Let’s say you’re the editor of dsm. Of the cover options shown here, which one would you choose?
That’s the question our team faced as we planned this issue—and it fostered some of the liveliest cover discussions we’ve ever had.
For every issue, selecting the cover image is a collaborative process that involves the editorial team, plus Chairman Connie Wimer, Publisher Janette Larkin and Magazine Manager Kris Maggard. No matter what the image—a person, painting, lamp, dog—we always strive to create a cover that’s fresh, intriguing and arresting.
For this issue, we faced the welcome dilemma of having too many options that we loved. At different points during the decision process, each of the cover possibilities pictured here was my favorite.
The images are from the photo essay contributing photographer Ben Easter and dsm Senior Editor Belle Du Chene created (click here to see the story). As we planned the issue, we didn’t know that an image from that shoot would be the cover. In fact, we had no idea what the cover would be. That’s typical, by the way; in the six-plus years I’ve served as editor, I can think of only one issue where we knew the cover from the outset.
Once we saw Ben’s compelling photos, though, we were confident that among them was the cover. With all 70-some photos laid out on our conference room table, we undertook the enviable task of choosing the best of the batch for both the story and the cover. We narrowed the choices, and then dsm Design Director Annabel Wimer created the mockups for the team to consider.
After many conversations and many email exchanges, and after thorough scrutiny of the mockups over several weeks, we eventually agreed on the one featuring 8-year-old Shae Smolik in the veil. Why? The image’s depth, sophistication and thought-provoking drama won us over. Belle summed it up best: “I kept thinking, ‘Which one will we remember the most?’ I imagined standing here two years from now, with all of our covers lined up, and I realized that the image of the little girl with the raw emotion on her face and snow in her hair will stand out for years to come.”
The most discussion about featuring Shae on the cover centered on the question of if the image made her appear too old and too mature for her age. All of us on the dsm team share the unwavering conviction that kids should be allowed to be kids, and we are all fiercely opposed to the beauty-pageant-like objectification of young girls seemingly rampant in today’s culture. Obviously, we felt this image did not create that impression, or we would’ve eliminated it from consideration. I’ll also tell you that, though we chose an image with a veil, we rejected the image of Shae with the veil over her mouth because, to us, it reflects how in some (too many) cultures, a veil serves to silence girls and women.
So, here’s your chance to put yourself in the editorial team’s shoes: Let us know via Facebook or email (dsmeditor@bpcdm.com) what you think of our decision and if you would’ve chosen a different cover. We look forward to hearing from you!
