If Alpinist Can So Nice, Why Can't We Have a Quality Magazine?

[Frank Petronio]

So I'm looking through Alpinist magazine and it hits me, "Why isn't there a decent large-format photography magazine with quality reproduction and design? Not to mention excellent content and "heft"?"

[Walter Calahan]

Market forces. If there were as many LF photographers as there are Alpinist, View Camera magazine would be full too. Steve tries his best, but Madison Avenue doesn't come knocking at his door to put jewelry, high-end cars, perfume, and other high dollar ads in his magazine.

[clay harmon]

No kidding. I got the most recent issue in the mail yesterday, and it is incredible. I have been a subscriber from issue one, and they have all been stellar. From what I understand, it is sort of subsidized by the owner/publisher, who was one of the original founders of Red Hat Linux.

But still, the quality of the writing, the reproduction and layout of that magazine are truly world class. What is really funny is that the target audience is mosty dirtbag climbers, who can barely rub two pennies together, and know how to live for a week on the road on twenty dollars. (I used to be one, so I am allowed to say that)This in contrast to a target audience who can drop a couple of grand on camera. Go figure.

[naturephoto1]

Hi Frank,

Maybe we could, but I am not so sure that I would like the subscription price since the magazine costs would be mainly based on the subscriptions and not enough based on the advertising.

Rich

[Struan Gray]

I have often wondered why there is so little good photography writing. Climbing writing can be repetitive and formulaic, yet still interesting enough to read in a magazine every month. Most photography writing is simply dire.

Photography as an activity also lacks the humour that you find in most adventure sports. I don't miss the laddish he-man aspect of that, but the black self-deprecation of much climbing writing doesn't seem to translate into photographic articles. Perhaps it's because in photography everyone has to self-promote so much. Perhaps also, because you do not have to measure yourself against admantine hard reality, so it is easier to preserve and coddle your illusions about yourself.

[Bruce Watson]

So I'm looking through Alpinist magazine and it hits me, "Why isn't there a decent large-format photography magazine with quality reproduction and design? Not to mention excellent content and "heft"?"

It's a free market. You going to give it a go? If you do, please put me on your mailing list so I can buy a subscription.

[Bruce Watson]

I have often wondered why there is so little good photography writing. Climbing writing can be repetitive and formulaic, yet still interesting enough to read in a magazine every month. Most photography writing is simply dire.

If photographers could write, they wouldn't need photography so much.

[Struan Gray]

If photographers could write, they wouldn't need photography so much.

True. But then climbers are not exactly noted for their refined elocution.

[paulr]

I don't think it's market forces. It's the crazy dedication of the editor, Christian Beckwith, and his one very very rich investor.

I met Christian in Jackson Hole a couple of years ago and the first thing out of his mouth was "hi, I'm Christian, do you have a million dollars?"

Aparently their investor had gotten cold feet and was about to pull out. The magazine was bleeding $9000 a day, and they were unable to print the issue that was finished and uploaded. Sadly I didn't have a million dollars so I was no help.

Aparently CB talked the investor into sticking it out for a while, so the magazine
was saved ... but that's what supports it. Subscriptions and sales and advertising
hardly make a dent. I don't think us climbers are all that supportive ... on
the climbing bulletin boards there are always jackasses complaining about how much
alpinist costs. And then there are jackasses like me who let our subscriptions run
out so we can buy film and whisky. And resoles for my climbing shoes.

[Michael Gordon]

True. But then climbers are not exactly noted for their refined elocution.

I think that this is exactly what makes climbing-reading enjoyable.