Submission Guidelines

bioGraphic is a multimedia magazine featuring stories from around the globe about the wonder of the natural world, the most pressing threats to biodiversity, and the most promising sustainability solutions. We take a highly visual, data-driven approach to nature and environment reporting and storytelling, and we deliver content in many different forms—from stunning photo essays and informative infographics and data visualizations to compelling immersive experiences, long-form feature stories, short-form videos, and opinion pieces.

We’re looking for original story ideas in any of these formats—stories that…

  • examine the beauty and peculiarities of organisms and ecosystems;
  • demonstrate the fragility or the resilience of nature in a changing environment;
  • illustrate the interconnectedness of the natural world and human society;
  • reveal unexpected and extraordinary discoveries, and how these discoveries were made;
  • show the promise of innovative technologies and ideas for protecting life on Earth;
  • introduce readers to people on the front lines of environmental issues, and those dedicated to making a difference;
  • offer new perspectives on existing issues and innovative ways of framing, discussing and visualizing both familiar and unfamiliar topics.

If you have ideas for stories that might be a good fit, we’d love to hear them.

HOW TO PITCH

ARTICLES, PHOTO ESSAYS, AND VIDEOS

Send a brief (1,000 words or less) description of the piece you have in mind and what makes it right for bioGraphic. Please include your pitch in the body of your email (not as an attachment) and email to submissions@bioGraphic.com. Here are a few guidelines:

  • Make sure your pitch is about a story, not a topic.
  • Show us that you have a good sense of what the story is about—the main idea, the characters involved, where and when it takes place, and its trajectory.
  • Explain why you think it’s important to tell this story now.
  • If there are questions or mysteries surrounding your story, show us that you have a good handle on the answers and explanations.
  • Describe how you plan to report the story—who you plan to talk to, if you think you can report it remotely, or where you think you need to go to report the story properly.
  • Give us a sense of your storytelling style, both in your pitch and in examples of previous work.
OP-EDS

We’re looking for opinion pieces that make an interesting, original, and surprising argument about an important issue or challenge in biodiversity science or sustainability. Want to share your perspective? Please send a brief email (300 words or less) to submissions@bioGraphic.com describing the issue of concern, the argument you plan to make, and the reasons why you’re qualified to make it.

DATA VISUALIZATIONS AND INFOGRAPHICS

We’re looking for visually compelling ways of illustrating complex concepts and issues, as well as memorable ways of framing familiar topics. bioGraphic data visualizations and infographics might stand on their own or could be woven into a larger narrative piece. Do you have an idea for a visualization that will help our audience understand biodiversity and sustainability? Please send a brief email (300 words or less) to submissions@bioGraphic.com describing your idea, the concept or issue you’d like to illustrate, and the source(s) of data and information that will inform your piece. Please also provide examples of previous work.

bioGraphic is powered by the California Academy of Sciences, a renowned scientific and educational institution dedicated to regenerating the natural world through science, learning, and collaboration.