What is your career background?
After gaining a First Class degree in Fashion Promotion at the Surrey Institute of Art & Design I did work experience on a variety of women's magazine picture desks. My first job was at ELLE magazine as Picture Assistant where I worked with a very experienced team of Picture Editors. After a few years the Associate Picture Editor moved on and I was promoted to this role. During this time I worked very closely with the Creative Director and Editor of the magazine. I was then given the opportunity to cover the role as Picture Editor for a period of time. After I worked there for four years I decided I needed to broaden my experience and applied for the job as Picture Editor on Good Housekeeping magazine.
What attracted you to NatMag?
It was important to me to work for a renowned magazine that had international success and a strong brand heritage. I also wanted to work for a larger publishing company in the UK and NatMag appealed to me. I was also attracted by the West End location and had heard good things about the company from friends in the business.
What does you role involve?
A Picture Editor's role is to translate the words of the magazine into pictures for its readers. As a Picture Editor on Good Housekeeping I primarily deal with the Feature and Health photography but I can be involved with all pictures throughout the magazine. My main roles are to commission photo shoots and research relevant images for features. Picture searches are done through picture libraries on the Internet and for photo shoots I commission appropriate photographers, hair and make-up artists, locations and models. My day-to-day tasks are very broad; I am in charge of the budget for all pictures and am responsible for signing off contributor's invoices. I may also need to research cover images and celebrity pictures as well as sourcing clothes and props for shoots. It is important for me to make and maintain relationships with PR companies, agents and publicists in the UK, US and Europe and to contribute ideas as a valuable member of the creative team. I constantly need to develop the photography and look of the pictures in order to achieve continual circulation success.
What is the best thing about working for NatMag?
For me the best thing about working for NatMag is the Investment in people through training courses. I have also found everyone very friendly and approachable. It is comforting to know you work for a renowned international company that produces some of the best magazines in the world. NatMag is a very forward thinking company that looks after its employee's future and we are rewarded through a company bonus scheme. Every year we have the Eagle Awards which is a time for the company to come together and celebrate our work in style.
