How to Edit Photos for Press Releases and Media Kits

What Journalists and Editors Expect from Press Photos

Journalists receiving your press release will decide within seconds whether to use your photos. They expect high-resolution images (at least 300 DPI for print, 1500px minimum for web), clean backgrounds that won't clash with their publication's layout, and consistent professional quality across all images in the kit. Photos with busy backgrounds, poor lighting, or visible editing artifacts get discarded immediately. Most publications also want both a headshot and a product or company image, each on a neutral or transparent background so their designers can place them freely.

Preparing Executive Headshots for Media Kits

Executive headshots are the most commonly requested press photo. The standard is a well-lit portrait on a solid neutral background, typically white or light gray. If your headshot was taken in an office or at an event, the background distracts from the subject. Upload the headshot to EditThisPic and describe the change: 'replace the background with solid white' or 'replace the background with light gray.' The AI isolates the person cleanly, preserving hair edges and natural shadows. For lighting issues, follow up with 'even out the lighting on the face' or 'brighten the image slightly.'

Cleaning Up Product and Company Photos

Product photos in press releases need to be clean and uncluttered so publications can use them in any layout. Remove any background distractions, props that aren't part of the product, and watermarks or timestamps from internal review copies. EditThisPic can handle all of these in a single prompt: 'remove the background and clean up the product edges.' For company office or team photos, use prompts like 'enhance the lighting and make the colors more vibrant' to ensure the image looks professional rather than casual.

File Formats and Resolution for Press Kits

Press kits should include images in multiple formats. High-resolution PNG or TIFF files (300 DPI, 2000px+) serve print publications, while optimized JPG or WebP files work for online outlets. Most media outlets request images at least 1500 pixels wide. If your original photos are too small, use EditThisPic's AI upscaling by prompting 'enhance and upscale this image' to increase resolution without introducing blur. Always provide images without compression artifacts, as these become visible when publications resize or crop your photos.

Press Photo Mistakes That Kill Coverage

• Low-resolution images that pixelate when publications resize them
• Busy backgrounds that clash with the publication's design
• Inconsistent lighting or color temperature across the media kit
• Over-filtered or heavily retouched photos that look artificial
• Watermarks, timestamps, or internal review markings left on images
• Group photos where individuals can't be clearly identified

Complete Media Kit Photo Checklist

• Executive headshot on white or neutral background (at least 1500px wide)
• Product hero shot on clean background with no distractions
• Company logo in PNG format with transparent background
• Lifestyle or action shot showing the product in use
• Team photo with even lighting and professional composition
• All images at 300 DPI minimum for print-ready quality