Why couldn't there be a magazine for film photography?

[Stephanie Brim]

Remember how JPG started? I mean the very lowly beginning before they got a real publishing deal. It started at Lulu.

I'm not saying that this would be the way it has to be. I'm just saying that it's a possibility that it seems we haven't really covered at any length.

What I propose is that we do a magazine. An APUG quarterly or some such. We publish it through Lulu as a B&W magazine 3/4 of the year, and the last magazine for the year will be a double issue, with both B&W and color. The magazine is done as a labor of love on a volunteer basis.

What this would end up being, really, is a collection of photo essays, portfolios, and articles related to film photography and alternative processes published almost like a book 4 times a year. The audience wouldn't be as wide as it would be if the magazine was printed by a big publisher and out on news stands, but it's better than nothing. There would be no cost of having to get a large run of, say, 10,000 magazines paid for by subscriptions.

I can't say that I could run something like this, because of having a young child. It's hard for me to even go out and take photographs. I'm sure that Adam would support such a venture, but the time I would spend on it would be a lot of late nights and early mornings. If someone else wants to be the real go-to person, I'll help where I can. If no one else could do it, I'll make the time it needs. I've had a lot of failed projects over the years due to underestimating the time and effort I needed to put in, but this time I know what I'm in for. I'd need help, obviously, but first we have to see if there is even any interest.

Just something to ponder. Film photography is important to me and I think that we need somewhere to show off as well.

 

[arigram]

What happened to Emulsion anyway?

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Oh, and I forgot to add. I have rusty HTML/CSS web developing skills and experience with skinning both Wordpress and Textpattern blogs. I have normal Photoshop experience and I've been trying to learn InDesign to make a book of my own.

Also, if we *are* serious, I have a domain (and a name) we could possibly use. But I want to see interest first.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Done deal. Creative Image Maker Magazine in my sig and you all are more than welcome to contribute. Check it out.

A number of members/subscribers/moderators/council already have and/or are planning to in the near future. March is a darkroom issue and April looks to be a great pinhole issue. Always looking for chemistry, darkroom, alt process.

I'm not talking about competing with Creative Image Maker.

What this would end up being, really, is a collection of photo essays, portfolios, and articles related to film photography and alternative processes published almost like a book 4 times a year. The audience wouldn't be as wide as it would be if the magazine was printed by a big publisher and out on news stands, but it's better than nothing. There would be no cost of having to get a large run of, say, 10,000 magazines paid for by subscriptions.

I LIKE Creative Image Maker, but I would like to see something like it in print. The online magazine is great, but I like something I can sit and read while my daughter plays in the living room.

Maybe this magazine could be a quarterly publishing of portfolios and photo essays. No real how-to articles.

Throw ideas out. I'm not saying ANYTHING has to be one way.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Not worried about competition. What we do is free so we wouldn't lose anything. And I would like to see even MORE out there.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Well, what about the idea of just photos? A mix of photo essays, portfolios, and other projects.

It's just an idea.

 

[garysamson]

Stephanie,
You might want to do some research on the history of Emulsion Magazine, which was undertaken by another member of APUG, before pursuing the publication of another film magazine.

 

[tim_walls]

We publish it through Lulu as a B&W magazine 3/4 of the year, and the last magazine for the year will be a double issue, with both B&W and color.

I love the idea, and I'm really not intending to 'get' at you because I know 95% of APUG members will doubtless agree with you and not me, so please take this in a spirit of inquiry, but...

I really, really don't understand this concept - which is endemic throughout APUG from the visual design of the website through the content of its galleries and discussions - that colour is somehow a second class citizen.

As in, I really don't understand it. It's completely beyond me why it would cross anyone's mind to treat colour differently to B&W if you're talking about a magazine devoted to film photography.


(This doesn't mean I object to magazines about black and white photography; if that your favoured aesthetic go right ahead. But the idea that a magazine about film should feature colour as some kind of once yearly bone to be thrown mystifies me.)

 

[Christopher Walrath]

That is something I have been grappling with with CIm as well. I shoot exclusively black and white myself. However I cannot for the life of my figure out why, I would venture, 80% of published work has been in B&W. Well, maybe only 70, but still certainly the lion's share.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Note that it was just an idea. I'm not opposed to a full color magazine.

The thought was that a lot of people shoot only B&W here. But I think you're right that there needs to be some variety. The thought was that the cost of printing in B&W is lower than the cost of printing in color and, therefore, we could cut a little cost by printing B&W only part of the time. Maybe 2 and 2 would be a better option.

 

[resummerfield]

......We are going to be offering the .pdfs in print in a quarterly issue beginning sometime near the end of next month and David is going to come up with special print editions pertaining to particular subjects in print as well. Proceeds for those will go to charities.

Chris,

Your concept and delivery is excellent! I must have missed earlier references to your project, but I'll be watching closely from now on. Thanks!

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Stephanie,
You might want to do some research on the history of Emulsion Magazine, which was undertaken by another member of APUG, before pursuing the publication of another film magazine.

I was here during the conception (though just lurking, mostly) and I missed the demise due to being pregnant and then having a baby, but I know what happened. Don't need to be reminded of it. Just because it's a magazine on film photography doesn't mean it'll end that way. Thanks, though.

 

[resummerfield]

Stephanie,
You might want to do some research on the history of Emulsion Magazine, which was undertaken by another member of APUG, before pursuing the publication of another film magazine.

Yes, more than a few of us at APUG lost our subscription money on that project. Once bitten, twice shy.

