I met and spent a short time with Steve. I am sad to see the magazine fold more because it was a labor of love for him than for any other reason. I certainly wish him well and am sorry that I am now too old to travel to one of his wonderful workshops. If you haven't been to one,and get the chance, do yourself a favor and go.
Good luck Steve,
Jim Noel
Bummer.
One of the big problems that I had when I made the advertising budget for HP Marketing was seeing where we got the most bang for our bucks. We spent 5% of our sales on advertising and that included the preparation of the ad as well as the placement of the ad. But we had to determine where the ads were the most effective, over the years we tried different methods; we would include a special offer coupon, or we would offer some kind of other incentive and we monitored end users as to where they saw an ad, or read about the product. As a small company in the photo industry we had to place our ads where they did the most for us but magazines have frequency rates. Those rates dictated how often we would advertise as we wanted the most possible exposures to both buyers and subscribers but also to the magazines that had the most pass through to additional readers.
While we were an early supporter of Steve we eventually had to stop advertising there because there just wasn't a high enough readership for the cost per ad and problems with his publication dates. We were also one of the few that exhibited at some of his workshops. But I hate to see another good magazine go.
Did you count second, third and later readership per copy?While we were an early supporter of Steve we eventually had to stop advertising there because there just wasn't a high enough readership for the cost per ad and problems with his publication dates. We were also one of the few that exhibited at some of his workshops. But I hate to see another good magazine go.
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Consider a moment of respect for Steve, and all that Steve has done through his View Camera Magazine to promulgate understanding and appreciation of large format photography.
For those of use who value being able to see over the shoulders of those who "paid their dues" and opened visual paths for all of us to explore on our own terms: The loss of View Camera Magazine is really an endpoint to the artistic legacy that started with Stieglitz and continued through Edward Weston , and latter on latter through Sarkowski/Newhall and even Fred Picker. Steve, along with those whose writings and images have nurtured our passion for large format photograph, deserve our everlasting respect and appreciation. More than publishing a magazine, Steve identified and engendered a sense of a learned community that transcends the superficial nature of the world in which we live.
Thank You Steve, you have distinguished yourself with View Camera Magazine and shown that you are among the "Greats" in the history of large format photography.
Flauvius,
Indeed, true. I always recommend Steve's Using the View Camera and his online article Getting Started to new persons.
Indeed, Steve deserves a medal for his publishing activity. I say it even if I stopped buying his magazine after about 7 years of subscription, bored with the content and more.
On the other hand the end of the magazine is only logical considering the time we live in. It was perhaps inevitable and Steve deserves the medal for perseverance.
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