It’s Easy to Become a Published Photographer

Show your best images to the world and earn bragging rights when your photograph is selected to join the Shutterbug Photo of the Day gallery. It doesn’t matter whether you shoot with a smartphone or a Hasselblad—if you have the talent, let it be recognized.

When you post to our Photo of the Day Gallery there’s a chance that your image may be featured on our homepage for all to see. The internet reaches even the most remote corners of our planet (and possibly beyond—who knows for sure?) and endures essentially forever. You may even hear from friends you haven’t seen in years, after they see your photo on Shutterbug. And they’ll be saying, “Wow, you took that?”

Step #1
Open FREE and secure Shutterbug account. There are no strings attached. All we require is your email address and a User Name. We also ask for your location, homepage and hobbies but we do not require those items, and never misuse any of your information. Tip: while you’re visiting shutterbug.com, sign up for our newsletter. It’s also free.

Step #2
Once registered, log in and navigate to the GALLERIES tab. From there select Shutterbug Photo of the Day.

Already Have an Account?
If you are logged into your account and want to go directly to the upload section, click on this LINK. Bookmark it so in the future you’ll be able to connect in seconds. Just remember you must be logged in to your Shutterbug account for the link to work. You can create a persistent login (“Remember me”) event so you don’t have to log in fresh every time you visit our website. If you see the warning “You are not authorized to access this page“ it means you’re not logged in.

Easy Specifications
Each day, one image from our Photo of the Day Gallery is featured on our homepage as a thumbnail that links to the larger version. The aspect ratio of the thumbnail image window is 16 x 9 (H x W). If your image doesn’t match, the system will automatically crop it to make it fit. It’s not something we do; our software crops without our guidance.

If adjusting the aspect ratio is a hassle, skip it. The full, uncropped image is still available in the gallery; only the thumbnail that attracts viewers to click will be altered if you do not make aspect ratio adjustments before you post.

Maximum file size is 5 megabytes. That’s plenty big for web viewing.

Your real name is required, as is a title for the image. If you can’t think of a title, “From the camera of Jane /John Doe” always works.

Viewers want to learn from your photos, so please include explanatory details about how and where the picture was taken. Please list camera, lens, f/stop, shutter speed and ISO setting so that our readers benefit from your experience. Details about the location are always desirable, and if you shot on film and scanned, or used a smart phone—anything unique—please share stuff like that, too.

Step #3
Check the next day to see if your image(s) has been added to the gallery. Sometimes we see posts that have 0MB file size indicated. That usually means the poster tried to upload a file that was too large.

Precautions
Common sense tells you to not reveal the name or any personal identification information about people in the picture. And while we are on that subject, we strongly emphasize that by submitting a photo that contains recognizable people, you confirm that you have unrestricted permission from the subject(s).

All Images are Reviewed
All submitted images are carefully reviewed before they are published. No advertising is allowed. All spam is deleted and reported. And needless to say, we’re not interested in receiving any NSFW images.

Generally, the images you upload are published to the gallery after review the next day, usually before 7am Eastern. But the special Photo of the Day selection might take a little longer. The image you submit might appear as the official Photo of the Day a few days after you submit it if it’s received on the same day as a more compelling picture. So even if you upload a great shot on Monday and it’s not selected as Tuesday’s PoD, it may still be chosen later.

Inspiration & Tips
Take a look at our Photo of the Day Gallery to see some truly inspiring work that covers a wide range of subjects. Bird photography is always a favorite, and we post many outstanding photos of our feathered friends. Night scenes and landscapes are likewise prominent. Especially desirable are images that have a seasonal theme.

Express yourself in color or monochrome—it’s all up to you. Show off your photo editing skills, too, and if you use a certain plug-in, feel free to tell us what you used.

Exercise your creative spirit. There are no “bad” photos aside from those that are technically unenjoyable (i.e., under/over exposed, blank, blown out, unintentionally grainy, blurry or out-of-focus). Share your creativity with others.

Try something new. Shoot monochrome, high contrast black & white, etc., and experiment with any creative or special effects features built into your camera.

Become a Member of the Shutterbug Community
Register for a free account. Sign up for our newsletter. Spend five minutes (or less) uploading your best shots once every week or so. Potentially become a Shutterbug Photo of the Day winner. Enjoy viewing the fantastic work being done by thousands of photographers all over the world—and add your images to the enduring collection.

– Shutterbug Staff