Strays is always open to photographic artists, writers and contributors with relevant work or ideas to share. We do not run timed open calls and there are no deadlines or submission fees. We review ideas on a rolling basis and publish selectively, looking for distinctive work and uncommon ways of thinking.
Although we can’t promise your work will be featured, we can promise that the decision will not be based on your profile, résumé, awards or followers.
What we’re looking for
Contributions to Strays typically fall under five types, though some pieces may overlap or just not fit into any category at all:
Conversations
Loose, open-ended interviews with photographers (ie. you). You’re welcome to suggest a starting point that would make for an interesting discussion.
Process
Insights into unusual methods and experiments. This includes alternative film development, scanning, printing, sequencing, image manipulation, custom cameras, improvised tools or other ways of making that help shape the final image.
Projects
Bodies of photographic work presented with the artist’s own description, notes and context. Projects can be finished or ongoing, what matters is the intent and a sense that it could only have been made by you.
Spotlight
Essays and features highlighting image-makers or relevant topics. This could be an introduction to another artist’s work, or an insight into something (anything) you think deserves attention.
Stories
Fiction and non-fiction pieces where words and images work together to create narrative, atmosphere or meaning. We are interested in writing that treats photography as part of the story.
Additional notes
Street. Fantastic street photography can be found in most photographic journals. We’re open to it, but only if you’re showing us something we haven’t seen before or questioning the usual conventions.
Gear. We love learning about gear too. But again, resources already exist for any camera or accessory you can think of (we recommend taking a look at 35mmc, especially for film photographers). However, if you’ve modified, built, broken, adapted, misused or abused a piece of equipment, we’d like to hear about it.
AI. Although we would instinctively steer away from AI-generated work, we remain open to artists using AI in thoughtful and inventive ways to expand the photographic process, rather than replace it.
Navel-gazing. Writing and context are essential parts of all Strays articles, but we need to feel something viscerally from the images themselves. If the photography is banal without text to explain it, it probably isn’t right for us.
Travel journals, boudoir, car shows. Nope. Not here.
Established / unestablished. If we find the work interesting, we’ll post it.
How it works
Send us an initial note with a short outline of what you’d like to share, and which type of article you have in mind. We don’t need a formal proposal, just a few lines about the piece is enough to start with, along with a link to some sample images (your IG, for instance).
If it feels like a good fit, we’ll write back and take it from there.
Thanks for your interest
Rights and use
Artists retain the rights to their work. By contributing to Strays, you give us permission to publish the agreed images and text as part of Strays, including on our website, newsletter, social channels and related editorial materials. We will always credit you clearly. We will not sell your work as standalone images, license it to third parties, or use it outside Strays without your permission. For more information please read our Terms and Conditions.
