216 ☼ How Magazine Covers Get Picked
A conversation with The Sun Magazine's photo editor on selecting cover images, plus the story of casting that same stranger in a national campaign
Dear friends,
Have you ever wondered what makes a photo stand out to magazine editors and how they select their cover image?
This week’s issue, I’m sharing the story of a street portrait I made in Manhattan in 2019 and how it became the cover of The Sun Magazine in 2025. I also spoke to Rachel Elliott, The Sun’s editorial associate and photo editor, about how they choose cover images each month.
Also in this issue, searching through my archive using Excire to find a commercial underwear shoot I shot with the same person, his first modeling job. But first…
From Street Portrait to Magazine Cover
I met Akbar on a warm afternoon in SoHo. He was taking a break from painting a giant mural for an ad campaign on LaFayette, with flecks of paint on his pants. He’d just turned 19 the day before.
Something about him made me stop. He had a calm quality in the middle of busy, bustling street. We got to talking. I asked if I could make a portrait. He said yes. I shot two frames on my Pentax 645N with the 90mm lens, Kodak Portra 400. That was April 13, 2019.
We kept in touch. A friendship formed over the next couple years. Eventually I got to cast him in a national Hanes underwear campaign. More on that at the end of this issue. And now, 6 years later, one of those first two portraits ended up on the cover of The Sun Magazine, which one of the few ad-free, photography-friendly magazines around. Here it is:
It made me curious about how editors actually pick cover images? What catches their eye? What are they really looking for when thousands of photos cross their desk?
So I asked. Below is my conversation with Rachel Elliot, editorial associate & photo editor of The Sun Magazine.
How Are Magazine Covers Picked?
Wesley: Rachel, can you walk us through your cover selection process from start to finish. When you’re choosing a cover image, what are the first things you look for, and how does an image move from “potential” to “yes, this is our cover”?
Rachel: We receive photo submissions from all over the world. When looking for a photo to feature on the cover of the magazine each month, we consider various factors: orientation (vertical images are preferred, but we will consider other orientations as long as we can crop to meet our 8.5 x 11-inch cover dimensions without compromising the integrity of the photo); Engagement is another factor. Since the cover is one area of the magazine where we can feature portraits, we look for strong photos of people or animals, especially when there is compelling eye contact. Unique images of the natural world — sometimes macro — are another type of photo that we often feature on the cover; A photo’s correlation to themes in the monthly issue, usually inspired by the interview or the Readers Write section (where readers share true stories on a topic announced in advance) is also something we consider; We keep in mind seasonality and when an issue will be released. Sometimes we just simply like surprising subscribers with something different that we think will make them smile. Your cover photo on the October 2025 issue of The Sun is a great example of many of these qualities we look for — an artful portrait that feels both modern and timeless.
W: The Sun has a very distinctive visual identity. How do you balance maintaining that consistency while still surprising readers with fresh imagery? Are there certain aesthetic qualities or emotional tones that feel “very Sun” to you?
R: Like the writing we publish, there is an intimacy to the photographs we feature — celebrating the joys and sorrows of being human. We gravitate toward street photography that is spontaneous, that might reveal a surprising juxtaposition. There are limited places we can use recognizable faces in the magazine — the cover being one of them — since we are pairing images with personal essays, interviews, poetry, and fiction. We often find silhouettes or shadows useful in representing a person or character in a piece. However, we want portraits of identifiable people to have a deep sense of connectivity. And we don’t shy away from abstract images. They can be quite useful to capture the mood of a piece. There can be a dreamy quality to many of the photos we publish that may nod to an author recounting their childhood in a personal essay or a short story that delves into the surreal.
W: What’s the most common mistake you see in submissions from photographers hoping to land a cover? What do aspiring editorial photographers misunderstand about what makes a strong magazine cover versus a strong standalone photograph?
R: Occasionally, a photographer will submit a photo mocked up as a cover by pasting our logo on it. This feels presumptuous rather than helpful so I would definitely discourage it. [Laughs.]
W: Can you share an example of a cover that was a tough decision. Maybe one where the “safe choice” wasn’t the one you ultimately went with? What tipped the scales?
R: There have been a handful of times over the years where we’ve decided to extend a photo over the entirety of the front and back cover, wrapping around the issue. The first time we did this was after 9/11. As a monthly magazine, we often can’t respond to current events in a timely fashion, but we knew we wanted to have reflections on that day covered in the magazine as soon as we could. Our November 2001 issue did just that, and a photo of the Statue of Liberty from an interesting angle and perspective by Marco Castro was the perfect visual to introduce that issue. This was the first time we decided to wrap a photo from front to back cover. It was powerful. We are open to doing this more when the right photo arises.
