If you are submitting a feature photo with an interview or article, it needs to follow certain guidelines so that it fits.
Size and shape: For reasons of space, photographs need to be rectangular – more long than tall. It also needs to be a file that’s not too large or too small. The best size to work with is 610 by 380 pixels, but there is some flexibility with the size since we can rework it in Photoshop.
Focal point: The best photos have one main focal point, such as a picture of one person or just a few people. You want something that’s going to be easy to see and also will grab someone’s attention. Photos that have a bunch of tiny things and no focal point won’t draw people’s attention. The main point of the photo should be proportionate with the background – you want some background, but the background shouldn’t take up the majority of the photo.
Color: Coloring should be good in the photo. You want a nice balance of colors that work well together. A good black and white image can work well, too.
Image quality: Of course, image quality is also important. Blurry or out of focus photos will detract from your article. Sometimes obviously older photos can work for articles about things from the past. For example, I’ve scanned and used prints from decades ago when writing articles about those time periods, but most articles do best with new, sharp images.
Relevance: The photo should reflect something about the article it will accompany.
Appropriateness: Human Diaries is a family friendly website, and will not publish photos that are not appropriate for our audience.
Copyright/permission to use: We will only accept photos for publication if they are the property of the person who submits them, if they are free for commercial use, or prior permission is given to use them.