I was recently asked if I subscribe to any paper forms of informational distribution. The answer is yes, I subscribe to quite a few magazines. Some of them, in the order that they came to me:
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B&W – a fine-art industry mag. Pretty artsy, has occasional (artistic) nudes. I’m not currently subscribed, just pick it up on a whim from time-to-time. It’s less technical, more image/history/film centric. Personally like it and will likely subscribe soon.
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American Photo – more of a “pop-photo” magazine. Subscribed, didn’t like it much & let the subscription lapse. The problem is it occasionally has *awesome* articles, and it’s cheap, so I’ll likely subscribe to it again in the near future.
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Layers – a post-processing mag for graphic designers (and one of Scott Kelby’s pubs). Decent, but I get the subscription for free (It comes with a Kelby Training subscription). I wouldn’t pay for it on my own, though.
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Photoshop User – another Kelby publication. PS & Lightroom specific. Comes with the NAPP membership. This one I would recommend for most photographers – they’re really good at covering the more basic parts of PS, and there’s always something in there that interests other folks (I particularly like Deke’s column!).
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LensWork – possibly the finest “magazine” on the market. All published in B&W (even if the originals are in color), with a serious (but not overbearing) outlook and a focus on the unknown photographer. Not as good for learning technical details, but fantastic for looking at what other people review. And overall, fantastically edited & professionally put together. My only complaint: it’s not a magazine, despite what they say. It’s a fine-art literary publication.
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National Geographic – Possibly the best mag out there for just viewing awesome photos.
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PPA Magazine (Professional Photographers of America) – I’ll probably let it lapse. It’s good for the studio photographer, but too much emphasis on marketing & business for my taste. On the other hand, there are occasional ideas that are just great. I suppose it’ll depend on the renewal rate.
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Outdoor photographer – The few times I’ve read this, it’s been a bit too preachy for me (yes, even after loving National Geographic!), and their emphasis on lower-grade glass (lenses, surprisingly positive reviews) put me off. It’s OK from time to time – I usually grab it before I fly out – I won’t feel to bad about leaving it in the airplane! Not going to subscribe any time in the near future, though.
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Pro Photo Techniques – a great mag, but tends towards the technical side. My favorite for technical resources.
