arigram
Member
This is a mini-review of photographic magazines that I had the chance to read atleast a copy of. Being in Greece, most are hard to get, but I am always on the lookout for a good read. Even in these Internet days, paper is still wonderful to have around. After all, we are analog photographers, arent we?
These are very subjective opinions of mine.
I am doing this as to encourage others to join in with their own opinions and discoveries.
English Language Magazines
* Black & White Magazine (US)
Photo portfolios for collectors
Digital to Analog Ratio:
Analog with Top Quality Hybrids sometimes.
Color or Black & White:
BW only.
Print:
Good quality printing. Heavy glossy paper.
Photos:
From Famous to New Photographers. Very good Selection and presentation.
Fine Art photographs of good variety, from landscapes to experimental images.
American photographers mostly.
Text:
Limited to event calendar and information, book review and one page photographers bio.
Opinion:
I was very excited when I first found it: a BW photo only well printed magazine! At first the print seemed top quality but Ive seen better since. It is a very well put together magazine that is worth its high price.
* Black & White Photography (UK)
BW focused general content.
Digital to Analog Ratio:
Both.
Color or Black & White:
BW in color printing to show toning and coloring.
Print:
Good quality glossy paper.
Photos:
From old masters to readers shots. Unfortunately most tend to be kind of dull, especially on the technical sections.
Text:
Interviews, single photograph stories, some equipment reviews, technical workshops, darkroom printing, photoshop step by step and more.
Opinion:
Very good information throughout. Excellent and plentiful technical advice from basic to advanced subjects. Well written and designed. Good portfolios often.
* Hasselblad Forum
Hasselblad focused magazine
Digital to Analog Ratio:
Mostly analog but now that Hasselblad released digital backs
Color or Black & White:
Both.
Print:
Smaller size excellent print on high quality paper.
Photos:
Great variety of portfolios from photographers with Hasselblad gear. Following a loose theme on every issue. High Quality photographs from fashion to landscape.
6x6, 6x4.5 and XPan panoramas.
Text:
Interviews, photographers words, new Hasselblad equipment reviews, book reviews, backstage technical information about Hasselblad manufacture.
Opinion:
Even though this is Hasselblads official propaganda instrument it is of very high quality, well written, with excellent photos that should interest all photographers. It is also available in Swedish, German and Spanish.
Quick Opinions
(magazines that I have only one or two copies of and thus I cannot judge fairly)
* Shots (US)
BW photo portfolios on rough paper. Themed selection. Color originals printed as BW. Good publication for its rough printing with Fine Art philosophy. Almost no text.
* Aperture (US)
The influential magazine of the Fine Art photography in the US. Great variety of photos from the old classics to the post-modern bizarre. Interviews, stories and Art philosophy. High quality print in large heavy glossy paper. In color.
* Photographers Forum (US)
Mostly portfolios of well established photographers, with interviews and information on them. In color of heavy glossy paper but photo printing quality could have been better. Not bad but it feels a bit light on material.
* Fine Art Photo (Germany)
Portfolios of Fine Art Nude, Glamour and Still Life photography. Photos a bit too common. Film RF camera and LF lens reviews. Darkroom and Studio Technique. High quality printing and paper. Good stuff but only did two issues?
* The Black & White Enthusiast (Australia)
Varied portfolios from photojournalism to landscape. Darkroom techniques, including alternative and specialist techniques. High quality paper and good printing. A tiny bit thin but what can you do? In general a good read (and look).
* Amateur Photographer, Practical Photography, Photography Monthly. All UK. General content magazines. Catering to gadget loving, Sunday photographer amateurs that judge the quality of a picture by its megapixel over-saturated colorful glory. Empty snapshots of boring sunsets, flowers and smiling kids. Latest digital gadget lusty reviews. Photoshop-only techniques. I got some BW specials of them. Wasted money.
* Photolife (Canada)
A large themed portfolio and smaller others. Some really nice photographs. Includes digital gadget reviews and one digital technical column. The photographs make it worth it but it loses because of the digital stuff. Regular thin glossy paper.
* Classic Camera (Italy)
Great publication for camera collectors. Old machines, special editions and auctions. Even for the non-collector, it features some beautiful machines. The Playboy of the camera lover. Well written, extensive analysis of the cameras, good photographs on a nice semi-heavy paper.
* American Photo (US)
Digital gadget reviews and portfolios. The photos are good though. From modern glamour and fashion shots to classic photojournalism. The copy I have also had book reviews. Not bad in general, worth it for the portfolios. On regular magazine glossy paper.
