I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with photography magazines. From my first interests in photography, when I started buying Amateur Photographer, I have dipped in and out of buying them and have probably bought most of the titles out there, including a few that no longer exist, over the years.
In the days of the web, when you can get pretty much everything you would want from a magazine online whether it be reviews, inspirational photography, guidance & advice or commentary & philosophy the reason for actually purchasing a magazine has to be questionable. Why spend hard earned cash when you can get most of these things for free online?
In addition I have often felt somewhat let down when I have bought any of the current crop of photography magazines finding them too gear focussed, a bit too arty or trudging out the same old “how to get better at x” articles they have been doing for years.
It was a nice surprise then to find that last year the magazine that used to be known as Professional Photographer got relaunched as Professional Photography. The new magazine seems, for me at least, to get the balance right between all of the above categories. I’m not really interested in reviews and Professional Photography has a few, but only ones of short length. I’m also not interested in how-to articles. If I want to find out how to do something I’ll either find a video online, buy a book or actually go out and try it.
The main focus of the new magazine is on the work of other photographers, each month having an in-depth interview, as well as articles, on working professionals (both dead and alive). In the first few months of its publication it has already covered the work Don McCullin, David Bailey, Bob Carlos Clarke, Martin Parr, Robert Capa and Mary Ellen Mark. Of course, you can find out information and examples of photographers work online as well, however there is still something nice about getting all this together, once a month, in the pages of a magazine.
Peter Cripps | Photography 
In Praise of Professional Photography Magazine
Professional Photography Magazine Issue 01
I’ve always had a bit of a love-hate relationship with photography magazines. From my first interests in photography, when I started buying Amateur Photographer, I have dipped in and out of buying them and have probably bought most of the titles out there, including a few that no longer exist, over the years.
In the days of the web, when you can get pretty much everything you would want from a magazine online whether it be reviews, inspirational photography, guidance & advice or commentary & philosophy the reason for actually purchasing a magazine has to be questionable. Why spend hard earned cash when you can get most of these things for free online?
In addition I have often felt somewhat let down when I have bought any of the current crop of photography magazines finding them too gear focussed, a bit too arty or trudging out the same old “how to get better at x” articles they have been doing for years.
It was a nice surprise then to find that last year the magazine that used to be known as Professional Photographer got relaunched as Professional Photography. The new magazine seems, for me at least, to get the balance right between all of the above categories. I’m not really interested in reviews and Professional Photography has a few, but only ones of short length. I’m also not interested in how-to articles. If I want to find out how to do something I’ll either find a video online, buy a book or actually go out and try it.
The main focus of the new magazine is on the work of other photographers, each month having an in-depth interview, as well as articles, on working professionals (both dead and alive). In the first few months of its publication it has already covered the work Don McCullin, David Bailey, Bob Carlos Clarke, Martin Parr, Robert Capa and Mary Ellen Mark. Of course, you can find out information and examples of photographers work online as well, however there is still something nice about getting all this together, once a month, in the pages of a magazine.
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in praise of professional photography magazine