Contribute

Desertion Photography welcomes considered pitches about absence in photographs, visual traces, image context and the ways pictures are read. We look for specific ideas that reward close attention without inventing what an image cannot tell us.

What to pitch

Propose an original article grounded in a distinct visual question: an empty frame, a revealing crop, the afterlife of a photograph or a recurring way images suggest presence through absence. A pitch should say what readers will notice or understand and why the subject merits a focused piece.

What makes a strong proposal

Send a concise summary, the central argument or question, the intended reader and a brief outline of the material you would use. Tell us whether images are central to the piece and how their context and permissions would be handled. Avoid pitches that depend on unsupported stories about an image's subjects.

Sending a pitch

Use the Contact page and choose the editorial question option, then identify the message as a contribution proposal. Please do not send a complete article unless requested. A proposal is not a promise of publication.