What's Missing? Your dream photo mag ...

[Mongo]

I won't even try to design my dream magazine, as I think that most of what I want to see is covered in one or another of the magazines that I currently read. I would, however, like to see two things:

First (with apologies to Jay for repeating his idea): more cutting-edge work. I appreciate the quality of a lot of the work that's being published in magazines today, but I would like to see a bit more experimental/unusual work represented. The over-burned/over-dodged portfolio in LensWork a few issues back was the kind of thing that caught my eye...because normally it wouldn't have been published anywhere. I'm glad I got to see it, whether I liked it or not. At least it avoided the formulas that most artists follow.

Second: There's a standard article type in which the artist tells us how he or she processed their film and made the print. You all know this article: It inevitably includes a straight print, sometimes includes work prints along the way, usually includes a burn and dodge map, and always includes the final print. I'd be interested in articles of a similar vein, but with a focus on what happened before the negative was exposed. What was the artist's though process about where the camera was placed. Why did the artist have a particular film that day? Why were certain movements chosen (if the camera has movements)? Why specific filters were chosen, and what others were considered. Why, emotionally, did the artist make the picture? What the artist did after the negative was exposed is interesting...but I'd like more information on what went through his or her head before the film was exposed. One of the reasons that I love Ansel Adam's book "Examples" is that he gives us this information on a lot of the pictures in the book. I'd like to know more about how other artists go through this process. (So far I know how Ansel did it and how I do it...not much of a representative sample!)

Just my two cents...not really enough to fill a magazine, but a few thoughts that might spark something for someone. And again, Jay, my apologies for stealing you idea...I thought it was important enought to bear repeating.

Be well.
Dave

 

[jjstafford]

Rather than one single magazine I'd prefer the diversity of many, and an economy to support them. A single magazine has the opportunity to develop a particular viewpoint to maturity. To that end, a new Internet (the next Internet, possibly I2) might give us what we need; super speed, super high-resolution and fidelity, outcomes that can be printed. I love print. (I also know I'm dreaming.)

 

[Ed Sukach]

All of a sudden ... this topic returns!!!

My "Dream Photo Magazine"?

The resurrection of "Camera and Darkroom"!!

Not a "perfect" magazine, by any stretch, but even those issues that made me squint were enormously enlightening and entertaining.

LOTS of "getting into the heads" of those producing significant work... LOTS of "myth shattering"...

I still haven't recovered from the shock of having seen the final issue.

 

[Ole]

The resurrection of "Camera and Darkroom"!!

I agree. When I came across a few old copies when I was looking for something else in the "storage room" a while ago, I sat down and read. I never knew how good it was when it was available, and now it's gone...

 

[John_Brewer]

A large format mag with emphasis on alternative processes that is proof read before it's printed would be nice :/

 

[arigram]

One thing I have yet to see in a mag (I am young, I am sure it might have been done before) is a series to making your own camera. Maybe a small 4x5" LF. Detailed, step by step kind of thing, not just a two page info article. Or even a simple pinhole.
One might even include pieces of the camera in the magazine like some others that give away CDs or even bags and shirts. Atleast here in Greece there has been a large number of "magazines" that have come out that offer a piece of e.g. a chess set or an airplane model which you construct by buying their issues.

Sounds a bit silly, doesn't?

 

[Ole]

That could be an idea for someone - free LF pinhole camera with the magazine?

 

[arigram]

Well, think about it:
A digital photography magazine can't offer you a free digital camera!
And pieces of wood and brass would make an magazine more interesting.
I am sure it could attract those people who like to build things with their hands.
Even a "real" 4.x5" could be done.
Maybe offer the pieces only to subscribers.
Then offer a lens in reduced price or a have a competition for it.

 

[jjstafford]

One thing I have yet to see in a mag (I am young, I am sure it might have been done before) is a series to making your own camera. Maybe a small 4x5" LF. [...] Sounds a bit silly, doesn't?

Paper cut-out cameras have been published.

 

[Graeme Hird]

I'm afraid that printed magazines just don't work for me any more. I have hardly bought any since I discovered the internet.

Reading articles on the internet lets me choose what to read and when, and I can ask questions of the author if I need to. Running a google search can lead me to any number of relevant articles in the blink of an eye. If I find something that I really need to keep, I print it or bookmark it.

If I can't find information, I simply ask in one of the fora I frequent. I usually get an answer within minutes (instead of months it would take via "Letters to the Editor).

I do sympathise with publishers of magazines, but I see no need to buy them any longer.

Cheers,

 

[BradS]

If View Camera Magazine were not chock full of spelling mistakes, typos, grammatical errors and occasionally, plain old banal writing (the series on the Speed Graphic comes to mind here), it would come close to being my dream photo mag.

 

[ineffablething]

I agree with the last post about View Camera. Every time I see a new one on the stand, I get excited. Then I page through and am irritated by all the typos and spelling errors. Nothing reveals a general attitude of carelessness more than a lack of proofreading. I also hate how alot of the "reviews" are nothing more than shills for the product being reviewed. It also irritates the shit out of me to see the " for notes on technique and more photos, visit the subscriber section of our website." WTF? My 7 bucks (or whatever, I don't have the mag in front of me right now) isn't good enough?

