If all you want to do is see your name on this roster please do it at someone else's expense. If you want a meaningful dialogue with me then respond to what I say and what I ask.
Better yet, why not conduct the dialog at the VC site? As well as the questions on how to log in, since they seem to pop up every 2 months.....
PS. My name has been removed so I am not accused of trying to hog te limelight.....:-)
If all you want to do is see your name on this roster please do it at someone else's expense. If you want a meaningful dialogue with me then respond to what I say and what I ask.
Better yet, why not conduct the dialog at the VC site? As well as the questions on how to log in, since they seem to pop up every 2 months.....
PS. My name has been removed so I am not accused of trying to hog te limelight.....:-)
--xxxxx, 2004-05-25 21:55:43 >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
You still have not responded to my questions in my post of May 23.
steve simon
'You still have not responded to my questions in my post of May 23'.
Steve, what about my comment a few posts earlier than that? "Maybe people would be willing to accept a price increase to add a few pages to the magazine?" LF users spend a reasonable amount on single sheets of film, and they may be willing to cough up a bit more to extend the magazine. Perhaps in doing so, there might even be space for something that isn't B&W and doesn't involve architecture! Seriously though, while I realise any increase in size would probably require changes with the printers and the extra pages wouldn't be matched by extra ad revenue, it could work. View Camera is in a niche position, so isn't readily compared with other magazines, and it may be that an extra 10 pages, including perhaps another two portfolios, would be worth another $2 to people.
Perhaps in doing so, there might even be space for something that isn't B&W and doesn't involve architecture!>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>> ???????????????
We do lots of material that is not black and white and is not architecture.
I have thought about going to a higher quality production magazine and raising the price.
To those of you who don't always see material that gets your interest - well, what would you like to see??
steve immons
hire an editor who would improve the editorial and production quality of View Camera. >>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>
can you be more specifc?
steve simmons
Steve,
As you know on the whole I love the magazine, content and design. Having said that these are a few of the gliches that bug me when I see a new issue. Not big deals but things to think about.
1) there still slips through the occasional typo
2) there slips through the occassional bad reproduction like pg. 52 in this issue, the Bruce Barlow picture. Is this due to an emailed file vs. scanning an original as you usually do?
3) while the design has not changed and I still like it, it "feels" a bit more cluttered and busy than it used to. My favourite period for the magazine was around 2000 (the before 9/11 phase) for the magazine, when you did that article of mine on teaching architectural photography (July/August). That was before 9/11 and the hit all mgazines took, but look at that issue. Visually it felt more elegant. I know this is vague.
Thanks,
Kirk
at age 73:
"The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
But I have promises to keep,
And miles to go before I sleep,
And miles to go before I sleep"
Steve, No, I will not be more specific. You have already received many good suggestions in this forum; and I see no need to feed you additional ideas that you are not prepared to digest. In the end, it's your periodical. Its quality is governed by the limitations of your vision.
--Michael Alpert, 2004-05-26 10:21:41 ........................................................................................
This is a cheap shot and shows that you really do not have anything to say. I have attmpted to offer responses and no one has really offered any specific answers
If you are truly in the publishing business you kow that there is always material that is left out of any book, magazine artice, etc. We are simply putting that excess material on the web. If we did not go to this effort no one would be complaining. But now that we do people are feeling cheated.
If yu have specific constructive suggestions and can respond to my post of May 23rd please do so. But to take this haughty attitude is not helpful to anyone. It gives you the apearance of being an expert without having to put anything on the line for all to see.
steve simmons
Here are the suggestions I've heard,
increase the size (page count) of the magazine and charge more - we are considering this
sell web subscriptions to retail buyers - we are offering this and I have said so on this forum
hire an editor and do a better job - we've added a fourth person in the office for additional editing, fact checking, etc.
make the articles more interesting - I have asked several times for people to let us know what they would like to see
what have I missed???
steve simmons
"make the articles more interesting - I have asked several times for people to let us know what they would like to see"
There are plenty of decent gadget and gizmo articles - that side just seem fine
Personally I'd like to see more articles on some of the LF photogorpahers who work outside the the rocks/waterfall/trees subset (of which there a certainly some verty good and interstin ones) - Gursky, Struth (I know you did one a while back, but honestly - it was the worst written article with the worst illustrations I've seen in a logn time...); Geoffrey James, Nick Nixon, Sugimoto, the Bechers, Joel Sternfeld, Joel Meyerowitz, Jem Southam, Jim Cook, Elger Esser, Chris Killip, Basilico, Stephen Shore, John Davies, Sally Mann, Andrea Modica - their work, philosophy/approach, technique etc. There are new books and shows by and about these photographers coming out virtually every month. I know you've had stuff on a few of these in the past (usually longer ago rather than recently), but not all of them, and all are producing new work (Joel Sternfeld just won the prestigious CitiBank prize, but I don't think you've ever featured him, for example?)
Also (again I'm not sure what there has been recently) articles on some of the classic/influental photographers from the past - Atget, Evans, Lange, Bourke White, Brandt, etc
You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn
www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog
I think there are a few too many cheap shots being taken here - it's necessary to choose battles, and editorial isn't one to fight!
Steve, I mostly agree with Tim. There are many photographers whose books I come across, whose work deserves to be featured in VC, yet too often the work shown is of virtually unknown B&W photographers documenting more aspects of past American life. As a mostly US-audience, that probably makes some sense, but there is more out there! I'll go through some more names over the next day or so and post them, but Tim's list is a good start. I'd also like to see expanded portfolios - two or three pages isn't enough - how about five or six pages? Combine it with them plugging a book, and I'm sure you'd get the rights. I wouldn't mind seeing a shot of these people either - it's easier to think of them when you can put a face to the name.
Most photographic magazines have 'special issues' - focussing on eg B&W, nudes, landscapes, interiors, and VC follows this trend. To me, this results in people feeling they've had a couple of issues in a row with absolutely nothing in them worth reading (a frequent comment here about VC). Maybe people would like the specials dropped, and a more even spread of articles? Maybe each issue, there'd be at least one article on each of the following: landscapes alternative processes/techniques photographic history/science interiors architecture classic photographers 'modern' photographers equipment reviews
And the comment on Joel Sternfeld is a good one! Book reviews could either be done as part of a portfolio, or on their own. Christopher Burkett is now using a Hasselblad and won a Hasselblad award - he's also done a lot of work with his 8x10 since your last article on him, and has a new book out (albeit 6x6 based...) yet he hasn't been mentioned.
I don't want the interviews brought back, or at least, not in the previous form. To me, there was a bit too much JPC and not enough of the subject... Maybe if the subject feels like it, they could be given a list of issues to address in an article written by them.
I wouldn't mind seeing a series of articles on field repairs, and perhaps a couple on lighting in the field - without assuming we're all carrying three containers of lighting gear.
How about more 'travel' articles? I'm not saying 'go to x point at y time, and shoot' but rather, locals perhaps giving the reasons photographers should visit their state/country, and addressing any particular concerns faced by LF photographers. Someone might have spent a fortnight touring the south of France on bicycle with their 8x10 - well, if the photos are any good, I wouldn't mind hearing a bit about it!
I hope this gives some food for thought. I realise this would cost more, but as a UK reader already paying US$12.25 an issue on regular order (compared with US$4.17/issue for US subscribers), I'm happy to add a bit more for a bigger, better publication.
Posting Permissions
Reply With Quote
Bookmarks