photography magazines?

P

peewee

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Any recommendations for quality photography magazines Please? I enjoy LFI but need more bedtime reading.
Thanks.
 
For me, there's the following:

- B&W: It leans a bit more toward collectors, but is truly a good read. My favorite mag so far.

- LensWork: I've had a hard time finding it lately at the newsstand, but I've liked it a good deal in the past. Some have complained that is "hasn't been the same" lately.

- FOCUS: New York-based. Picked up a few copies and liked most of what I saw; has been MIA from newsstands lately. (I might not be looking hard enough.)

- Photographer's Forum: Traditionally emphasizing student photographers ("the emerging professional"), PF has often highlighted interesting "unknown" photographers, both "emerging" and established. Some issues are more interesting than others.

- Blind Spot: Has always leaned toward edgier work, which can be enlightening or mortifying, depending on your preferences.

- Photo Communique (Canada): I'd thought this magazine was long-dead, but vaguely recall seeing the title peeking out from the stand at my Local B & N. I recall it as sort of a cross between Blind Spot and the old (US-based) Camera 35 at its best. Still don't know if it's dead or alive; perhaps I was seeing things. I miss it.

Mind you, this is a highly subjective list. I've pointedly left out just about any publication with the word "digital" prominently in its title, because virtually all the magazines in this category are largely filled with (1) reviews of cameras and other gear I'm not the slightest bit interested in; (2) Photoshop "tips & tricks" that I either already know, am not particularly interested in (i.e. HDR), or can more easily seek out online; and (3) Little Else.

That's enough from me. Anyone else want to give this a shot?


- Barrett
 
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Photo Technique, Aperture, B&W

I picked up View Camera Magazine for the first time last month (getting in to large format photography) and I wasn't terribly impressed, seemed a little pretentious.
 
I've seen and subscribed at one time to each of the first three that Barrett listed above. Focus seems to also be aimed at collectors. With the economic downturn the editor has decided to put out one or two good efforts yearly instead of the 4/year he initially undertook. The next one is due this fall.

I sometimes will pick up a Black and White (UK), or Silver Shots from the book store, but they are pretty expensive because they are overseas magazines.

I also like PDN, and View Camera.

I currently subscribe to American Photo because I like it well enough and it's cheaper to subscribe than buy more than two issues. I usually will pick up a Shutterbug when I see a new one out, although the same principle about subscribing applies to that one.


It kind of depends which country you're in; if in the USA I'd just subscribe to two or three ( US or Canadian mags) and that should keep you happy. Otherwise the postage kills you.

I have varied tastes when it comes to magazines and like many, BUT they do become repetitious at which time I'll let the subscription lapse and wean myself off all mags for a few months.


edit ... I've really tried to like Aperture several times over the years but it's just not for me. You might like it though.
 
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The writer probably is in the U.S., because only Americans assume that everyone knows where they live instead of stating where they live.

In any case, I've been a reader of Black and White Photography (U.K. publication) since its inception. Like other magazines, it covers digital (ugh) but that's just the way of the world.

I occasionally pick up Shutterbug, Popular Photography and American Photographer.

I had a subscription to Amateur Photographer (another U.K. publication), but I let the subscription lapse. It's the only weekly photo magazine that I'm aware of.

I thought LensWork was an online-only publication now, but I was wrong. In any case, it is very difficult to find on a news stand, and I think maybe the change is that they're subscription only.

Camera Arts is a decent publication, and I didn't have a problem with View Camera Magazine. Large format users are a different breed, anyway, and I learned quite a bit from it.
 
Thardy said:
I used to get Rangefinder in the mail. It just stopped coming. What happened?



I just resubscribed ... thanks for the link
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All I know is that when you get your last issue you need to fill out the card & send it in. I just go to their website & resubscribe.
 
ZeissFan said:
Camera Arts is a decent publication, and I didn't have a problem with View Camera Magazine. Large format users are a different breed, anyway, and I learned quite a bit from it.
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Near as I can recall, Camera Arts ceased to be a print publication at least a year ago if not longer (a shame, as I like that mag "lots"). View Camera, its sister publication, continues in print form.

Edit: Looks like CA has disappeared from the Web, as well. That means it's now used three of its nine lives. (Late-30s, 80s, 90s to 2007-8) :(


- Barrett
 
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I just purchased the latest issue of Color because it had a feature on Edward Burtynsky and was pleasantly surprised at the articles and photos. I may subscribe to it depending on how the next issue is.
 
Hamel said:
I just purchased the latest issue of Color because it had a feature on Edward Burtynsky and was pleasantly surprised at the articles and photos. I may subscribe to it depending on how the next issue is.
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This month is the first time I have noticed Color. I went through it in Borders, and found the quality of the magazine to be very good indeed. Perhas I should buy one or two issues and see if it is something worth reading on a regular basis. I see that it is a sister mag of B&W, which I am more aligned with, vision wise, but color is becoming more important in my work.
 
Thardy said:
...
edit ... I've really tried to like Aperture several times over the years but it's just not for me. You might like it though.
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I too find Aperture often to be overly academic and focused on historical interests. I do like history, but where art is concerned, I like to see what is current when I look in magazines. There are many books written about what has been done in the past, and museums draw their lifeblood from understanding and revealing the past. I feel that the magazine Aperture is trying to go for the same area, and it does not fit a monthly publication as well as it does those other media.

However, often Aperture does run an article or portfolio that is unique and unrivaled, so I always check it out. A year ago the ran a current portfolio of Sally Mann - about her husband and his illness - which I have never seen anywhere else.
 
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