Photo Submissions

Photos MUST meet the following technical requirements for publication consideration:

  • Images must be high-resolution and taken with a dedicated still camera. Regardless of resolution, we cannot accept frame captures from video or screen grabs for most uses.
  • Photos should be at least 400 ppi (pixels per inch) and no smaller than five by seven inches (2,000 by 2,800 pixels). In general, this means photos must be:
    • more than 500 KB in size for small use (1/6 page or less)
    • more than 1 MB for medium use (1/2 page or less)
    • a bare minimum of 3 MB for full-page use (cover, etc.)
  • Requirements are based on the size of the cropped image (the part of the image we will print)

How to Submit:

Submit photos through our ONLINE FORM HERE or by email to communications@uspa.org.

Submissions are accepted with the understanding that the person submitting them has the right to publish the contents of the submission and has assumed appropriate model releases for recognizable subjects in the image. USPA reserves the right to post the submitted material on USPA’s website and Parachutist Online, as well as redistribute the material in its final, laid-out form for reprint requests.

Please read all of our photo guidelines prior to submitting to ensure your photo has the best chance of publication.

Questions? Email us at communications@uspa.org or call (540) 604-9740

Submission Methods

  • Three files of up to 10 MB each may be submitted through our online form. Most contributors find this the easiest way to send us photos, and the form walks you through the necessary steps. Due to the large number of submissions we receive, we are unable to reply personally to each submission. After the submission, you will see a thank you note, which indicates we received your files correctly.
  • If you are planning to submit a large number of files (more than 10), please contact us by email first.
  • We cannot use negatives or slides. Photographic prints should be scanned and sent to us electronically. (In certain circumstances we’ll accept photographic prints by mail—please e-mail or call for details.) We will also accept photos on computer disc or thumb drive via mail. Send to USPA, Managing Editor-Parachutist, 5401 Southpoint Centre Blvd, Fredericksburg VA 22407. Discs and drives will not be returned, and Parachutist is not responsible for lost materials.
  • Often, photos are kept on file and used at a later date along with a topical article. If you would like a photo withdrawn from consideration, e-mail communications@uspa.org  with the approximate date of submission and a copy of the image for reference.

Guidelines and General Information:

  • Please send only one photo from each jump unless they are significantly different, and do not send us hundreds of photos from one event. In other words, send only your best shots.
  • Remove any watermarks or caption information from the image itself. We will not print any photos containing a watermark! We caption images in a consistent style based on the information you provide us.
  • Make sure your photo is in focus, lit well and does not require significant cropping. We can do some work on photos to enhance their quality, but too much digital manipulation creates a poor product. The image MUST be of decent quality to begin with.
  • We prefer JPG files, although we will accept RAW and TIF files, as well.
  • Parachutist considers photos of activities that comply with the United States Parachute Association’s Basic Safety Requirements and FAA regulations.
  • We give preference to photos in which jumpers are following USPA’s safety recommendations.
  • What looks good on your computer screen often does not look good in print! The number-one reason photos are discarded is because they do not meet the technical quality required for print.
  • We pay a modest compensation to our photographers for in-air and action photos. We do not compensate for most publicity photos—awards photos (Wings & Things), Safety Day group shots, Parachutist Around the World photos, How Skydiving Changed My Life and similar—and photos that accompany press releases.

Cover, Centerspread, Closing In

  • We do not consider photos for only the cover or one of the larger spots in the magazine. Any photo submitted may be used anywhere in the magazine at any size. Do not submit any photo to us if you will require it to be used exclusively for the cover.
  • Cover photos must have a vertically oriented composition with room for the masthead. We can occasionally crop photos to fit, but significant cropping generally causes the remaining photo to be too low in resolution to blow up to cover size. The file size of any cover photo in its cropped state must be a bare minimum of 3 MB.
  • Centerspread photos must be horizontal in orientation and a bare minimum of 5MB, so they can be blown up to fit two full pages. There should not be a significant content in the center of the photo where the gutter between pages obscures the image.

Wings & Things

  • The easiest way to submit Wings & Things photos is through our online submission form here or by email to communications@uspa.org.
  • We will print one photo of an award presentation (Jump Wings, Freefall Badges, Tenure Certificates and Lifetime Memberships) per individual in a month. If a recipient receives both an award and a badge, the presentations should be photographed in the same shot.
  • Please provide the full name and license number of recipient and (if it is not obvious) designate which person the recipient is (third from left, etc.)
  • The Wings & Things section is only for award presentation photos. Photos of people actually making their thousandth jumps, etc., should be submitted as any other photo for editorial use.

Parachutist Around the World

  • The easiest way to submit Parachutist Around the World (and “High Exposure”) photos is through our online submission form here or by email to communications@uspa.org.
  • These photos feature USPA members reading Parachutist in front of a landmark or with a celebrity.
  • Please include full names of those pictured, designate order (left to right, etc.), provide license numbers of any USPA members and be sure to note the location.
  • Please submit only one photo from any given location.
  • Bear in mind that Parachutist Around the World receives BY FAR the most number of submissions of any section of Parachutist. Unfortunately, we aren’t able to print them all (or even most) and competition is hot! The best way to ensure your photo is chosen is to make sure it’s in focus, well-lit and of good quality. If your shot is not chosen, keep traveling!