Photovison Magazine Wants You! Free Issue!

[Steve Anchell]

Dr. Bob,

I just checked with the Photovision web guy, Michael Bosworth. Michael says the telephone number is not required. However, your concerns are real so he is going to change the site in the next few days so that there will be * next to required fields.

However, I'm with Aggie. I haven't given my real phone number to anyone I don't know since the Sixties!

 

[garryl]

Ok Steve? Is the rumor, on the Pure_silver list true? Have you resigned from Photo vision Magazine dur to editorial differences with the publishers?

 

[lee]

FWIW, I emailed Deana at the magazine with whom I have been in contact with about not receiving my magazines and I pointedly asked if she could/would respond to the Steve resigning issues. Maybe she will write and maybe she won't.

lee\c

 

[glewis]

Just received an E-mail from Richard l. Gifford , on my Pure_Silver List, that he has spoken with Steve( via E-Mail). That the magazine has got the votes to go digital and that Steve has resigned over it. Still haven't heard a confirm from Steve personnally. Guess we didn't pony up enough afterall.

 

[David A. Goldfarb]

Steve writes in his current column:

"For example, on June 6, I posted a message on a web site, devoted entirely to film-based photography. I explained to the 720 members that PV is the only magazine dealing with all aspects of film-based photography. I offered a free issue to the first 100 members that wrote or called, no obligation.

To date, thirty-four members have taken me up on the offer for a free issue and less than that have subscribed."

For the rest of the piece see:

http://www.photovisionmagazine.com/current/4n1editor.html

Well, I purchased a two-year subscription to support their commitment to film-based photography, but if they abandon that commitment, I will cancel my subscription and request a refund.

 

[Aggie]

mabye this is a problem with something we could have changed. What about offers like this being kept in the active section,,,as in when you pull up the forums to read what has been posted since you last visited, it staying there until the moderators pull it. I find if it is not actively up there I do not respond. I seldom go looking for past posts. The new people do not see these posts, and many who come occasionaly miss them also.

So Sean can you fix this? could offers from people like that be kept current in the postings?

 

[Aggie]

Another thought, what about doing an apug magazine? If this rumor is true, we would have access to an experienced magazine editor. We certainly have a depth of knowledge here. Our ranks are growing. Look at lenswork, they just announced they will no longer take advertising for their magazine. If we are truely passionate about keeping a purely analog publication alive, is it not time to take a step forward on something like this? show we really do more than just talk about it?

 

[brimc76]

I just took out a 1 year subscription, so I'll wait and see what changes they are going to make.

 

[Ole]

After seeing the sample issue, I decided not to subscribe.

If I remember correctly, this was because it seemed to me that the magazine was concentrating on analogue ways of achieving PS results?

The articles on "traditional" darkroom work were OK, I guess, except that I wonder if I'll ever fell the need to use masks (sharp or unsharp) in printing?
I only print my own negatives, and generally have some sort of idea about how to get them printable without resorting to multiple steps. If I ever needed extensive advanced masking I'd probably have the negative scanned and do it digitally...

I do subscribe to Ailsa's mag, though... Even if a person with the unlikely name of "Les McLean" writes about d*g*t*l in it!

 

[Jorge]

Just received an E-mail from Richard l. Gifford , on my Pure_Silver List, that he has spoken with Steve( via E-Mail). That the magazine has got the votes to go digital and that Steve has resigned over it. Still haven't heard a confirm from Steve personnally. Guess we didn't pony up enough afterall.

I am sure they have the votes from the board, not necessarily the readers!
Lets face it, if the magazine was not making money I am not surprised the publishers decided to join the herd and go digital. Then again I think they will have a hard time competing with Photo Techniques, Camera Arts, View Camera etc. All of which have digital incorporated, not to mention the all digital camera magazines.

Although sad, I think this trend will only benefit those of us who still do it the "old fashion way". In the end I think we will be rewarded for our efforts as more and more people fall in with the herd. I dont care what the digiheads say, there is nothing that compares to a contact print done in any printing method.

 

[Jorge]

I do subscribe to Ailsa's mag, though... Even if a person with the unlikely name of "Les McLean" writes about d*g*t*l in it!

Les writes about d*g*t*l??? Heretic, lets burn him at a stake!......

 

[Jorge]

Ahh..before I forget, Sean you better get ready to take that PV sponsorship banner off the top....I doubt they will continue to sponsor us.....bummer....

 

[glewis]

I too am going for a "wait and see " attidude. I just hope it is a add digital in - instead of a replace analog with. I think they get a second chance to win me. Heck, I gave the LUGs three before I dropped them. }:^)>

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

I'm been repetitive.
But analog high quality photos - and B&W in particular, is a niche art/hobby today.
Let's not fool ourselves.

I've proposed an electonic magazine - inexpensive for a worldwide audience, specially if you have just a few ad sponsors to pay for printing.

I belive this idea was not taken in consideration.

So...

Jorge O

 

[Les McLean]

Judging from the comments re my writing about the dreaded d----- in Black and White Mag, I'm pleased that I live on an island, only kidding guys.

Three years ago I was writing in UK mags saying in my opinion digital prints would never match silver prints in my lifetime. I think now that I was wrong for the technology is improving fast and although digital is still not matching silver excellent prints can be made and we can do things digitally that cannot be done in a darkroom. At the present rate of progress I reckon that it will not be too long before digital catches up. I am currently making some excellent digital prints from negatives made on some candid photography workshops that I was leading in Brighton last week, it will be interesting to compare them with the silver prints when I make them.

