Tips on getting your photos on a postcard

Samson

I was rooting around my docs folder and came across the following, from an email I sent to someone a couple of years ago - I used to submit a lot of stuff to postcard companies and even managed to get a few published.
I thought it might be of interest:

Okay, as far as domestic postcard companies are concerned, your best bet is to browse postcard stands around town and take note of the publishing company, they may or may not have contact details, but the company name should be enough to find them in the 'phone book or on the web.
One thing to bear in mind, also pay attention to the name of the photographer and if you see a company with lots (or all) of their images by one photographer, that's a bad sign and it probably means the photographer owns the company or does his own publishing, hence closed shop (Eg: Kai Ulrich Muller).
If, on the other hand a particular a particular company have a diverse range of photographers it's a good thing.
Maybe buy a few postcards with images that you like for inspiration. I'm not advocating plagiarism, but we all need to get our inspiration from somewhere. I, for example, often cut photos out of magazines etc. and stick them in an A5 notebook, and if I use it as inspiration I will juxtapose my own image on the opposite page.
But I digress.

Okay, once you have the contact details of the postcard company, either send them an email or telephone asking to speak to whomever is in charge of image submissions. Ask if they are open to seeing some of your work, if so, send a brief covering letter and a maximum of one folder page of slides. Obviously ensure that the slides you send are of the highest technical standard. Postcard companies don't mind 35mm at all (as repro size is small) but they must be absolutely pin-sharp and of faultless exposure.

Two other options are:

1. Produce your own (cheaper than you might think), and peddle them around a few shops.

2. Try some of the UK based postcard companies, but they will most likely need to be "country neutral", unless they are going to be sold in Kilburn!
You could of course hit London/Paris/Brussels/Rome etc. via Ryanair for a weekend photo assignment, snap all the tourist hotspots. Bigger market.

I would highly recommend buying a copy of The Freelance Photographer's Market Handbook, published by The BFP annually. Eason's will have it (or be able to get it for you).

Companies that will produce postcards for you:
www.postcardxpress.com
www.thepostcardcompany.com
www.loudworld.co.uk
Get in touch with the above by email or telephone and ask for an info/sample pack, they will send you a rates list and some nice samples.

Hope this helps.
Any other questions, don't hesitate to get in touch (I'll try to be a quicker responding).

Cya,

Gavin.

rymus

cheers.. some good info there.

Shrimp

Yeah, Thanks. Good to know, because I suppose they are always looking for new photos of the city etc..

FinoBlad

great info, thx for posting