Quote:
Originally Posted by toadhall  Bottom line: I want to be intrigued, challenged, excited, puzzled, and ultimately, satisfied, by my photographic reading. If David can do that, on a reasonably regular basis, I'll be satisfied because in spite of what some perceive as its warts, B&W Photography is a hell of a lot better than the majority of the alternatives. |
I'd agree with all that, and I don't automatically flick past or disregard a portfolio when I see that it's digital. And I don't object to its presence in the magazine.
But... (you knew there was a "but" didn't you!
)
The type of articles that I
do object to are (Issue 78)
Technique - Traditional to Digital (in the mag for the second month running and looking like a new regular) followed (after a digital equipment review article) by the start of a new series
Technique - Digital For Beginners.
These articles are not about the image. They are about converting traditional photographers to digital and they have been done to death in every photo and computer magazine on the news stand.
Like Paul, I note that there are no "digital to traditional" or "getting started in the darkroom" articles. Whilst digital and traditional share space in most of the magazine (Printers Art, Monochome Workshop, etc.) still there are specific "digital only" areas without matching "traditional only" areas. Balance, eh?
I know I said I'd give you time to get your feet under the desk David, but I really do hope we start to see these changes you've promised soon. Paying for a limited number of articles that interest me is one thing. Subsidising a number of articles that (EDIT - I'll be polite!) "very much annoy me" is quite another!
[Deep Breath]
Okay, so what's good in Issue 78 -
- Some of Albert Watson's images are just plain excellent and it's a cracking article by Ailsa
- Nice prominent positioning of Ilford's "Defend the Darkroom" initiative in the News section
- Again, good images in the article on the Side Gallery and the Fuji competition
- Mike Crawford puts in a very good Darkroom Workshop
- The printer's art is interesting as always
In summary,
to me Issue 78 is probably
just about worth the price of admission... ...but only if I don't get slapped in the face with a lot of "conversion to digital" nonsense along the way.
I'll try and give it to the end of the year. If hasn't improved by then, I'm cancelling.