VC Cover Photo

[Paul Moshay]

Is it just me, or does anyone else notice the awful cyan cast in the cover photograph by Jeff Kay on the Nov/Dec View Camera magazine. A decent portrait but I cannot get by the cyan cast on the top half of the image, seems to me, very unbecomming to a portrait. Paul

[Capocheny]

Paul,

You're spot on in regards to your comment...kind of reminds me of the color of an anoxic newborn!

Just in case you're interested...I've just started buying a relatively new publication called, "Fine Art Photo, The Magazine for Sensual Photography." It's a beautiful magazine that offers images produced via 35mm => 21/4 => Large Fomat. It's beautifully printed on high quality stock and, although it's fairly expensive (CDN$15.50), it's a first-rate magazine! I believe it's printed in Germany.

And, there's not a cyanotic image to be found in the entire publication!

Have a peek... I know the image quality will astound you like it did me!

Cheers

[Jorge Gasteazoro]

Just a little bit more info on Henry's post. The magazine used to be called Nude&Photo. They have changed the title of the magazine but the content is still heavily towards nude photography.

You can check their site at www.nudeandphoto.com, it is in english and the magazine seems to be very good. They also have a free pfd sampler to download.

[Gene M]

Most of what was published in the last VC issue left me cold. Just like Playboy, it seems I'm buying the magazine for an article or two. Never the pictures. The magazine costs nearly $7 an issue. Hmmmm.

The portrait on the front cover was unremarkable, IMO.

[steve simmons]

Most of what was published in the last VC issue left me cold.

What and who would you like to see?

steve simmons

[Geoffrey Swenson]

Jorge Gasteazoro would be fun. He is a mystery photographer in Mexico.

[tim atherton]

Nick Nixon, Geoffrey James, Gabrielle Basilico, John Davies, Joel Sternfeld, Stephen Shore, Richard Misrach, Sugimoto (fascinating technical as well as conceptual issues - 2x infinity, extreme time exposures etc), Joel Meyerowitz - did you do anything on his whole WTC work?, Jim Cooke, Sally Mann (new work), Lynne Cohen, Elger Essers etc (I know a few of these have turned up in the past)

Articles on photographers such as these and others doing intelligent committed projects. (the Chris Jordan one was very good).

And in architecture, for another example - the way many design and architectural publications are moving away from the "straight/standard" architectural style of the last 30 years to more interesting, personal and conceptual work.

Maybe something on the Becher Babies as a whole - such a big phenomenon and most of them using LF. Something explaining their approach and context, along with the work (either love em or hate em) - the recent Struth article was a bit of a dud - terrible, reproduction and not a very well written piece? reading responses to it, it seemed it merely confirmed peoples existing prejudices against "art" photographers rather then enlighten and possibly enthuse them.

[steve simmons]

Tim,

Thanks for taking the time to make a very thoughtful response. We will save your comments and beging working on them.

steve

[Michael J. Kravit]

Steve,

I was at a gallery opening Friday night for David Michael Kennedy.

David has a new body of work shot in 4x5 Type 55 and printed 20x24 (Sepia toned) portraying the plight of the American Indian which is very expressive emotionally strong. Different than what David has done before, but very important none the less.

This work would be an incredibly poignant piece for your magazine.

Michael

[Michael Kadillak]

Steve - Kudos for being a real professional and not only accepting a critical comment but offering a gracious hand to accept recommendations for future subject matter.

Tim and Michael - I respect both of you for your photographic knowledge base and your willingness to share it with Steve and the rest of us. If it can translate to communicating this information to others via this forum or the magazine, we will all be the better for it.

Fabulous exchange!

[David A. Goldfarb]

How about including one historical portfolio with each issue? I think part of the reason that many readers may find new work unrewarding is that they don't always see the work in its context. A portraiture issue, for instance, might include a piece on Nadar or Hurrell or perhaps a thematic piece that looks at the development of portraiture over time from other media, such as painting and sculpture. A "mixed bag" issue could include one nineteenth-century photographer as a general practice. Before rollfilm it's all large format, so it wouldn't detract from the magazine's mission. _Black and White Photography_ (UK) does a regular two-page segment of this sort, and I think it works well.

[Capocheny]

Jorge,

Thanks for letting us know about the magazine I mentioned in the post above...I didn't realize it had come out in a previous incarnation. Also, thanks for the website.

