Lenswork will no longer be found at newstands.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

And there are those that venture into the store, don't see the magazine on the shelf, don't know about it, and don't subscribe.

No subscribers = No magazine.

If you're talking about a generalized market, sure. However, I'd venture to say if you polled people on traditionalphotographer, APUG, here, filmwasters, and any other photography forum, EVERYONE would know about LensWork. Whereas, if you polled them about B&W, Focus, and most of the other magazines out there, I'd bet 50-60% know about those magazines. LensWork is known for their quality and that's why people subscribe. Brooks is probably hoping that the very idea of you not being able to sit down with your latte and reading LW at your favorite B&N or Borders, is enough to make you subscribe. And, for the most part, he's probably right.

[David Luttmann]

If you're talking about a generalized market, sure. However, I'd venture to say if you polled people on traditionalphotographer, APUG, here, filmwasters, and any other photography forum, EVERYONE would know about LensWork. Whereas, if you polled them about B&W, Focus, and most of the other magazines out there, I'd bet 50-60% know about those magazines. LensWork is known for their quality and that's why people subscribe. Brooks is probably hoping that the very idea of you not being able to sit down with your latte and reading LW at your favorite B&N or Borders, is enough to make you subscribe. And, for the most part, he's probably right.

They may know about it....but seeing the quality of it in print is what sold me.

[jetcode]

It says Lenswork will still be found in camera stores

[Dave Parker]

The rack space business, is ruthless and difficult to navigate, when your dealing with the racks in book stores as well as the other outlets, publisher really don't make much money off rack sales, and I have to agree, with Focus if your a smaller magazine your chances of getting good rack space is nil to none! I know when I did my magazines in another business, the negotiations for rack space were brutal...expensive and often times not very productive...

[Robert Brummitt]

As Steve stated it maybe far cheaper to subscribe to your favorite magazines. Only if you drive for that latest issue and not for anything else. I tend to multitask my trips. But I also tend to walk to my local bookstore and I don't buy coffee.
What you lose if you subscribe is your freedom of choice. I tend to notice that some magazines tend to cover the same issues over and over again. Same articles of techniques, same articles of certain format of photography, of photographers, of B&W and color. If I subscribe to a magzine that I don't want to know about this photo technique, this format, this photographer. Then I have given up my choice and my money for that issue.
Freedom of choice of what I buy.
When I go to my local bookstore, I look for VC, Focus, Lensworks, B&W and Photoshop Users magazine. These give me a broad range of subject matters. Now, I don't buy every issue. Couldn't afford that! But I can choose what interests me at that time.
I have the freedom of choice that saves me money in two ways. First if I was to subscribe to all the magazine mentioned above I wouldn't have funds for anything much else. One magazine above costs $99 for a years subscription and many of its articles are based solely on PS creations but I gleam few tips here and there. After a while I can pick and choose if an issue of that magazine is worth the $10 at the bookstore and skip the rest.
I can only speak for myself but I rather buy a issue here and there. I may pay a little more at the bookstore. But I'm not locked in a subscription and thats where I save in the second way.

[Capocheny]

My biggest annoyance with subscriptions is that, often times, they come either bent and crumpled, or soaking wet (since we do get a bit of rain here in Vancouver, BC.)

Even when they're delivered in plastic enclosures... they still arrived bent out of shape more often than not. The best magazine container I've ever received was one from a watch manufacturer that came out 4 times a year. Plastic on the inside and stiff cardboard on the out. Perfect.. not inexpensive, but never, ever an issue with the condition of the magazine!

Like Robert B., I also enjoy a walk over to the local magazine store and pick up a variety of magazines including VC, Lensworks, B&W, and a few other things.

And, 9.9 times out of 10... sans coffee!

Cheers

[Frank Bagbey]

I will sum it up: Goodby Lenswork.

[Merg Ross]

After reading some months ago about the profitability of newstand sales, I can understand the decision made by Lenswork. I first heard of the publication about ten years ago from a young photographer who had been featured. Soon after, I became a subscriber, and with a few lapses, am today. For sure, there have been issues that I would not have purchased from the newstand, but like so much in life, I take the good with the bad. It will be interesting to follow the future of Lenswork with this decision, and my guess is that it will survive as long as Brooks and Maureen have the energy and passion.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

They may know about it....but seeing the quality of it in print is what sold me.

I have ink envy. Brooks has most definitely gone out of his way to provide an extremely high quality magazine for us all. I, for one, definitely hope that he sees a spike in subscription sales as a result of this.

[David Spivak-Focus Magazine]

The rack space business, is ruthless and difficult to navigate, when your dealing with the racks in book stores as well as the other outlets, publisher really don't make much money off rack sales, and I have to agree, with Focus if your a smaller magazine your chances of getting good rack space is nil to none! I know when I did my magazines in another business, the negotiations for rack space were brutal...expensive and often times not very productive...

The magazine business in itself is extremely difficult and very cut-throat. For Brooks to do what he's done and to be as successful as he's been in the timespan he's produced LW, well... I for one can only wish to attain a level of comparison by the time I'm that old. To do what B&W, ViewCamera, CamerArts, LW and the like have done... stating first hand I know how hard the business is, I have a tremendous level of respect for all of the publishers. I've found when the publisher/editor of a magazine has a passion for the topic of his publication, that the magazine tends to thrive. I hope that B&W chooses someone equally or even more passionate about photography when Henry decides to retire at the end of this year.