“A picture is worth a thousand words.” Thus declares the saying used and re-created since the beginning of the last century. Even earlier iterations appear throughout history, but basically, they translate to this modern maxim.
Pictures of events add life and give additional explanation to every happening. Emotion and energy are conveyed through images that support description or appear on their own.
This reality occurs in the world of croquet. All of us love seeing the glossy photographs in Croquet News, the USCA magazine that is published four times a year in hard copy and electronically. Croquet News is meant to provide news and information to members and others who are interested in the sport of croquet within the USCA region. The articles are accompanied by current photographs from today’s events as well as images from our archives.
The images enhance articles we read and often receive their own reviews. Not only do we enjoy being able to identify players and lawns from afar, we are also titillated to find pictures of ourselves on the quarterly pages. And there is a promotional aspect as well. People outside the sport can come across the magazine through a variety of options. Great photography of players in action and of events across America can showcase the beauty, intensity and even lighter side of the game, potentially enticing a new player into the sport.
Additionally, as the national association, there is an inherent responsibility to capture the history of the sport in America and that again makes photography as important as the event coverage. With that in mind, we encourage members to be active in taking photos and reaching out to tournament directors to volunteer as “event photographers.”
For those that are interested in supporting the sport with great photography, Dylan Goodwin, Publisher of Croquet News and Julie Jantzer-Ward, Managing Editor, have offered guidelines for the submission of photographs. They explain the needs of the magazine, which, if followed, will allow for additional coverage at the same time as supplying important technical information to the amateur photographers in our midst.
Number of photos
While any number of new photos would be appreciated, Croquet News suggests preferred numbers for each particular magazine entry. Not all of the photos submitted are used in an article, but the amount listed for entry allows the staff to select choices depending on quality, subject, variation and a host of other rationales.
●12-24 photos are ideal for a national event.
●10-12 photos are preferred for a regional, but the number can vary depending on the contents of the photos and of the feature itself.
●1-3 photos are used for columns and department pieces.
●For club or other newsworthy events we are happy to publish one or two photos in our Inbox section. Please include a caption and details so we have some context for the photo.
Resolution of Photos
●300 dpi is the magazine’s target for resolution.
●Any mid-level digital camera will shoot high-resolution photographs.
●Even easier, the newer generation of smartphones are capable of providing superior images.
Transferring Photos
The key issue for photos from a smartphone is that the photographer should avoid allowing the camera to embed the photo into an email. Most phones now ask for the preferred resolution before attaching the photo. Be sure to select the highest resolution option.
The best option is to share via Dropbox or Google Drive, but if you are emailing, you will likely need to limit to 1-2 photos per email to avoid going over the email size limit.
General Hints on Photo Size
●Most photos above 1 MB are generally workable for a feature, but not necessarily viable for a cover or treatment as a full-page photo.
●Cover photo files are generally 2 MB or larger in size.
●Photos in the 250kb to 1MB range can sometimes be used by the magazine as “partials.” The magazine team can work with files under 250kb, but they carry both risk and limitations.
As we have seen in the submissions of the photos on National Croquet Day, the USCA is full of talented photographers. We have an impressive magazine with pages to fill. Let’s bring the two together. After all, it is exciting to see one’s pictures published in the magazine. And, we hope, it is also an honor. |