To submit articles to Citizen News:
- Send e-mail to
Please be sure to include contact information when submitting articles, photos or video. No anonymous items will be considered.
Your digital photos are more likely to be included in The DPA if these guidelines are followed:
- Set digital cameras at the highest resolution possible. We realize it takes longer to e-mail larger files, but print requires a higher resolution than the Web.
- Leave the image as it is. Do not lighten or darken the image, even if it doesn’t look perfect. Do not crop it. The more the image is changed, the more the detail and quality is lost when The Daily Post-Athenian photo technicians prepare it for publication. Do not doctor the photo in any way: Do not add people to the photo or change the sky or background.
- Get in close – we like to see smiling faces.
- Try to get dynamic photos of something happening – not simply a snapshot.
- Large group photos typically do not work well. If taking photos of a group activity, submit several photos of individuals or small groups, and we’ll select the ones to print.
- Send the image as a .jpg file. Name photos sent to the newspaper with one short word, probably the event or the subject’s last name and .jpg (smith.jpg or carnival.jpg). In the subject field, write the person’s first and last name or the full name of the event.
- Include details about the event in the e-mail. We need to know what happened, when, where and as many details as possible about the event. Send this as a Microsoft Word document or as part of the e-mail. Include the first and last name of everyone in the photo, from left to right. Double-check the spelling of all names. Every person who is clearly visible in the photo must be named. If it is a group photo, we need to be able to identify people in the order they appear in the photo. If there is a face, there must be a name, or we won’t print the photo. Include the name and daytime phone number of a contact person who can answer questions about the event or photo.
- Non-digital photos can be brought to our office, and we will scan and return the photo while you are there.
If your camera uses film:
- Drop off or mail us the actual prints of photos.
- If you have a photo scanner, do not scan prints and e-mail them. This diminishes the quality of the images and makes it less likely your photos will meet our requirements.
- Do not send Polaroid photos; they reprint poorly.
- Do not send your only copy of a favorite photo; have a copy made. Send us color photos, when possible.
We do not return photos submitted to us without a self-addressed, stamped envelope.
The Daily Post-Athenian welcomes interesting videos shot by our readers. Topics could include celebrations, youth sports, family fun, etc.
When submitting video to The DPA:
- Keep it short (10MB maximum)
- Browse your computer to find your video file (we accept avi, QuickTime, 3gp, mpeg4, wmv)
- Give your video a title and short description (who you are, where you’re from)
- Upload your file
Your videos are more likely to be included in The DPA if these guidelines are followed:
- Get in front of the action, plant yourself, hold the camera steady and let the action come into the frame and then go out of the frame.
- Shoot details and close-ups.
- Use a tripod to ensure a steady image. If you don’t have a tripod, use your camera bag, a table, a tree, a post … whatever is steady.
- Hit the record button a few seconds before someone starts talking and a few seconds after they finish. Video is easier to edit and the person’s complete comment can be included, not cut short because the record button was hit too late or early.
- Keep your finger off the zoom. Use your feet to move the camera closer to the action. Also, hold your shots steady for 10 seconds (count it off, if necessary).
All clips are reviewed by The Daily Post-Athenian editors before going online. We will try to review it and notify you within 24 hours. All videos selected will display in dailypostathenian.com. Please e-mail us with any questions.