What is Editorial Photography?

Editorial Photography describes the images appearing alongside text in print or online publications. Images are created to support the story and reinforce the narrative in the text. The supporting images can be used to create a mood or clarify information in the article. Editorial Photography is a form of visual story telling.

When hiring an editorial photographer, it is important to communicate the purpose the images will serve, and the style you want the work to have. In some cases the text is already available for the photographer to read. If not, the writer or editor will need to describe the story that will be told in some detail.

My experience with editorial photography reaches back to my many years as a photo journalist in the newspaper industry. This is where I began my career as a professional photographer; I really learned the art of visual story telling as a newspaper photographer.

There are a few critical points when hiring a photographer for editorial purposes. Firstly, the job is 100% story driven. Sometimes the story or event has already occurred and is being documented after the fact, but at other times stories and events unfold before the writer and the photographer as emerging news stories. While some photographers are also writers, I am not. My approach to editorial photography is to collaborate closely with the writer. 

There are many factors involved in producing good editorial images. Preparing for an editorial shoot where the story is already in place involves interpreting the story to find creative, visual ways to support the narrative.