 

[milkplus-mesto]

I'd love to be involved, but I don't think there should be such a split between b&w and color. It should be open for contributions, and open to advertising to subsidise the cost - there's no reason why this couldn't be done in a tasteful manner. I'd be happy to lend my (somewhat limited) design skills to the project. I do, however, think that at least some of it could be open to hybrid workflows, although it's not a necessity.

Do you have any ideas for names. JPG worked well because it was so short, and it rolls off the tongue nicely, jayy pee gee, but maybe something like "Silver" could work.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Okay. I obviously need to be more clear.

This will NOT be done the same way Emulsion was. There would BE no subscription fees and it would be a Print On Demand type of thing, which means that Lulu would print what was sold and that's it. No subscription money lost, no being bitten. You buy the magazine by the issue so that you can pick and choose which ones you actually want, and you don't have to pay in advance.

Does that sound better?

 

[milkplus-mesto]

Sorry stephanie, i didn't pick up on that bit. What I said still stands except for the advertising issue, which i now see is irrelevant. There's no reason we couldn't have some technical articles though, film comparison tests and the like...

 

[Stephanie Brim]

I did have a name idea, yes, and I have a .org domain that could be used. The reason the .org would work is because I don't really plan for there to be any profit from any of this, and for what profit *does* happen to go to APUG. It would be a community-driven magazine, somewhat like JPG, only film-only and I don't plan on having the lofty aspirations to move it FROM a POD publisher until there would be a demand.

There could be a theme or no theme. I'm open to a full color magazine, definitely, as I have some old color stuff that I'd love to put in.

So keep throwing ideas out.

 

[tim_walls]

The thought was that a lot of people shoot only B&W here. But I think you're right that there needs to be some variety. The thought was that the cost of printing in B&W is lower than the cost of printing in color and, therefore, we could cut a little cost by printing B&W only part of the time. Maybe 2 and 2 would be a better option.

Ahh well, there you go and ruin my righteous indignation with a sensible reason.



That said; I've bought a few things from Lulu (the original JPG for a start,) but never published anything so I might be completely off base, but I was under the impression that with most of these services to get a halfway decent B&W print, you need to print in colour anyway. And that's without considering toning.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

I can offer insight into this in a couple of months. We will be getting Lulu printing done and I can pass on what we have learned.

 

[viridari]

There are a couple of different magazine types that I'd really like to see.

1) Something like where CIM might be going, with a lot of emphasis on the writing. Introduce new forms and techniques to the reader, with a few examples in photographs.

2) A showcase for excellent photography, with or without an essay accompaniment. I don't like the idea of following themes because if the theme doesn't resonate with a reader, then the whole issue is pretty much a wasted print. Mix it up. Show a little bit of everything of what people are doing out there.

I like the idea of going through Lulu but maybe use an email distribution list to alert 'subscribers" that a new issue is available. This way we don't have to worry about giving subscription fees to someone who may disappear or lose interest tomorrow, and only shell out cash when there is an actual product to buy.

Of course their might be room for CIM to do it all but I do like having variety out there. If one periodical fails, that doesn't translate to the failure of the other. Different editorial visions will appeal to different types of readers. And a little healthy competition keeps everyone on their toes. I like it.

 

[Christopher Walrath]

Of course their might be room for CIM to do it all but I do like having variety out there. If one periodical fails, that doesn't translate to the failure of the other. Different editorial visions will appeal to different types of readers. And a little healthy competition keeps everyone on their toes. I like it.

Amen, brother Ben.

 

[David Brown]

What I propose is ... (a) ... magazine ... done as a labor of love on a volunteer basis.

I can't say that I could run something like this, ...

But surely there is someone else who could ...

Even the OP realizes this is not an original idea. Is it just possible that there is no such magazine because there is not enough of a market to support it? If there were, wouldn't it be likely that someone would be publishing it.

Publishing a magazine is not the same as a club newsletter. It is a business venture that requires capital, planning, and expertise. Of course, I could be wrong ... :rolleyes:

 

[ann]

the last book i got from lulu was not a pretty picture, pun intended. the black and white images all had a serious color cast.

i certainly would not want my work projected in such a manner.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

Thinking about it more, I think I'd rather it be a good mix of color and B&W anyway. I don't want to leave anyone out. I want the content to be varied.

This is pretty much in the infant stages in my mind. Newborn, even. I wasn't thinking of even mentioning this two hours ago.

I really want input and ideas. ALL input and ideas. You can PM me, or even email me using the feature on the site. You can use this thread. You can start threads at other forums if you wish to get the word out. I actually do think that this shouldn't be limited to just APUG in scope. Anyone who uses film in their photography who would like to contribute should be able to do so.

 

[Stephanie Brim]

But surely there is someone else who could ...

Even the OP realizes this is not an original idea. Is it just possible that there is no such magazine because there is not enough of a market to support it? If there were, wouldn't it be likely that someone would be publishing it.

Publishing a magazine is not the same as a club newsletter. It is a business venture that requires capital, planning, and expertise. Of course, I could be wrong ... :rolleyes:

Why should it stop people from trying?

If people didn't try things we'd never get anywhere. Why does a magazine *have* to require expertise? Why can't a group of like-minded people get together and create something similar? Sure, it probably won't be "professional" in your eyes. So what?

I want something for those of us who just like to look at images. A look into why amateur photographers can also be called artists. A place for those of us who would never be published in the other magazines to show our work.

Yeah. This is what I want. Does it really sound that bad?