W: For photographers reading this who dream of seeing their work on a magazine cover: beyond technical excellence, what makes a photographer’s portfolio stand out to you? What shows you someone “gets it” when it comes to editorial work?
R: In general, we don’t publish studio photography. We are interested in work that celebrates people or animals in their element and views of the natural world’s quiet beauty — perspectives that invite us to pause and take a closer look at the world around us. It’s great to feature humorous images as well. Occasionally we receive a serendipitous image. In our September 2024 issue, the Readers Write theme was “Misunderstandings,” and photographer Ingrid Lockhart submitted a photo of a squirrel with a partially smoked cigar in his mouth passing in front of a NO SMOKING sign. She sent it at just the right time — when we were selecting images on that topic — and it made us laugh. Hopefully, it made our readers laugh, too. We are also always looking for compelling photo essays and will consider whole bodies of work that a photographer is clearly passionate about. We will consider any subject as long as the photos are striking and high quality.
If you enjoyed this issue and got something out of it, do me a 30-second favor by sharing it with a friend or on social media. It will help me spread the word. Thanks!
Your Turn - Submit Your Cover
It’s easy to assume a photo needs to be technically perfect, or part of a polished series, to belong on the cover of a magazine like The Sun. But sometimes, it’s just two quiet frames made on a spring afternoon.
Do you have a photo that feels like your own “cover” image? You know, the one you’d choose if you were putting together your portfolio? I’d love to see it. Let’s try something new here.
Cover Submission Instructions
Upload your “cover” photo here (NOTE: I was forced to remove this link due to spam, feel free to send me your images via email instead.) It’s a private Picdrop page, only accessible to readers with this link. I’ll personally look at every image and leave a short comment with feedback. Please upload just one photo, no need to overthink it. Choose a shot you’re proud of, one that feels like it could be the face of your own magazine. Make sure to put your name in the file-name so we know who shot what.
From Street Portrait To Underwear Model
A few months later, I was asked to cast and shoot a commercial for a major underwear brand across four US cities. The client wanted creative men making a positive impact in their communities. I thought of Akbar immediately and reached out. He’d never modeled before, but he was game.
This was a massive production: three assistants, stylist, hair and makeup, the works. Intimidating for a first-timer! But our established trust made it easy and fun, and the shoot turned out great. Here are some BTS shots my friend Paul Jun grabbed on set.
I was able to find these images really quickly thanks to Excire’s “find faces” search feature. Once I had my main portrait of Akbar, it took under 5 seconds to locate every other photo of him in my archive, including these behind-the-scenes moments.
Excire uses AI to analyze and tag your photos locally, so no cloud storage, no sharing, no one training AI on your work. I use it as part of my workflow all the time and it’s saved me countless hours. Check it out here. Process readers get 15%-off with code “PROCESS” at checkout. Big thanks to Excire for supporting Process.
Thanks for reading. If you haven’t yet, check out The Sun Magazine here, it’s genuinely a wonderful photography magazine. See you next week!
Talk soon,
Wesley
Supporting Process + Sale
If you’d like to help support my work, you can buy my photo books or the Process Workbook series directly from my webshop. I am extending the 10%-off discount for Process readers by one week, through November 2nd. Use “ZINESPECIAL2025” at checkout to get 10%-off anything on the shop, for example the latest Process Workbook:
Plus, everyone who makes a physical purchase this week will receive a free copy of the very limited edition Creatives In/AMS preview zine.
Process Photo Club members get even more, including €30-off my book NOTICE, 100% off all three Process Workbooks, and more. Not a member yet? Join now for instant access to exclusive discounts and content!
This Week’s Camera + Tools
Camera: Pentax 645N + 90mm lens
My current digital go-to: Canon EOS R5 + Canon RF 24-70 mm f/2.8 L IS USM.
This issue is supported by MPB.com, my personal go-to for buying, selling, or trading used gear. Everything comes with a 12-month warranty.
This issue is also supported by picdrop.com, my preferred tool for building online galleries where clients can review, select, and download photos from shoots. Use "PROCESS" at checkout for a free 2-month trial.
Lab: My film is processed by Carmencita Film Lab. I trust them completely for both their work and their humanity. Use code "PROCESS" for a free upgrade on your next order.
🗃️ Browse the Process Archive.
📜 Read the Process Manifesto.
Very interesting! I've always read the photo credits in the front of the magazine, so have seen your photos in there since I started following you here.
My wife had one in The Sun a few years ago. I submitted photos last year, but none were chosen. I was sure they'd love them! But I was in competition with thousands of people. And it never occurred to me that they stay away from photos with people. Over half of my submissions had them, and only one was suitable for a cover. Except that one had too much detail on the top where the title would go, so I knew it wouldn't be chosen for a cover.
Congrats on the cover, Wes! Awesome