‘getting Your Picture In The Paper’

On Wednesday the 4th of July, our MD Emma Kelly was on the panel for a PRII and PPAI event called ‘Getting your picture in the paper,’ along with freelance photographer Paul Sherwood and freshly retired Irish Times Picture Editor Frank Millar. Her main take aways were –

• A photo has to tell a story, have emotion
• Always use a good photographer with contacts at the picture desks
• Limit props, The Irish Times hates cardboard logos, hashtags, magnifying glasses etc
• Photography by Mark Steadman and Marc O’Sullivan was showcased as best in class
• Short captions are better
• The Irish Times have 120,000 photos available for use daily, with 5,000 being supplied in Ireland alone
• Do not follow up by phone to make sure that the pictures have been received
• Avoid 11am as a time for a photcall, everyone chooses this time, photos must be in by 4pm at the latest
• Picture desks will consider exclusives, but you must always send the photos to both the journalist and the picture desk
• At an awards ceremony, do a quick picture at 7.30pm
• Key documents for the PR professional – the photography brief, photocall notice, picture caption
• Local newspapers such as the Gazette Group are running more and more PR shots
• If your photcall does not land you can reissue again, but you need to let the picture desks know it has been sent out before
• For product shots cut out images are as important as a full lifestyle shoot