Steve... Clyde Butcher's work is of special interest to me but I realize you had an article on him not too long ago. Tim's list is a pretty thorough one and I like the idea of David's recommendation for Hurrell too.

It would also be great to have a column on "using the VC" for newbies. The current Black & White magazine has a four part series on this very subject matter...but it would be great to see more instructive articles.

I also enjoy reading some of the reviews that you've published in the past...very informative.

Also in Black & White magazine...they have a regular section whereby they invite viewers to submit prints for publication that demonstrate and discuss their printing techniques. It's interesting to see how much burning/dodging/toning etc goes into a final print. Again, this is another area of interest that I'm sure many users would appreciate seeing.

Other than these comments... I have to say that I look forward to purchasing VC along with B&W and Camera Arts. Michael K's comment in terms of improving things for "all concerned" is poignant and "bang on!"

Cheers

[William Blunt]

Steve, How about articles on Kerik Kouklis, Carl Weese, Jan Pietrzak and David Michael Kennedy with portfolios.

[Steve Feldman]

Paul,

As usual, your observations are accurate. As a working pro, (as you are), who knows color, (and you do!), this cover shot probably made your teeth hurt. H.W.K. would pan us royally for this one.

Sorry Mr. Kay, (the cover photog), but not my cup o' tea. However, I do find you other images very good.

As for the balance of images in this issue: Art Becker's "Eyeglasses" is great. Tracy Longley-Cook's images make a compelling portfolio. Bart Michiels's series needs some explaination. Are they supposed to be as thin & gray as they printed? Or was the reproduction just really badly done? To think that I wrote a "Letter to the Editor", a while back, in praise of their fine reproduction standards. Not this time.

[Ryan M]

I would like to see something on handheld graphic photography, or any large format hand-held stuff. Maybe something on the press photogs of yesterday, a historical portfolio, when they were using graphic cameras. I would be quite interested in something like that. The current issue did show Art Becker's and some of his hand held work, but I would really like to hear about how it used to be done. I did love all of the issues with lens articles written by Kerry Thalman. All in all, I really love the magazine and will continue to subscribe. Thanks VC

[Hans Berkhout]

Steve, I have suggested this before: one issue/year devoted to and entirely produced by the new generation ,recent graduates from photography programmes. Thanks for your concerns.

[Chad Jarvis]

Here's what I would like from VC: I would like notification BEFORE my subscription expires that my subscription is ABOUT TO EXPIRE. I never want to get a "Here's what you're missing..." (by the way this is tantamount to blaming the reader) notice in the mail (again) without first receiving a warning that my subscription will soon run out.

[steve simmons]

Thanks for your responses.

We usually do send at least one renewal notice before the subscription runs out. We will try and be a little earlier with these from now on.

Ron Rosenstock is going to start a series on his most famous photos, how he made them and how he prints them. This will be a real step by step article with one image per issue for the next several issues. I am not sure if we can get it started for the Jan/Feb issue but certainly by March/April.

We will start a series on setting up and using a view camera for beginners. This will be in the Jan/Feb issue.

We will go through the list of photographers. Jan Pietrzk (SP?) is on the list for next year. He will also be a presenter at the conference in Monterey in April.

Happy Thanksgiving

steve

[QT Luong]

I would be interested in insight into the logistics and business methods of working photographers, especially those who do fine art and landscape work. This is not a topic that is usually covered by mainstream photography magazine, and therefore a good occasion for View Camera to distinghish itself. Many readers of this magazine are serious enough about photography that they are not very far from marketing their images or already do. Many are interested in fine art and landscape work. The magazines that are specifically targetted to the professional (like PDN) have little about those specialties.

[steve simmons]

I would be interested in insight into the logistics and business methods of working photographers, especially those who do fine art and landscape work. This is not a topic that is usually covered by mainstream photography magazine, and therefore a good occasion for View Camera to distinghish itself. Many readers of this magazine are serious enough about photography that they are not very far from marketing their images or already do. Many are interested in fine art and landscape work. The magazines that are specifically targetted to the professional (like PDN) have little about those specialties.

--QT Luong, 2003-11-26 14:00:17

>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>>

We are working on an article about online galleries for the Feb/March issue of CameraArts. We also have some submissions from photographers whop appear to be in the calendar business. We will work on this suggestion.

steve