subjects. Send
your submissions to:
Denise
Isnor, Art Director
Wisconsin
Trails
10
E. Doty, Suite 200
Madison,
WI 53703
Phone:
(608) 256-9106 x26
E-mail:
disnor@journalsentinal.com
We
also have an FTP site for uploading images. Contact Denise for more
information.


