We all need our creativity boost every now and then.
While it comes from many sources, reading and being exposed
to other people's work is a major part of the story - for me, at least.
Magazines are a good way to do that on a regular basis.
So which magazines are you Pros, reading for finding great inspiration
and maybe exposure to new techniques and trends?
(Gear is of a lesser interest as the web seems to be the best source for that).
There are three mags that I mainly peruse: PDN (Photo District News), Lurzer's Int'l Archive, and there's Digital Photo Pro, which is light reading, but not a bad guilty pleasure.
Kind of depends on what kind of photography you do. I get most of my imagery inspiration from just looking at people. I had an acquaintance at Pearl Harbor who was a Navy Seal. He used to look at people on the street and imagine how he'd kill them. I look at people and imagine how I'd photograph them.
I get marketing inspiration and information from "Professional Photographer" and "The Rangefinder."
"Digital Photo Pro" looks swanky, but it's all fizz with no kick...the technical articles are mostly wrong.
I check out a couple of the British mags, like "Digital Photographer," but they're rather expensive in the States, so an issue really has to wow me to stay in my hands all the way to the cash register.
RDKirk wrote:
"Digital Photo Pro" looks swanky, but it's all fizz with no kick...the technical articles are mostly wrong.
I check out a couple of the British mags, like "Digital Photographer," but they're rather expensive in the States, so an issue really has to wow me to stay in my hands all the way to the cash register.
Agree on Digital Photo Pro...let my subscriptin lapse on that one.
I too really like the British rags and subscribed for a few years. Pricey. Although after a while, they get repetitive and I don't care for all the reliance on Photoshop for good imaging results.
Never thought I would say this, but more and more I do like the ones where they focus on photography without telling you how they did it. After a while, you know how they did it technically...but the hard part is artistic...now that is tricky.
The one exception for me is studio and location work...would love to see more about that somewhere. May have to get PDN again...they do talk some of that there.
American Cinematographer, PDN, W, InStyle, Vogue, amongst many others. There aren't too many photography magazines I read. I get Rangefinder and Professional Photographer but find they cater to a very small niche of photographic style.
I get Rangefinder and Professional Photographer but find they cater to a very small niche of photographic style.
More to photographic business than photographic style. Each magazine devotes one issue a year to what I specifically do as far as photography is concerned. They both have their annual "Portrait Issues" and "Fine Art" issues and "Wedding Issues" and "Commercial Issues," but every issue of Professional Photographer, Rangefinder, and PDN talks about the business and marking concerns--which the other magazines don't touch.
hadar wrote:
We all need our creativity boost every now and then.
For creative inspiration I look at the arts/culture/design magazines geared to a broader audience.
I am going to start a thread on this later (once I get my laptop working and find my magazine list.) The most visually interesting magazines that I look at mostly seem to be European:
I also like to read Outdoor Photographer, great information in there. Also for absolutely stunning images, check out Brooks Jensen's magazine, LensWork.
mmurph wrote:
For creative inspiration I look at the arts/culture/design magazines geared to a broader audience.
I am going to start a thread on this later (once I get my laptop working and find my magazine list.) The most visually interesting magazines that I look at mostly seem to be European:
Qvest
Exit
Big
Crash
Dazed and Confused
Nylon
Surface
AnotherMagazine
Hobo
Metro Pop
Black Book
W, Vogue, Vanity Fair as mentioned
Thanks for that list....there were a few that I never heard of before. Cool sites too
Just today I went down to the local Borders to look through the mags. I usually read some there, especially the ones that are $20 a month. Otherwise I buy some, subscribe to some, etc.
It really is exciting to be presented with so many different styles, visions,. Viewpoints from so many different cultures. I find the same thrill there that I used to find reading when I was younger, Coming upon a great author that you haven't read before, etc.
I'd still like to start a thread on this later to generate some discussion. Every year around this time I have to decide what to subscribe to and which top let go for the coming year.. I wrap it all up after Xmas as a sort of present to myself. A little smaller this year with the way the economy is though,
I'd be interested to hear about any of the mags that you particularity enjoyed. I found another one today that I used to love. "Wad." (They had a nude on the cover one time when I bought it, my wife asked if it was porn. ;> Plus a couple that I had not seen before. "Tar" was one.
Unfortunately I didn't get much chance to flip through them today I'll have to go back tomorrow when I have more time.
The book stores were always a great distraction when I had my studio downtown., I miss that energy, the coffee shops too, just being out in the streets. I am a little isolated working out of my home lately.
Plus a couple that I had not seen before. "Tar" was one.