The Kyiv Independent's photo editor Iryna Gromotska talks about collaborating with photographers, working together on materials, and how to best pitch your project to get it published by the media.
Irynka Gromotska studied in Columbia, USA, and worked as a photo editor for the Columbia Missourian newspaper. She interned at the Magnum Foundation and assisted at the Magnum Photos studio in New York. Iryna worked as an assistant photo editor for the FotoEvidence book Ukraine: War Crimes, where she ensured the involvement of many Ukrainian photographers. Since December 2023, Iryna Gromotska has been working as a photo editor at The Kyiv Independent, a leading English-language media outlet that tells the story of Ukraine to a foreign audience. She actively develops cooperation with Ukrainian photojournalists and documentary photographers working in Ukraine, shapes the aesthetics of the publication and maintains the professional level of the media's visual component.
Iryna Gromotska collaborates with many Ukrainian photographers, but she is always open to new proposals and topics. She shared her experience of working with authors and told us how best to pitch photo stories to editors. “You need to keep in mind that photo editors are in a fast-paced environment, working on daily news and editorial materials,” says Gromotska, ”You should immediately submit all the necessary information about your photo project or photo story. Iryna suggests following these tips to make communication between photographers and editors as comfortable and productive as possible.
First, in a letter to the editor, you should describe the idea of the photo project or photo story in a few sentences: what exactly and who the material will be about, where and when the shooting is planned. It is worth mentioning why this particular topic will be of interest to the publication's audience. For a photo editor, it is important that the photographer understands who the publication is for and knows its publications. “Be sure to write whether you have already started working on the material, what steps you have already taken to implement it, and what needs to be finalized,” says Iryna Gromotska. ”It is important to understand how your topic is available for visualization. A story can be very interesting and deep, but if the photographer has no vision of how it will look, they need to go back to the beginning and think about this issue.”
You must attach your photos to the letter describing the photo project - you can combine them into one pdf file, or you can add a link. “It is not necessary to attach photos from the project you are planning to work on. It is worth adding your portfolio or a selection of photos so that the photo editor understands the level and style of the photographer,” emphasizes Iryna Gromotska. She adds that she always stays in touch with the authors if they have started working on a story together.
There are also certain requirements for the photos that photographers attach to their emails or send a link to. Iryna Gromotska says she expects photographers to provide a wide selection of up to 50 photos, files in jpeg format, no larger than 3 MB, and with clear titles. It is worth renaming the photos - you can include your first name, last name, and the serial number of the photo in the title, or write your last name, place, or date of shooting in the title. When the photo editor uploads the photos, there will be no confusion and he will know exactly who sent the material. Irynka says that she usually uses Google Drive or WeTransfer to transfer photos. It's definitely not necessary to send photos one at a time via social media messengers.
“A big pain for a photo editor is when the photo metadata does not contain any information. When there is no signature, parameters, date of shooting, etc.,” says Gromotska. ”The file information must contain the captions - who is depicted in the photo, when and where the photo was taken. The photo editor will not have to take additional steps and ask the photographer for additional information.” It is not necessary to write lengthy captions, but it is worth noting the basic information about the photo. “I would like to emphasize to our interns that if you follow the simple requirements for pitching photo stories: clearly formulate the topic of the story, understand the audience and interests of the editorial board, make a selection and captions for the photos, rename the files, then you will be perceived as professional and cool people with whom to cooperate,” says Iryna Gromotska. She adds that if photographers have described the idea of the project well and have not received a response to the email, they should definitely write another email.
Relationships with colleagues are necessary and important, especially in a fairly close community of photographers and photo editors. “In our industry, a lot of people know each other and cross paths on different shoots. It may happen that a colleague with whom you shoot rallies together, for example, will invite you to participate in an exhibition in the future,” says Iryna Gromotska. ”Abroad, editors and photographers often invite strangers for coffee to establish professional connections. It's important to be active and bold in this regard, but remember that you shouldn't call a photo editor late on a Sunday night.”
Iryna Gromotska emphasizes that authors should decide on their specialization and the topics they would like to cover. If a photographer is passionate about a story, they should share their ideas with editors and colleagues. “When we are planning a story for our media outlet, for example, about the relationship between a mother and a child, I will turn to a photographer who has experience in such shoots. Photographers need to have a specialization, but at the same time work on different topics and be multifunctional,” says Iryna.
“For me, it's a red flag when people don't ask for any payment at all for their work. A photographer who does their job well and takes it seriously can discuss the price. “Every media outlet has its own budget and it is worth finding out the fee before starting work,” says Iryna Gromotska. ”At The Kyiv Independent, we have a separate fee for working in areas closer to the war zone, for large reports or photo stories. I advise you to discuss the issue of fees openly, and the sooner the better. We do not publish materials for free.”
