Lenswork Magazine

[jonreid]

Does anyone subscribe, and if so what's your opinion? I'd be tempted to go for the disc version as I have limited bookshelf space, but must admit I tire from reading in front of the computer after a while.

I've been a twelve-year-long subscriber to Aperture, and briefly to Foto8.

Jon

[Greg Lockrey]

I enjoy Lenswork the most of all the publications I've subscribed to. The printing quality in the journal is superb. It's not filled up with adds and the interviews are insightful. Looks good on my bookcase....

[msk2193]

I get the hardcopy edition and must agree with Greg above. The CD, however is wonderful to go from images to the artist's own website for additional browsing.

[memorris]

Ike sworn is my favorite magazine. The photography and articles are superb and keeps my attention. I am a long-time subscriber and never tire of the magazine.

[darr]

I have been a subscriber for 10+ years and have many years of printed back issues that are simply beautiful to look at (good articles as well). However, I started to subscribe to the disc version since #57 because of convenience. The print version is an absolute delight to the eyes, but I have adjusted to enjoying the disc version as much, especially since they started including a lot more images and extra portfolios in the disc version than in the printed version. I would subscribe in a heartbeat and I would select the disc version. Hope that helps!

Kind regards,
Darr

PS: Lenswork is the only photo publication that I will be renewing this year.

I have decided not to continue View Camera after 20 years and I find the most recent B&W + Color issue: COLOR SPECIAL ISSUE to be a gross representation of good photography. There are a few shots that are good, but overall I find a lot of their "portfolio picks" to be visual junk.

[Brian Ellis]

I've been a subscriber for many many years, at one time I had almost every issue going back to #1 but shelf space became a problem so I sold my collection a few years ago.

I still get the paper version because one of the pleasures of LensWork for me is the fine prints. But then I love b&w photography, to me there's nothing better than a fine b&w print made digitally and LensWork is about as good as it gets short of the original prints. However, I no longer save each issue, I accumulate about three or four and then give them away to other photographers who I think might be interested.

IMHO it's the best "serious" photography publication out there for a combination of excellent photography and interesting, worthwhile editorial content, far better for me than Aperture to which I also subscribed for many years. LensWork is now the only photography publication to which I subscribe, having just ended my subscription to Photo Techniques.

[Robert Brummitt]

I'm a fan of the magazine as well. But, I'm more selective so I do not subscribe. I also prefer the digital version because of space. I sold my collection for photo books and camera gear.
I also have taken to use my iPad for reading and viewing Lenswork. I bought two back issues,loaded into my tablet and read while traveling. It was easier for me this way.
I hope Brooks would put Bill Jay's work into tablet format. That would be cool!

[Lenny Eiger]

I don't subscribe anymore. I think we have a lot of good photographers around. He's published a number of them. I got annoyed that he said we should all sell our work for $20 and I didn't like his stance about inkjet work. (He can publish it in portfolios but not in the magazine? So its ok to sell but not worthy of his publication? Please...). More importantly, he prints very dark, apparently no matter what the person's aesthetic is. Its gloomy and I got tired of being all depressed when I finished looking at the magazine. So I cancelled....

Lenny

[tgtaylor]

I've been a subscriber for several years now and always look forward to receiving the latest edition.

Originally I subscribed to the print version and then added the extended version to my subscription. However I recently dropped the print version and continued with the extended version due to belt tightening in the current recession. If your budget only allows for one version, go with the extended as it contains many more images from the photographers profiled as well as recorded interviews with them and other pod casts.

Lenswork's customer service is excellent. I recently missed an issue - I believe the PO put it in the wrong PO Box and the lucky recipient kept it instead of putting it back for delivery. I sent Brooks an email and he responded promptly and a replacement was sent out. Coincidentally I also missed an issue of View Camera recently and sent them an email. They were slower to respond as my email was sent around 4 July when their website said that the office would be closed for a few days. They did respond when they returned asking if I had yet received the issue. I responded that as of that date i hadn't and a replacement issue was mailed first class.

Regardless of the version that you subscribe to I'm sure that you will find your purchase well spent.

Thomas

[Renato Tonelli]

I think it's worth subscribing to Lenswork.

I subscribe to only two magazines: Lenswork (print and CD) and View Camera magazine. (I just stopped subscribing to Photo Techniques - it got to the point where I was reading only Vetal's column). I have resolved to purchase only single issues of Aperture; there are some issues whose content I simply cannot digest - I chalk it up to personal bias.

There are issues of Lenswork that I absolutely cherish and then there is that occasional issue that gets a quick leaf-through and never looked at again. It seems to me (also) that the digital images are printed too dark. I appreciate the extras on the CD but I don't enjoy looking at images on the computer as much - it's a personal bias.
Their workshop CD's are also very informative and worthwhile.