I'm saddened to read this. I happened across an issue of View Camera at a Barnes & Noble 19 or so years ago, and it re-kindled an interest I had when I was a kid when Ansel Adams had Best's Studio at the "old" Village in Yosemite Valley. That led to a copy of Steve Simmons Using The View Camera and a $20 Speed Graphic with a stripped tripod hole and leaky bellows. With LF gear going for pennies on the dollar because everyone was migrating to digital photography, I quickly found myself with an 8x10 'dorff, a 14" Commercial Ektar, a stack of wooden film holders, quite a few boxes of Arista (re-badged Ilford) from Freestyle, and eventually right here, on QT's forum where I learned from many of you outstanding (and very patient) folks.
So yes, I'll miss View Camera Magazine.
"I would feel more optimistic about a bright future for man if he spent less time proving that he can outwit Nature and more time tasting her sweetness and respecting her seniority"---EB White
That's a shame. So what happens to those who've already paid for their subscription?
Not to beat a dead horse, but to be honest, I subscribed and have only had 3 issues delivered so far, but I was actually really disappointed in the content and layout. I'm not surprised based on my limited view of the content, that the magazine struggled to survive. The imagery was inconsistent, some very poor and amateur, and some ok, but nothing really blew my hair back. The typeset and layout and content as a whole was very poor and reminiscent of a magazine from the 50+ years ago, not current. which I can see as a huge turn off for gaining newer younger subscribers IMO. I'm sure years ago it was much better.
I had thought about submitting some of my work to the magazine but wanted to see a few more to gauge whether the few I had seen were just a fluke. The last one I saw was a little better. I hope maybe there will be one more hard copy before it's truly over. I do know that newer e-zines are competing and having new and more modern content is part of their success, perhaps view camera can take what they have and market their online magazine to a different market and get the subscribership up?
I posted this in the other thread but...
That's a shame. So what happens to those who've already paid for their subscription?
Not to beat a dead horse, but to be honest, I subscribed and have only had 3 issues delivered so far, but I was actually really disappointed in the content and layout. I'm not surprised based on my limited view of the content, that the magazine struggled to survive. The imagery was inconsistent, some very poor and amateur, and some ok, but nothing really blew my hair back. The typeset and layout and content as a whole was very poor and reminiscent of a magazine from the 50+ years ago, not current. which I can see as a huge turn off for gaining newer younger subscribers IMO. I'm sure years ago it was much better.
I had thought about submitting some of my work to the magazine but wanted to see a few more to gauge whether the few I had seen were just a fluke. The last one I saw was a little better. I hope maybe there will be one more hard copy before it's truly over. I do know that newer e-zines are competing and having new and more modern content is part of their success, perhaps view camera can take what they have and market their online magazine to a different market and get the subscribership up?
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.
When I lived in Japan, in the pre-internet days, VC was my only connection with LF photography and photographers. I learnt a lot from its pages. I was a subscriber from the 90's until now. Sad. I hope Steve considers producing e-zine, similar to Looking Glass.
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Sad, but understandable. For almost three decades I have enjoyed the magazine, and learned a bit in the process.
Thank you Steve for your support and contributions to our niche over the years. I hope you are well, and find more time to devote to your own photography!
Best,
Merg
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