If a photographer has an idea for a photo story that needs to be worked on for several months, he or she should seek grant support. “It happens that I would like to take a photo story for a publication, but we don't have a sufficient budget for it. Then we can pay the author a fee, but part of their expenses will be covered by a grant. If I am told that they are applying for a grant and need to indicate a place for publication, I will always support the authors,” explains Iryna Gromotska.
The photo editor emphasizes that it is worth communicating with editors, not being afraid to ask questions and consult in the process. This includes the question of how many photos from a project should be sent to photo editors. “I work in several steps: long, short, and final selection. If a photographer is shooting a photo essay, I ask him or her for a longer sample of 35 photos. “Then I look through the photos, cut them down, and make a final sample of 10 or 12 photos,” says Gromotska. ”When I work with photographers for a longer period of time, I ask them to make their own short sample. Then I can look at their selection, add something or, on the contrary, take something away.”
If a photographer has a lot of material from the shoot, he or she can try to make similar stories for other media. However, it is worth waiting for the publication in the media with which the original agreement was made. “When we buy an exclusive for our media outlet, we don't want the same material, with the same selection of photos and captions, to be published in other media. Instead, if the author has a lot of material and it can be used to make several similar stories “under one umbrella,” it's perfectly fine. However, it is worth discussing this with photo editors in advance. Communication solves many issues,” says Iryna Gromotska.
At The Kyiv Independent, most of the stories about events in the war zone are written by special correspondents. If there is a need to illustrate the news, Iryna Gromotska uses images from the Getty Images agency, to which the media outlet has a subscription. “We don't have any established cooperation with press officers. However, if they have time to shoot their own photo story or project, I will definitely consider it,” says the photo editor.
Professional photographers usually have a recognizable style of shooting and processing photos. When a photo editor agrees with a photographer on a photo story or reportage, he or she will take these points into account. “That's why I will order shoots from certain photographers, because I understand what I can get as a result,” says Gromotska. ”However, if you are just starting out in photography but feel that you have a strong and coherent story, you should write letters to the publications you have long dreamed of.
We worked on the material:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katya Moskalyuk
Editor-in-chief: Viacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary editor: Yulia Futey
Website manager: Vladyslav Kukhar
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The Kyiv Independent's photo editor Iryna Gromotska talks about collaborating with photographers, working together on materials, and how to best pitch your project to get it published by the media.
Irynka Gromotska studied in Columbia, USA, and worked as a photo editor for the Columbia Missourian newspaper. She interned at the Magnum Foundation and assisted at the Magnum Photos studio in New York. Iryna worked as an assistant photo editor for the FotoEvidence book Ukraine: War Crimes, where she ensured the involvement of many Ukrainian photographers. Since December 2023, Iryna Gromotska has been working as a photo editor at The Kyiv Independent, a leading English-language media outlet that tells the story of Ukraine to a foreign audience. She actively develops cooperation with Ukrainian photojournalists and documentary photographers working in Ukraine, shapes the aesthetics of the publication and maintains the professional level of the media's visual component.
Iryna Gromotska collaborates with many Ukrainian photographers, but she is always open to new proposals and topics. She shared her experience of working with authors and told us how best to pitch photo stories to editors. “You need to keep in mind that photo editors are in a fast-paced environment, working on daily news and editorial materials,” says Gromotska, ”You should immediately submit all the necessary information about your photo project or photo story. Iryna suggests following these tips to make communication between photographers and editors as comfortable and productive as possible.
First, in a letter to the editor, you should describe the idea of the photo project or photo story in a few sentences: what exactly and who the material will be about, where and when the shooting is planned. It is worth mentioning why this particular topic will be of interest to the publication's audience. For a photo editor, it is important that the photographer understands who the publication is for and knows its publications. “Be sure to write whether you have already started working on the material, what steps you have already taken to implement it, and what needs to be finalized,” says Iryna Gromotska. ”It is important to understand how your topic is available for visualization. A story can be very interesting and deep, but if the photographer has no vision of how it will look, they need to go back to the beginning and think about this issue.”
You must attach your photos to the letter describing the photo project - you can combine them into one pdf file, or you can add a link. “It is not necessary to attach photos from the project you are planning to work on. It is worth adding your portfolio or a selection of photos so that the photo editor understands the level and style of the photographer,” emphasizes Iryna Gromotska. She adds that she always stays in touch with the authors if they have started working on a story together.
