For photographs that accompany an article, we like to see a variety of images that coincide with the elements in your manuscript. If your story is about paddling along a coastline with rough water, we'll want to see big waves in the photos; if it is about an archipelago, we'll want to see several slides, if possible, that show more than one island in them or, even better, an aerial view-obtained from a local tourist bureau.

In order of importance, here is what we look for in photographic images:

1. On-the-water shots of paddlers actively paddling, with a scenic backdrop that is unique to the paddling location;

2. Panoramic shots that don't necessarily show paddlers, but that give a feel for the geography of the area;

3. Medium-focal-length shots of paddlers doing things like reading charts, launching, fishing, exploring caves, paddling near interesting landscape features, etc.;

4. On-shore images (campfires, exploring, setting up tents, etc.). We are not interested in posed shots of individuals or groups smiling at the photographer; we are interested in natural shots that illustrate the personalities behind the people on the trip and the unique locations you were in;

5. Shots of flora or fauna particular to the area you paddled;

6. If your paddle trip was to an area with a unique culture, include images of the people, their dwellings, handicrafts, etc.-whatever illustrates the points made in the text.

When evaluating slides, we look for:

• good composition (attractive framing of subject with foreground,
middle ground and background);
• sharp focus
• good contrast and vivid colors (intense blue sky, rich natural colors);
• proper exposure (no overexposed or underexposed images)
• interesting subject matter;
• a dynamic quality (an active paddler versus one who appears to be posing, for instance);
• an interesting perspective or angle; (We rarely use bow shots; often, the best photos are taken from a different height than the common eye level of sitting in the kayak or standing on shore);
• photos that support a story (there should be a good selection of photos that match the locations mentioned in the text);
• a portrayal of safe, correct kayaking practices (PFDs should be worn in most cases).

When submitting a travel narrative or destination manuscript, we suggest a minimum of 1022 photographic images, but we prefer a sheet of 20 slides, to give us lots of choices. If you were on a lengthy trip-several weeks or months-we like to see several sheets of slides from which to choose.

We prefer original color slides, although you can send us duplicate slides for evaluation. Upon acceptance of a manuscript, we will request original slides. If all you have is prints, we can work with them and scan original negatives, however, the quality is generally not as good.

Slides should be labeled with your name and phone number, and numbered. We prefer that captions be written on a piece of paper, rather than on the slide mount, or on the back of a print. Please do not use ink on the backs of photos-it can easily smear onto the image of the photo stacked underneath it.

Photos are equally as important as the manuscript you submit. If you complete a trip and find that you lack photos in certain categories, it would be in your best interest to try to obtain the photos that would fill in the holes. Here are some suggestions for obtaining the needed photos:

* If you paddled with others, ask them for photos that would help illustrate your story.

* Contact the Chamber of Commerce, Visitors' Bureau or Parks Department in the area you paddled, to see if they have stock shots that show the scenery.

* Contact other paddlers you know who may have paddled in the area, or contact the paddling club nearest the location to see if they have anyone who regularly paddles in the area your story is about, who may have a collection of photos.