I have no intention of ever giving up my beloved and smelly darkroom but I do know that I will continue to explore digital image making for I believe that it has much to offer and can run side by side with silver. No matter how strong we feel about silver we will never stop the growth of, there has been too much money invested.

I think Aggies idea of an APUG mag is worth exploring and I would certainly be prepared to support it in any way I can. We have many talented and knowledgable silver photographers in this Forum and APUG could make a valuable contribution to those interested in analog photography. I don't think that we could ever have a printed publication but we could put together an excellent mag on the net. How about it?

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

Deacades ago Peter Drucker, THE marketing guru wrote a seminal article 'Myopia in Marketing'.

Not going through it (I don't even remember it all) the central question is:
What's your REAL business?

If your real business is information regarding analog photography, then focus on it - and pick the best way to reach your audience.

Could it be that printed paper is not the best (or more convenient) anymore for this audience?

Jorge O

 

[Jim Chinn]

The internet is superior in getting information out and sharing it between people. I look back at the tech section of Camera and Darkroom or Photo Techniques and am amazed at how stone age it seems to have 5or 6 questions asked by readers and discussed in each issue. You will find a years worth of questions with much more indepth discussion every day on this site alone. And the answers come in minutes sometimes.

You don't need to wait months to find out about products, gallery openings, and industry news.

But a good quality magazine presents far superior images compared to a monitor, and provides a semi-permanent archive of such images. The magazines also seem to have more current interviews and features on artists written by good writers. Lenswork and Photovision good examples of excellent essays and features on artists.

Of course there are examples of sites that provide great technical articles such as unblinkingeye.com and essays such as on the site run by AD Coleman, although it is subscription only.

I think you will see a shakeout of photo magazines over time with 90% of the editorial content about digital imaging. There will always be the "Traditional Methods Corner" or monthly articles about how to use that 1990s vintage Nikon your kids found in your attic. But the minimizing of traditional will provide the demand for someone to start a magazine dedicated to a new traditional niche market, similar to what Steve Simmons accomplished when he started View CAmera back in the 80s.

 

[Aggie]

As for an apug magazine, I like holding a magazine in my hands and being able to look at the works not on a monitor. It wouldn't have to be done monthly, it could start out quarterly. I know of lots of magazines that have started out as smaller quarterly publications and grown. We are growing and would have more of a community to make analog suppliers sit up and take notice.

 

[Jorge Oliveira]

Aggie

Print whatever you want from the digital media!

Don't forget posting costs (international above all)!

Jorge O

 

[Aggie]

hell I have access to a real break down of what printing costs, and mailing costs are..hubby works for a company that had an upscale magazine. It went under when they flounders and could not find a good niche. They wanted to be the New Yorker for the gourmet crowd. It all comes down to demograpahics and who your base market is. You can start small and grow. But then this is just an idea. It would be up to the powers who be here if anything like that ever came about, not me.

 

[Sean]

"But then this is just an idea. It would be up to the powers who be here if anything like that ever came about, not me."

I think it's a cool idea and if anyone wants to run with it they are more than welcome. I'm in no position to contribute much to the idea at this stage. My full time job is really kicking my butt at the moment so I'm in a slight rut with finding time for things. I'm glad you guys are a patient bunch!

 

[Jorge]

"But then this is just an idea. It would be up to the powers who be here if anything like that ever came about, not me."

I think it's a cool idea and if anyone wants to run with it they are more than welcome. I'm in no position to contribute much to the idea at this stage. My full time job is really kicking my butt at the moment so I'm in a slight rut with finding time for things. I'm glad you guys are a patient bunch!

You know how it works here Aggie, someone has a good idea they get volunteered to run with it! So if you feel like being a magazine editor and publisher go for it. I for one will be glad to help you in anything I can.

 

[Donald Miller]

Aggie,
I think that you came up with a great idea. Let me know how I can help. What are your thoughts on the matter? are you going to make contact with a group of writers that will be the mainstay of your publication? Are you going to make contact and arrange for a printer on the west coast? How are you going to have distribution handled? Sounds like a worthy project for you. Good luck.

 

[lee]

FWIW, I emailed Deana at the magazine with whom I have been in contact with about not receiving my magazines and I pointedly asked if she could/would respond to the Steve resigning issues. Maybe she will write and maybe she won't.

lee\c

This is a copy of Deana's reply.

<<<Yes Lee, the rumors are true.>>>


<<<Thank you for your support,>>>

<<<Deana>>>


lee/c

 

[Steve Anchell]

Dear APUG Members,

I apologize for taking so long to respond to this dialog. I have just returned from San Francisco where I went on a personal photo assignment which I believe was extremely succesful. I won't know for certain until the film is developed!

I did indeed resign as editor of Photovision due to differences between myself and the publisher as to the future direction of the magazine. I do not wish to say more than that.

I believe Aggie's idea for an APUG Quarterly in print is a good one. I'm encouraged by Les' support of the idea. As Aggie pointed out, I am available. If anyone wants to move forward on this idea I would be glad to contribute articles and/or edit.

For the immediate future, I am excited about the SF photo project I mentioned above. It was photographed using Agfa Optima Color Negative Film with a Leica M7 and one lens, 35mm f/1.4 -- 50 rolls in two days.

I have a b/w book proposal in on Cuba, and I am now able to start work on the 2nd Edition of The Film Developing Cookbook. Focal Press has been ragging on me for two years to update TFDCB but editing PV has taken everything out of me.

It's good to be free to work on my own projects again.