There are also certain requirements for the photos that photographers attach to their emails or send a link to. Iryna Gromotska says she expects photographers to provide a wide selection of up to 50 photos, files in jpeg format, no larger than 3 MB, and with clear titles. It is worth renaming the photos - you can include your first name, last name, and the serial number of the photo in the title, or write your last name, place, or date of shooting in the title. When the photo editor uploads the photos, there will be no confusion and he will know exactly who sent the material. Irynka says that she usually uses Google Drive or WeTransfer to transfer photos. It's definitely not necessary to send photos one at a time via social media messengers.
“A big pain for a photo editor is when the photo metadata does not contain any information. When there is no signature, parameters, date of shooting, etc.,” says Gromotska. ”The file information must contain the captions - who is depicted in the photo, when and where the photo was taken. The photo editor will not have to take additional steps and ask the photographer for additional information.” It is not necessary to write lengthy captions, but it is worth noting the basic information about the photo. “I would like to emphasize to our interns that if you follow the simple requirements for pitching photo stories: clearly formulate the topic of the story, understand the audience and interests of the editorial board, make a selection and captions for the photos, rename the files, then you will be perceived as professional and cool people with whom to cooperate,” says Iryna Gromotska. She adds that if photographers have described the idea of the project well and have not received a response to the email, they should definitely write another email.
Relationships with colleagues are necessary and important, especially in a fairly close community of photographers and photo editors. “In our industry, a lot of people know each other and cross paths on different shoots. It may happen that a colleague with whom you shoot rallies together, for example, will invite you to participate in an exhibition in the future,” says Iryna Gromotska. ”Abroad, editors and photographers often invite strangers for coffee to establish professional connections. It's important to be active and bold in this regard, but remember that you shouldn't call a photo editor late on a Sunday night.”
Iryna Gromotska emphasizes that authors should decide on their specialization and the topics they would like to cover. If a photographer is passionate about a story, they should share their ideas with editors and colleagues. “When we are planning a story for our media outlet, for example, about the relationship between a mother and a child, I will turn to a photographer who has experience in such shoots. Photographers need to have a specialization, but at the same time work on different topics and be multifunctional,” says Iryna.
“For me, it's a red flag when people don't ask for any payment at all for their work. A photographer who does their job well and takes it seriously can discuss the price. “Every media outlet has its own budget and it is worth finding out the fee before starting work,” says Iryna Gromotska. ”At The Kyiv Independent, we have a separate fee for working in areas closer to the war zone, for large reports or photo stories. I advise you to discuss the issue of fees openly, and the sooner the better. We do not publish materials for free.”
If a photographer has an idea for a photo story that needs to be worked on for several months, he or she should seek grant support. “It happens that I would like to take a photo story for a publication, but we don't have a sufficient budget for it. Then we can pay the author a fee, but part of their expenses will be covered by a grant. If I am told that they are applying for a grant and need to indicate a place for publication, I will always support the authors,” explains Iryna Gromotska.
The photo editor emphasizes that it is worth communicating with editors, not being afraid to ask questions and consult in the process. This includes the question of how many photos from a project should be sent to photo editors. “I work in several steps: long, short, and final selection. If a photographer is shooting a photo essay, I ask him or her for a longer sample of 35 photos. “Then I look through the photos, cut them down, and make a final sample of 10 or 12 photos,” says Gromotska. ”When I work with photographers for a longer period of time, I ask them to make their own short sample. Then I can look at their selection, add something or, on the contrary, take something away.”
If a photographer has a lot of material from the shoot, he or she can try to make similar stories for other media. However, it is worth waiting for the publication in the media with which the original agreement was made. “When we buy an exclusive for our media outlet, we don't want the same material, with the same selection of photos and captions, to be published in other media. Instead, if the author has a lot of material and it can be used to make several similar stories “under one umbrella,” it's perfectly fine. However, it is worth discussing this with photo editors in advance. Communication solves many issues,” says Iryna Gromotska.
At The Kyiv Independent, most of the stories about events in the war zone are written by special correspondents. If there is a need to illustrate the news, Iryna Gromotska uses images from the Getty Images agency, to which the media outlet has a subscription. “We don't have any established cooperation with press officers. However, if they have time to shoot their own photo story or project, I will definitely consider it,” says the photo editor.
Professional photographers usually have a recognizable style of shooting and processing photos. When a photo editor agrees with a photographer on a photo story or reportage, he or she will take these points into account. “That's why I will order shoots from certain photographers, because I understand what I can get as a result,” says Gromotska. ”However, if you are just starting out in photography but feel that you have a strong and coherent story, you should write letters to the publications you have long dreamed of.
We worked on the material:
Researcher of the topic, author of the text: Katya Moskalyuk
Editor-in-chief: Viacheslav Ratynskyi
Literary editor: Yulia Futey
Website manager: Vladyslav Kukhar
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