Full name/age/job title

Jonathan Bell, 27, Editorial & Publishing Representative 

Please give us an overview of your average day 

Every day is different, which is what makes the job so interesting. Each morning I go through the papers and check news websites. Next is always emails and orders through the website from the previous evening. Then it depends on where the photographers are and what they’re working on. The rest of the day is split between pitching stories to clients, thinking of ways to package the archive, going to meet potential clients to discuss their needs and chasing up and invoicing for usages.

What is the most common misconception about your job?

That it’s glamorous! Perhaps there’s a preconception that we’re quite involved in the shoots themselves. We very rarely go on the shoots with the photographers. We are based in the office to support the photographers and administrate. Primarily we are sales people with targets to hit.

What is the hardest thing about your role?

It’s a bit like running a small business within a business: it can be as good as we make it, but that freedom can be very challenging. When I started at Magnum it was a huge challenge to understand how the company worked and to get up to speed with the history and some of the politics. The process was fairly daunting. 

When did you decide what you wanted to do with your life and how did you set out to achieve it?

When I finished university and studying photography I wanted to learn more about how photographers made a living and about the industry so I looked into agencies. I was quite naive and very lucky to get a job at a great agency and was able to learn from there. 

What can you do to get a head start? 

Keep up to date on current events and anniversaries. We are always looking for ways to package the archive or “pegs” to hang stories from. There are always dates coming up that we can use to anchor a pitch. Background research is important. 

Could you describe the creative element to your job? 

If we have an idea, we’re quite free to run with it and explore the possibilities. Working for an agency with such a strong brand opens a lot of doors, which can be really empowering. Because we are a small team we all work together and share ideas, it’s great when these gain momentum and start to take shape.

Images are being used more than ever and we have some great ones. We just need to think of ways to package them – the potential is unlimited. 

What’s the one thing you wish you had known at the start of your career that you know now? 

That it’s OK to make mistakes and learn from them. Going straight into photography was a steep learning curve. Jumping in at the deep end was intimidating, but it was great experience and forced me to learn fast. It’s important to keep pushing out of your comfort zone and keep learning new skills. 

Which organisations/websites/resources do you think would be useful for people entering your industry? 

Bapla, Photo archive News, Press Gazette, Campaign, PDN & Photo Journalism Links

For more information about Inspires, visit IdeasTap.com/Inspires