Photo Submissions

Do you have the perfect image, taken at swim practice or an event, that captures the essence of Masters Swimming? Do you and your teammates have a special tradition you'd like to share? We gladly accept photos from readers for our Lens column in "Perspectives" in SWIMMER magazine and for "This Aquatic Life" in our eNewsletter STREAMLINES. We don't offer compensation for reader-submitted images, but we list photographer credit. Please do not submit photos taken by a professional photographer—see more on that below.

• Please read all the information below and send your image, with all accompanying info, to editor@usms.org

Required Information

Each photo must include:

• Identification of all subjects in photo (except for large groups, which can be identified by club name)
• When and where the photo was taken
• What is going on in the photo (if it isn't obvious)
• Name and/or agency of photographer

For example: “John Smith and his relay team after winning the 240+ mixed freestyle relay at the 2012 USMS Summer Nationals in Omaha, Neb. Left to right: John Smith, John Jones, Joan Smith, and Joan Jones.” Photographer: Frosti Smith

Image Size and Quality

All photos for print and web publication must be high-resolution. Images from phone cameras are not sufficient unless your phone has a high-quality camera and the images are saved at the highest resolution possible. Take a look at your file size—if the image is less than a megabyte or two in size, it's probably not going to work. (Anything less than a megabyte will be shown in kilobytes). Thumbnails downloaded from Google or Facebook, screenshots, and many photos taken with phone cameras will not be large or clear enough.

From Your Digital Camera

Be sure the settings are on highest JPG resolution possible. After you download from your camera, attach the original JPG to an email (if you've been asked to email them) or place them directly into your assigned Dropbox. Do NOT reduce the file size. If your email client automatically compresses files, disable that feature when sending images. If your image is larger than 10 mbs in size, contact publications@usms.org for further instructions.

From Your Scanner

If you're scanning a photo, the images need to be 300 dpi at a 100 percent. For example, if the original photo dimensions are 5 x 7, then the settings on the scanner need to be 5 x 7, with the resolution set at 300 dpi.

Editorial Photos

For images that are being submitted for use in any article, please review the following, as well as the "Required Information" blurb above.

Portraits/Head Shots

If you've been asked for a head shot, do not include other people in the picture, and don't use one in which other people standing close to you have been cropped out. Ask one of your teammates with a nice camera to take a few (landscape/horizontal orientation) of you with your pool or favorite swimming spot in the background. The portrait should be from the waist or chest up. Be sure to let us know who took the picture!

Professional Photos

Headshots taken for a passports, résumés, etc, do not need to be credited. Any other photos taken by professional photographers require permission from and full credit to the photographer. This includes photos purchased from triathlon or swim events. You must supply the photographer's express permission for us to use the photo, as well as full contact information for any professional photographers whose work you are submitting.

Author Bios

If you've been asked to submit a bio, please include the following items. Bios are edited for style and space constraints.

• Name
• Age
• Registered USMS club (and workout group if applicable)
• Professional expertise and/or credentials as they relate to the topic
• Swimming accomplishments
• Personal info (optional)