THIS MONTHS UK B&W MAG

[Les McLean]

Thanks for inviting me David I'm pleased to be back. I've completed my assignments, email on the way although you'll have to wait for the prints because of the postal strike. Look forward to seeing you in London in a couple of weeks.

[David_Corfield]

You are indeed a top chap Les. I look forward to that Guinness... speak Monday

[Black Dog]

Originally Posted by Ian Grant

What wisdom he sits in never never land on the Scottish borders, he can't speak with an English accent, and he certainly can't speak with a Scottish accent, his only saving grace is he can speak through his craft and images. Sorry Les . . .

He should have been banished to the Colonies long ago, now however he goes there preaching to the great unwashed, trying to convert them to his ways of photography, which can only be a good thing.


Ian

Haway like man,ye canna come here and say that ye knaa.....

[tim_walls]

Originally Posted by Black Dog

Haway like man,ye canna come here and say that ye knaa.....

That sounded more like Geordie!

[matti]

It's a bit sad that magazines have to rely on the economical fact that it sells subscribers to the advertisers. I don't think I will buy a _new_ analogue camera again (well I have been looking at that new wide angle optimized Bessas or one of them Hungarian LF:s but you see what I mean). But I won't renew my subscription if it continues to increase the digital article though. Because I don't read them.

/matti

[Roger Hicks]

Originally Posted by matti

It's a bit sad that magazines have to rely on the economical fact that it sells subscribers to the advertisers. I don't think I will buy a _new_ analogue camera again (well I have been looking at that new wide angle optimized Bessas or one of them Hungarian LF:s but you see what I mean). But I won't renew my subscription if it continues to increase the digital article though. Because I don't read them.

/matti

Dear Matti,

If you're prepared to pay a minimum of 20 euros/$30 PER MAGAZINE, there would be no need for ads.

If 1000 people put their money where their mouth is, it would be easy to make a first-class B+W film only magazine, bimonthly or even monthly. But the vast majority of photographers are either poor or pathologically mean. End of story.

Cheers,

R.

[Tom Kershaw]

I would absolutely be prepared to pay the 15 GBP per issue for a magazine with in-depth and useful articles, perhaps bi-monthly....

Tom.

[Ian Grant]

Originally Posted by Roger Hicks

Dear Matti,

If 1000 people put their money where their mouth is, it would be easy to make a first-class B+W film only magazine, bimonthly or even monthly. But the vast majority of photographers are either poor or pathologically mean. End of story.

R.

If only it was that simple. You of course will remember an excellent UK magazine which evolved from Camera User - Camera. For a few years it was superb, excellent articles, portfolios, probably the most accurate and informative equipment reviews and comparisons (in the UK). Then it disappeared, it almagamated with another magazine and changed its approach.

I haven't seen a magazine since that really met my need in one publication.

Here on Apug there's a huge captive market and many would be interested in a good magazine dedicated to conventional photography. Of course there's potential readers else where too.

The problem with many publications is they become niche in the wrong way, for me. View Camera is a bit like that, B&W (UK) isn't bad, but I'd rather have colour than Digital. . . . .

I had thought Emulsion magazine might be an answer but everything on their website, the posts here just held me back from subscribing.

What is actually needed is someone with experience to either use their editorial skills to move an existing magazine towards filling our needs, or setting up a new publication.

If David was to swing B&W magazine slightly further towards our outlooks maybe his magazine would have more of our support. But as you say Roger we do have to put our money where our mouths are.

I think it was a couple of my emails to B&W magazine that brought David to this forum. I'm glad I did it because he's taking on-board our opinions, I was about to cancel my subscription but now I'll give him time to find his feet and stamp his own mark on the magazine.

Ian

[matti]

I reread my earlier post and think it sounds more deterministic than I wanted. Even though this is a force in the magazine business, I am sure that it should be possible to make a really good magazine with ads. But I think it takes much more effort and determination than to go the easy route and tell all the readers to buy the new stuff in the ads all the time, like most magazines do.

/matti

Originally Posted by matti

It's a bit sad that magazines have to rely on the economical fact that it sells subscribers to the advertisers. I don't think I will buy a _new_ analogue camera again (well I have been looking at that new wide angle optimized Bessas or one of them Hungarian LF:s but you see what I mean). But I won't renew my subscription if it continues to increase the digital article though. Because I don't read them.

/matti

[Roger Hicks]

Originally Posted by Tom Kershaw

I would absolutely be prepared to pay the 15 GBP per issue for a magazine with in-depth and useful articles, perhaps bi-monthly....

Tom.

Dear Tom.

Perhaps we should run a poll: who else would pay GBP90/USD190/150 euros for 6 magazines?

Then we discount 50-75 per cent for those who say they will subscribe, but won't...

As I was writing this, Les McLean returned a call and among many other things we discussed the idea of a partwork without advertising: 4 years, bimonthly, 24 issues. The great thing about a partwork is that it doesn't have to waddle off into the future, uncertain of where it's going. Only the germ of an idea so far but far from impossible...

Cheers,

R.