Silvergrain Classics - What's your take on the editorial quality?

Nitroplait · Aug 10, 2023

Mulling over if I should buy this magazine.

With EU shipping, it comes in at €26/issue. - a not insignificant amount - actually half the price of a beautifully printed monograph from Steidl (that is me with my limited-book-budget hat speaking).

But that may be OK if the editorial quality is good.

There are not many magazines that strikes a balance between gear talk, and presentation of quality photography.
Most of the surviving magazines tend to gravitate one or the other way.

From their website, I can't really figure out if they strike a balance - I get a feeling focus evolves around gear?
Or:
If the curation of photography is of high standard/ambitious?
If the writing is good?

Anyone with a subscription who care to share their experience?

Thanks.

jvo · Aug 10, 2023

I've never subscribed to "silvergrain classics". i do subscribe to "lenswork magazine" - 90% images-essays, and a little text. I also subscribe to "lenswork online". each of these have no advertisements.

also "black & white" magazine - 50/50 images and text. has adverts but not intruding on the photography and mostly at the back of the magazine.

i'm not a gearhead and prefer images, both are well done.

both are printed here in the "colonies", so don't know the cost to EU.

Steven Lee · Aug 10, 2023

Nitroplait said:
Anyone with a subscription who care to share their experience?

I am not a subscriber, I simply buy past issues in bulk, so far I have 12 of them IIRC. It's not the kind of magazine that I can read cover to cover, because they cover a broad spectrum of topics: history, gear, news, art, interviews, essays, and photos of course. The print quality is high.

I recommend it.

P.S. Personally I'd be happier with more gear, process/workflow and history topics and fewer essays and featured artists and other interviews.

michaelelliottphotog · Aug 11, 2023

I've read Silvergrain Classics, Analog Forever Magazine, Black and White Photography, and a couple others which I forget (and so are not really memorable enough).

I liked it but not for the price. Analog Forever seemed more my bag, a bit more image oriented. Still trying to work through the 3 back issues of B&W Photography that I got, but I'm guessing since I'm having trouble I'm not enjoying it as much.

jvo said:
i do subscribe to "lenswork magazine" - 90% images-essays, and a little text. I also subscribe to "lenswork online". each of these have no advertisements.

Never heard of this one so I'll have to give it a go! I like the sound of 90% image-essays/little text. Thanks for the tip off

michaelelliottphotog · Aug 11, 2023

jvo said:
I've never subscribed to "silvergrain classics". i do subscribe to "lenswork magazine" - 90% images-essays, and a little text. I also subscribe to "lenswork online". each of these have no advertisements.

also "black & white" magazine - 50/50 images and text. has adverts but not intruding on the photography and mostly at the back of the magazine.

i'm not a gearhead and prefer images, both are well done.

both are printed here in the "colonies", so don't know the cost to EU.

michaelelliottphotog said:
I've read Silvergrain Classics, Analog Forever Magazine, Black and White Photography, and a couple others which I forget (and so are not really memorable enough).

I liked it but not for the price. Analog Forever seemed more my bag, a bit more image oriented. Still trying to work through the 3 back issues of B&W Photography that I got, but I'm guessing since I'm having trouble I'm not enjoying it as much.

Never heard of this one so I'll have to give it a go! I like the sound of 90% image-essays/little text. Thanks for the tip off

Ah. At $69.10 shipping to the UK I might pass.

mshchem · Oct 6, 2023

I received the latest edition, issue 20 of Silvergrain Classics. Excellent edition, great article regarding film, paper and chemistry suppliers. Excellent editorial content. Update on new Widelux project. These folks are true advocates for our passion.
Great magazine, excellent value!
Best Regards Mike.

Hassasin · Oct 6, 2023

I was at first hooked, got 4 issues at some decent discount. Once I got them, never bought another one again. At given price this is basically for those who like to put money as charitable support for a cause. Editorially it is also meh. But paper quality is high class (or was a few years back).

mshchem · Oct 6, 2023

It seems to get better as time goes by. It's a bit like a book. Not cheap.

Arthurwg · Oct 6, 2023

As someone who has spent a great deal of money on all kinds of magazine over several decades, I've come to realize that the pleasure and value of reading them is fleeting and unnecessary. No more magazines.

mshchem · Oct 6, 2023

Arthurwg said:
No more magazines

Exactly

Pioneer · Oct 6, 2023

I have subscribed to a lot of photo oriented magazines over the years. The only one still coming to my mailbox is Lenswork and I just renewed it. That one clicked with me from the very beginning and I've stuck with it. The only other one I stayed with quite awhile was Pinhole Journal but it finally gave up the ghost sometime around 2006 and they quit publishing it. I saved most of the issues though and will look through them every now and again.

Silvergrain is a decent magazine but I usually didn't get all the way through it. Quality is good and a good mix of types of articles but I finally dropped it after the second year.

I guess I prefer books to magazines.

Hassasin · Oct 7, 2023

Lenswork is indeed a standout, but that is largely due to quality of images being the backbone of the whole idea. Articles are high quality too, yet more in line with images shown.

Silvergrain Classics is meant to cover film photography in general, and I don't think it's a fair comparison. Where I feel SIlvergrain management failed is in the use of high grade paper, driving up the cost significantly, whereas majority of content belongs to be printed on a regular rug like PopPhotography used in its old days. It would not make it feel the same, but once pages get opened up, it's a strange head scratcher. Overall, the content and paper it is published on is to me mostly a mismatch. But anything printed on higher grade is always going to look much better, no matter what it is.

Had Silvergrain sold for some $10 a pop, it might have gained more following, but I'm not sure that is what they are after anyways. It's still being published so I have to assume financials are good enough.

I may get an issue at some point just to compare to where they are now vs. beginning.

Patrick Robert James · Oct 7, 2023

You can follow Silvergrain on Instagram to get an idea. I get the feeling that they do it as a passion project and they don't need the money.

LensWork was fantastic back when it was new. They lost me when they started publishing crappy HDR back in the day.

Hassasin · Oct 7, 2023

I would also compare SIlvergrain Classics to a Robb Report, not perhaps due to content meant only for the rich (and pipe dreamers), but seemingly familiar quality of print, shiny cover that always looks inviting etc.
Is it just a project supported by a fat account that does not care about breaking even ? No idea, but it's possible.

Xylo · Oct 7, 2023

Hassasin said:
majority of content belongs to be printed on a regular rug like PopPhotography used in its old days

As long as it doesn't belong on the same quality of paper that was used by the old Shutterbug, it should be good

But yeah, I find that most magazines nowadays are too expensive for my budget. When you consider the price of used photo books at charity shops, you tend to find the magazine prices a bit over the top.

mshchem · Dec 12, 2023

I received my latest copy, issue #21, Winter 2023, lots of interesting articles. The printing quality is amazing!

Silvergrain Classics - What's your take on the editorial quality?

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