When Fox reviews a photo, he focuses on the composition as well as the application of the image. If he’s searching for a cover shot, for example, he considers not only the design and sentiment of the photo but also whether the book title at the top of the page will obstruct any particularly important element of the shot.
“The photo must fit the need,” he said. “I tell any photographer, ‘Do your research. Who are you targeting?’”
Fox suggested photographers submit images that are clear and focused. A food shot, for example, should focus on the food, not the entire restaurant. Fox favors bright colors and recommends photographers avoid sending editors images that are too monochromatic. Most of the images he chooses for the guidebooks feature people, which he said gives the visual a “sense of humanity and warmth.”