I mention all these things not because I want to beat up on Steve (which is an ever popular sport), but because I buy the goddamn thing every time it comes out and I am REALLY happy the mag exists.

Now, bitching aside, I have loved alot of the recent articles. The lens articles on Voightlander,etc have been really informative.

I think more reader's submissions would be fun and it would be good to see more portfolios in general.

Just my two cents.

 

[jjstafford]

I agree with the last post about View Camera. Every time I see a new one on the stand, I get excited. Then I page through and am irritated my all the typos and spelling errors. Nothing reveals a general attitude of carelessness more than a lack of proofreading.
[...]

It is not necessarily carelessness, but simply the lack of proofreading skills. Even excellent writers need good editors. The trend to terminate or discontinue proofreaders in newspapers and some magazines seems to coincide with the introduction of ‘pagination’, or computer assisted production – another damning trend of the digital age.

 

[Rlibersky]

I agree. When I came across a few old copies when I was looking for something else in the "storage room" a while ago, I sat down and read. I never knew how good it was when it was available, and now it's gone...

I also came across of my box of Camera and Darkroom. All the way back to 1989. I started reading some of them and found myself getting nostalgic for a better time in photo magazines. The last issue I received of this magazine was claiming they would not abandon the traditional photographer. Unlike Steve Simmons, at Photovision, I knew Photo Technics did not have the integrity to be honest with their readers.

I think I will start sending them to myself, then I could get my Bi-monthly fix that I miss.

Randy

 

[roteague]

I noticed in the July 2005 issue of Arizona Highways, they had a full-page editorial on why the magazine does not accept digital images for publication - interesting article, which seemed to be trying to walk a fine line between staying with film, without trying to upset the digital lovers.

 

[ooze]

On the National Geographic web page, there were these lovely videos of Robb Kendrick doing his tintypes. They showed how he shot his subjects, how he prepared the chemicals and developed the tintype in his mobile darkroom and so on, and he was constantly talking, explaining things sharing his thoughts about tintypes and why he did them.

How about if a magazine once in a while had a supplementary DVD that showed, in the above spirit, how a "master/expert" produced something. It could include, for example, the examination of a negative, going into the darkroom, doing work prints, master prints etc etc...

 

[Dan's45]

2 cents in the bucket.....

-no more glossy pages-they're nice, but they give me a headache:
try using vellum bristol or something flat and not so shinny, might be why
magazines costs so much.
-less ads, know they are part of bread and butter, but most readers don't
really care for them and they clutter up the magazine for potential good
articles that could actually help sell them better.
-few more how-to articles are a big plus to me, been doing this as a hobby
for years and still learning things i didn't know before,but thought i knew
them. they could be on lighting techniques, locations and possibly film
choices for them.
-event/classified section that is local and ads that actually show the price,
instead of CALL-FOR-PRICE.
-i personally like the editor's notes, they kinda give me an idea to the theme
of the issue at hand...so keep those!!!
-have stand issues and subscriber issue covers different( like bicycling used
to have-not sure if they do it anymore-no text subjects on cover,other than
title of magazines-makes the reader feel somewhat special). have the sub-
subjects listed in the index as usual. at end of issue, have preview of next issue
topics. you may even have one or two topics on the spine as a tease to
what's inside for new readers.
-finally....have label printed on plastic cover mailed to subcriber instead on it
or have an easily peelable label that does not affect the cover if possible.
and thats my take on this subject

 

[Dick Sheppard]

Go for it Steve!!! As a longtime subscriber I promise to remain loyal.

 

[roteague]

I've basically given up on US based photography magazines (except LensWork and View Camera). Most of the UK based magazines at least recognize film users - just recently I read a review of the Nikon 24-120 zoom lens; the reviewer based his review on how the negatives looked and only briefly mentioned digital. While, Outdoor Photographer has a Fuji film contest (for Velvia 100), but whose articles all ignore film in preference for digital.

 

[James Bleifus]

For me that magazine that had it all was the original Camera Arts. Although an original subscriber back in the '80s, I threw the magazine away when I left photography for a while (OK, a few decades, just after CA lost a bunch of Cibachrome prints I sent them). I bought the back issues off of ebay and there's nothing like it today. I find the images less important than the writing. The magazine wasn't afraid to be controversial, even the letters to the editor were charged with ideas and debates and were often by big name photographers. You don't see that today. Everyone is shunning controversy and kissing ass to get published or to fill their seminars. So my ideal magazine would be a return of the original 1980s Camera Arts.

Cheers, James

 

[Curt]

I like to reread my Popular Photography magazines from the '70s, Back then I was in the college library basement reading the Popular Photography magazines from decades earlier.

I remember the first time I read about a great film that could make huge "blowups". It was called Adox!

 

[roteague]

I wish that Outdoor Photography would go away, and leave the field for someone who supports all photographers, regardless of what they shoot. I still have many of their back issues; but I refuse to buy any of their current ones.