Bram boy Loc: Vancouver Island B.C. Canada

there all crap . if I couldent get them free . I wouldent get any

Collie lover Loc: St. Louis, MO

I also take both of the magazines and Shutterbug. Whenever I get any magazine, photography or whatever, I take out all the articles I'm not interested in and the advertising. I keep the other articles for future reference.

kenArchi Loc: Seal Beach, CA

The Three Musketeers, It all comes down to understanding and knowing how to use them.

Shutter Speed....Athos
Aperture............Porthos
ISO...................Aramis

And the fourth Musketeer...D'Artagnan...Light

magpix Loc: St. Michaels, MD

This is an especially interesting subject as I used to run an ad agency with a media research and buying department. After retiring, I am now working full time as a freelance writer and photographer for several national boating magazines. So, I think I have a basic understanding of what's happening in the "print" publishing industry. To begin with, most magazines must sell at least 50% of their monthly pages to advertisers in order to BREAK EVEN. So if a pub has 150 pages total for the month, they need to generate 75 pages of ad revenue to pay for writers, photographers, art directors, graphic production, printing and postage…the costs of which have increased dramatically over the past several years. Don't think your $12 annual subscription goes very far in paying the cost to produce anything of quality. And just think, it would take 100 years of not reading Pop Photo to pay for one half of that new pro lens.

Large news weekly magazines that used to attract high numbers of readers have suffered because they don't offer anything very special. (Newsweek, Time) But highly specialized "enthusiasts" magazines like
ham radio's QST, Wooden Boat and Model Railroader are surviving because they offer the enthusiast valuable information and the experience of their peers and mentors. I still enjoy reading Outdoor Photographer because I can't personally travel to all the locations I read about. I learn something new every issue and am inspired to go places myself. And I still read Pop Photo because I usually find one or two little tips that I can use in my work. And believe it or not, I learn from reading the ads. I find out about new products, and I get a sense of what companies are leaders in the industry.

But most importantly as a photographer, I appreciate the tactile sense of sitting down with a cup of Joe or something stronger, putting my feet up and opening to a beautiful 2-page spread of a photo by Ian Plant, David Muench or Frans Lanting. Can I do this online? Sort of. But I don't want to sit at my computer any more than I have to. I want to feel the paper and turn the page. I don't want to scroll up or down or zoom in and out.

Some comments here suggest that print is dead or dying. Yes, in the past 5 years three major boating magazines I used to write for have closed their doors. One cannot discount the damage this economy has done to such non-essential products as boats, RVs or DSLR cameras. But some magazines have not only survived, a few new ones have been born that are doing extremely well. The secret is delivering that "experience" which comes from superior writing and photography and even the quality of paper. The secret is making the publication highly relevant to a vertically narrow segment of the market.

If you're not getting something out of these magazines, then maybe you know everything you need to know. Perhaps you should try some of the other magazines that are meant more for pros like Digital Photo Pro or American Photo.

One thing is certain. We now have many more choices of where to get our information and be entertained. Smart publishing companies understand the importance of superior content and are finding many more ways of delivering that content to enthusiasts like us. They not only publish print magazines, but online versions, e-Newsletter and more. Today I use most of these delivery methods, but I would not like to rely on electronic delivery alone.

wlgoode Loc: Globe, AZ

Wow Jerry, I just renewed both and I could have written that post verbatim!

BboH Loc: s of 2/21, Ellicott City, MD

A few thoughts, not to any particular point...

What I see is that most magazines have a repeat cycle and a newest technology bent.

Seems that the topic you read this year will be repeated, in different words, in about 2 1/2 - 3 years. OK, nothing wrong with that as the "new" words may ring a bell that the original words didn't. I'll maybe start the 3rd cycle and then quit.

And, here's Something New. Yes, who doesn't want to know about new technology, but its an "Eh" - only good if its about something I would like to have; if I have Nikon, what do I care about Canon's specs?. I'm much more interested in knowing more about what I've got now - different, new or better ways to use what I have.

I look at all of these great dramatic shots and go right past them. Why? Because I don't have the skill nor am I likely to develop the skill to replicate what "they" have done. Nor am I likely to be able to place myself as "they" did to get that great shot. To me, they are curiosities, not inspiration; I know to many they ARE inspiration, but...

In another thread I referenced Jeff Revell's book about Nikon's D800. At the start of each chapter he has an intro titled "Pouring over the picture" in which he dissects different aspects of the image, in addition to giving the settings - "large aperture helps key in on the main action", "The texture in the stone walls...", "I chose to place the horizon...". That kind of stuff captures my interest and I have not seen such in any magazine - it maybe there but I haven't seen it.

Print vs Electronic? Print any and every day. When I am limited to electronic I'll usually print it so that, to paraphrase magpix I can sit down with a cup of joe and put my feet up... You likely will think me dumb, but - got an electronic book for $12.00, paid Office Depot $45.00 to print it; money well spent 'cause I do read and re-read it during commercials and when there is nothing but me, coffee and the book.

Pepsiman Loc: New York City

You can download Pop Photo on the web for free.

hopthecop Loc: salisbury md

I stopped getting these things years ago...nothing but ad and testing the latest.....I have yet to see them pan a piece of equipment....they may have, but I never saw it.....
usually there is an ad for said equipment ant the face page of the article....I remember the old mags that actually had 'how to' articles....this was before digital stuff....I've got a couple of the old ones from the 40's and 50's....

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Or Rangefinder or PPA's Professional Photographer.

romanticf16 Loc: Commerce Twp, MI

Or Rangefinder or PPA's Professional Photographer. The Nikonian is an online publication for members. www.nikonians.org

wj cody Loc: springfield illinois

but of course, we now live in a culture where everyone wants everything, now; and of course, for free.

Rich2236 Loc: E. Hampstead, New Hampshire

Actually, what i do is to take out the content page and article page. All the mags are in monthly, and year order. These pages i put into a looseleaf book. Again in month and year order. The mags i put in 12-issue bins, and now i just look in the looseleaf book for the article i want and i can go right to that month and year issue.
Rich

mickeys Loc: Fort Wayne, IN

that's like tearing all the adds in playboy

Kuzano

The British Magazines listed by Wayne93 and as I have mentioned before.

Almost entirely digital, lots of how-to articles and usually CD packaged with them, and almost NO advertising. No stateside mag comes close to what the Brits are putting out.

Not cheap. Usually $10 to $15 and I always find them at Barnes & Noble. Almost like workbooks for digital. They have web sites also, but you will have to take the titles Wayne listed and do a bit of a search for web sites.

Jana-TAS Loc: Washington

The least expensive way I am finding to renew them is through Publishers Clearing House. Much less compared to the statement I will receive in the mail from the regular company wanting the sub. renewal. So even if I do not really have to renew I will still sometimes go ahead and do it since the price is a lot lower. It's also been good for gift subs. for other family members for a couple of mags too. So think about using PCH if you are interested in magazines.