* Lenswork
The highest quality print ever. Better even than most books. It is published in a small format of very high quality paper. The photographs are of clear Fine Art persuasion and usually featured two or three portfolios and interviews with their creators. Well worth the high price.
These are very subjective opinions of mine.
I am doing this as to encourage others to join in with their own opinions and discoveries.
English Language Magazines
* Black & White Magazine (US)
Photo portfolios for collectors
Digital to Analog Ratio:
Analog with Top Quality Hybrids sometimes.
Color or Black & White:
BW only.
Print:
Good quality printing. Heavy glossy paper.
Photos:
From Famous to New Photographers. Very good Selection and presentation.
Fine Art photographs of good variety, from landscapes to experimental images.
American photographers mostly.
Text:
Limited to event calendar and information, book review and one page photographers bio.
Opinion:
I was very excited when I first found it: a BW photo only well printed magazine! At first the print seemed top quality but Ive seen better since. It is a very well put together magazine that is worth its high price.
* Black & White Photography (UK)
BW focused general content.
Digital to Analog Ratio:
Both.
Color or Black & White:
BW in color printing to show toning and coloring.
Print:
Good quality glossy paper.
Photos:
From old masters to readers shots. Unfortunately most tend to be kind of dull, especially on the technical sections.
Text:
Interviews, single photograph stories, some equipment reviews, technical workshops, darkroom printing, photoshop step by step and more.
Opinion:
Very good information throughout. Excellent and plentiful technical advice from basic to advanced subjects. Well written and designed. Good portfolios often.
* Hasselblad Forum
Hasselblad focused magazine
Digital to Analog Ratio:
Mostly analog but now that Hasselblad released digital backs
Color or Black & White:
Both.
Print:
Smaller size excellent print on high quality paper.
Photos:
Great variety of portfolios from photographers with Hasselblad gear. Following a loose theme on every issue. High Quality photographs from fashion to landscape.
6x6, 6x4.5 and XPan panoramas.
Text:
Interviews, photographers words, new Hasselblad equipment reviews, book reviews, backstage technical information about Hasselblad manufacture.
Opinion:
Even though this is Hasselblads official propaganda instrument it is of very high quality, well written, with excellent photos that should interest all photographers. It is also available in Swedish, German and Spanish.
Quick Opinions
(magazines that I have only one or two copies of and thus I cannot judge fairly)
* Shots (US)
BW photo portfolios on rough paper. Themed selection. Color originals printed as BW. Good publication for its rough printing with Fine Art philosophy. Almost no text.
* Aperture (US)
The influential magazine of the Fine Art photography in the US. Great variety of photos from the old classics to the post-modern bizarre. Interviews, stories and Art philosophy. High quality print in large heavy glossy paper. In color.
* Photographers Forum (US)
Mostly portfolios of well established photographers, with interviews and information on them. In color of heavy glossy paper but photo printing quality could have been better. Not bad but it feels a bit light on material.
* Fine Art Photo (Germany)
Portfolios of Fine Art Nude, Glamour and Still Life photography. Photos a bit too common. Film RF camera and LF lens reviews. Darkroom and Studio Technique. High quality printing and paper. Good stuff but only did two issues?
* The Black & White Enthusiast (Australia)
Varied portfolios from photojournalism to landscape. Darkroom techniques, including alternative and specialist techniques. High quality paper and good printing. A tiny bit thin but what can you do? In general a good read (and look).
* Amateur Photographer, Practical Photography, Photography Monthly. All UK. General content magazines. Catering to gadget loving, Sunday photographer amateurs that judge the quality of a picture by its megapixel over-saturated colorful glory. Empty snapshots of boring sunsets, flowers and smiling kids. Latest digital gadget lusty reviews. Photoshop-only techniques. I got some BW specials of them. Wasted money.
* Photolife (Canada)
A large themed portfolio and smaller others. Some really nice photographs. Includes digital gadget reviews and one digital technical column. The photographs make it worth it but it loses because of the digital stuff. Regular thin glossy paper.
* Classic Camera (Italy)
Great publication for camera collectors. Old machines, special editions and auctions. Even for the non-collector, it features some beautiful machines. The Playboy of the camera lover. Well written, extensive analysis of the cameras, good photographs on a nice semi-heavy paper.
* American Photo (US)
Digital gadget reviews and portfolios. The photos are good though. From modern glamour and fashion shots to classic photojournalism. The copy I have also had book reviews. Not bad in general, worth it for the portfolios. On regular magazine glossy paper.
* Lenswork
The highest quality print ever. Better even than most books. It is published in a small format of very high quality paper. The photographs are of clear Fine Art persuasion and usually featured two or three portfolios and interviews with their creators. Well worth the high price.