Guidelines for freelance photographers, artists and writers

 Photographer’s guidelines

            High quality freelance photographs are frequently accepted for publication in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine. We will review photos of any subject normally covered in this publication, particularly wildlife and activities related to hunting, fishing and wildlife watching. We frequently hold material if we foresee a use within the next 10 to 12 issues.

            Digital images submitted on disk or emailed are preferred. Submissions should be accompanied by a cover letter and description of photos, including the location taken and names and hometowns of human subjects if possible. Printed thumbnails depicting what might be found on submitted disks are helpful. Photos should be in sharp focus, and images should be at least 300 dpi (dots per inch). The canvas size should be about 8 inches by 11 inches.

             We require one-time publication rights only, and photos remain the property of the photographer. Individual images may appear multiple times in a single issue (such as inside the issue as well as on the cover or Table of Contents page), and compensation will be provided for the instance of greatest value. Unless other arrangements are made, commissioned artwork becomes the property of the Wildlife Department. Payment for paintings and other full-color art is made at the same rate as photographs.

Payment is made upon publication at the following rates: 

Front cover photos or artwork - $325

Inside two-page full bleed and full-page wildlife portrait photo - $250 

Inside full page (3,160 sq. picas or larger) - $225 

Inside half page (1,580 sq. picas or larger) - $200 

All other color photographs - up to $150 

Black and white drawings, cartoons and photos (1/2 page or larger) - $150 

All other black and white drawings, cartoons and photos – up to $100 

Writer’s guidelines

            Freelance articles are used occasionally in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine. We welcome queries and speculative submissions, but we assume no responsibility for unsolicited materials.

Payment for first-time publication rights is made within the following ranges: 

Feature length articles (over 1,500 words) - $300-450 

Shorter articles (500-1,500 words) - $125-250 

Sidebars and "Off the Beaten Path" articles - $75 

Second-time publications rights are made at one-half the above rates. 

Internet Rights: Unless otherwise specified, photos, art and manuscripts used in Outdoor Oklahoma magazine may be reproduced one-time only on the Wildlife Department's official Web site — wildlifedepartment.com — for the purposes of education and promotion of outdoor recreation. If a photographer or writer specifically desires that the Wildlife Department not use their work on the agency’s Web site, they should contact one of the editors listed below. All other uses, printed or electronic, remain protected and subject to further compensation.

Send photograph and article submissions by e-mail or mail to:
Michael Bergin, Associate Editor;
Micah Holmes, Associate Editor, or
Nels Rodefeld, Editor -
PO BOX 53465
Oklahoma City, OK 73152

            It is cost prohibitive for Outdoor Oklahoma to insure all packages shipped via Federal Express for full market value. Federal Express caps payments for lost or damaged items at $500 per package. Should a loss be experienced, damage compensation from Federal Express will be shared among all photographers (based on number of images they had in a package) with images in the shipment.