What is WE ARE Magazine?
WE ARE Magazine seeks to celebrate and drive awareness of the talents and perspectives of female and female-identifying photographers around the world, wherever you’re at in your journey with photography. We seek to broaden the conversation around contemporary photography and inspire others in a variety of photographic styles and approaches.
WE ARE Magazine is published twice a year on the Issuu platform. All editions of the magazine are available online and are free to read.
Submitting proposals
What type of stories are you looking for?
We’re interested in all genres of photography and accept a wide range of subjects and formats. These include: a feature on a recent project; a day in your photographic life; “how-to” guides; photographer interviews, photo-led pieces (of course!), book or exhibition reviews; opinion pieces and more besides.
We’re looking for your own original work, and ideally something that encourages us to look at a subject in a new way.
How can I submit an idea for the magazine?
WE ARE Magazine sends out an online call for proposals three to four months ahead of the next issue. But feel free to contact the editor at any time with your ideas for the next, or future, publications.
WE ARE Magazine Editor Rachel Nixon can be reached at: wipmagazine@rps.org
What information should I include when submitting an idea?
Please try to answer the following questions to help us decide on next steps (two sentences per question maximum):
- Who or what is your proposed piece about?
- How do you plan to tell the story? (see above: "What type of stories are you looking for?" for ideas)
- Why will WIP members and other members of the photographic community be interested in your piece?
- How long do you expect your article to be and how many photos do you wish to include?
In addition, please send links to any relevant images or other material.
Do you accept all ideas or pieces that are submitted?
We try to accept as many submissions that meet our mandate as possible, however we reserve the right not to publish your submission. Reasons for doing so may include, but are not limited to: lack of timeliness of the subject matter; duplication of/similarity to an already accepted submission; material not sent in by the agreed deadline; unresolved editorial concerns.
If your submission is not suitable for the magazine, it may still be of interest to WIP members and therefore we may decide to publish it on the Women in Photography section of the RPS website and/or in the Women in Photography newsletter. The editor will contact you about that if so.
Accepted proposals: What to expect
How much should I write, and how many photos do you need?
Our upper limit for text-based articles is approximately 1,500 words.
We accept up to 10 photos per confirmed submission.
But, really, it depends! As a photography-centric publication, it’s often the images that tell the story best, of course. And some items, such as reviews, may not need to be that long.
Once your proposal is accepted, the editor will confirm word length and photo requirements with you, as well as a deadline by which to submit all the material. They may also make suggestions about how to structure your piece, ideas to include, or areas to focus on.
Do you need anything else from me?
In addition to text and images as agreed, for longer features and articles we ask that you send us a 150-word biography, a profile photo, and two links maximum where readers can find out more about you. Links may include: your website; your Instagram or other social media profiles; articles written about you; relevant exhibitions.
What are the technical specifications for submissions?
- Please submit your text in a Word or Pages document. Do not send a PDF.
- Images should be 2000px on the long edge and 300ppi, and saved as jpg.
- File names should be the image caption plus the photographer credit, i.e.: Image Name © Photographer's First Name_Last Name.jpg.
- If the images are for a sequenced photo gallery with captions, number the images in the file name, i.e.: 1 © Photographer's First Name_Last Name.jpg.
- Put the corresponding captions in a Word or Pages document sent along with the images.
- Images may be sent via WeTransfer or Dropbox.
- Send all material to: wipmagazine@rps.org
What does the editing process look like?
The editor will acknowledge receipt of your material and let you know if anything is missing.
They will upload your text online (usually to Google Docs) and carry out an initial edit. They will share the link with you so that you can see suggested changes and discuss them from that point on.
We believe that it’s important to retain your voice and perspective in your piece so we endeavour not to make major changes to your submission. However, our editors will draw on their substantial journalism and other editorial experience to help make your submission the best it can be, and will make recommendations about wording, content and structure.
The editor will write a headline and a summary/introductory paragraph where needed for your piece.
We will let you know when your submission is finished and you may review and sign it off.
After that, your article and images will be laid out for presentation in the magazine.
Will I receive payment for my piece?
Unfortunately, we cannot pay you for your submission as we do not have a budget for this. The Women in Photography committee – including the editorial team – is staffed by volunteers. We do want to ensure that the magazine – and your submission – reaches as wide an audience as possible and, once published, we will promote it online, on social media and through our newsletter.
What about copyright?
You retain full rights to your photography and text and any other media you submit. By submitting you allow us to publish and promote your work with credit in WE ARE Magazine and on associated web and social platforms.
If you wish to include the work of another person in your submission, you must demonstrate that you have the right to do so and/or have obtained the proper permission.
Other questions
I’d like to participate in the magazine but I don’t want to submit a full piece. How can I do that?
Great to hear it!
WIP members may submit their images to our cover competition to be in with a chance of being featured on the front or back cover of WE ARE Magazine. Runners-up are published inside the magazine. The cover competition is announced separately from the call for proposals for the magazine.
We are also working on other ways for you to submit shorter items to the magazine – stay tuned!
Is there a print version of the magazine?
At present, WE ARE Magazine is only available on Issuu. Authors may request PDF versions of their pieces for use on their website or in their portfolio.
Do I need to be a WIP or RPS member to submit to the magazine?
We welcome submissions from anyone wishing to celebrate or spread awareness of women photographers, but we give priority to WIP members. Only WIP members may submit to, and vote on, the cover competition.
As a member of the Women in Photography group, you can also access a variety of opportunities including events and competitions, and be part of a supportive community. Join us!
I have a question that’s not answered here...
No problem! Email WE ARE Magazine Editor Rachel Nixon at wipmagazine@rps.org.
Last updated: 9th May, 2024