Photography magazine of choice?

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Yanzi

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Leanne
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Hey guys,

Somebody mentioned buying me a subscription to a photography magazine for my Christmas and wanted to know which one to get. I thought it was a pretty cool idea but I'm not too sure which one to go for. I only buy 'em occasionally and it's probably a different one each time if there's something that catches my eye. :)

I mainly shoot landscapes but I'm interested in most aspects of photography so something that covers quite a wide range of subjects would be pretty good!


So to help me make up my mind, which photography magazines do you buy and why?

:)
 
I've found Digital SLR Photography magzine to be the best. For as long as I can remember I've hated photography magazines for their repeatitive themes and arogant articles but this magazine was a breath of fresh air. Strongly recommend.
link here if you're interested: http://www.digitalslrphoto.com/
 
Tricky01 said:
I've found Digital SLR Photography magzine to be the best. For as long as I can remember I've hated photography magazines for their repeatitive themes and arogant articles but this magazine was a breath of fresh air. Strongly recommend.
link here if you're interested: http://www.digitalslrphoto.com/
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Might have to have a closer look at that myself, just looked on my phone and it looks alright. It's not a ridiculous subscription cost either!
 
Hey,
Thats a great idea for a christmas present, good thinking by the person who offered.

ive not had my dslr long at all (3 months), but im finding a magazine called Digital Slr very handy as a beginner. Theres a few out there but this is the one im talking about, it has a red top
http://www.newsstand.co.uk/163-Phot...GITAL-SLR-MAGAZINE-Magazine-Subscription.aspx

A friend of mine works for the company that prints these and the Advanced Photographer mags too, so he picks me a copy of each, fresh off the press before they hit the shops. Ive not even looked at the Advanced photographer mag yet as feel that would be waaaay beyond me. But the Digital Slr one is more up my street for now as it explains things easier and clearer.

Suppose it depends what level you are at with your photography really, from what ive seen, theres alot of photography magazines out there for different levels of ability and equipment.

Im thinking about subscribing to a photoshop magazine, but unsure which one as of yet. (definately a beginners level one though)

Good luck.
 
Another vote for AP from me. Started reading it when it was nicknamed Amateur Pornographer back in the mid to late '70s and started again when my interest in photography was rekindled in the '90s. I went through a stage of buying a couple of the monthlies as well, fairly religiously every month but became a little disenchanted with them when they started repeating the ideas of the month the next year. I still pick them up once in a while, if the cover tells me there's something of interest in them, just as I'll pick up a copy of What Digital Camera (the only specifically digital mag I've ever bought - although I no longer shoot film myself, I still have an interest in the older cameras and iconic photographs and photographers) if they've got a piece of kit I'm interested in reviewed.

Never got around to subscribing to AP - I'll keep my eyes open for a decent sweetner gift from them!
 
My favourite by far is Outdoor Photography. I'd recommend that if you only wanted landscape/wildlife content. It's available via Tesco clubcard rewards too.
 
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Usually NPhoto but depends on the content of the others at the time.
 
This was addressed in an earlier thread i made http:// http://www.talkphotography.co.uk/forums/showthread.php?t=409346but Yeah, i would recommend a years subscription to perhaps one that concentrates on what YOU want from a mag. Do you do more capture than editing? Are you more interested certain aspects than others? But remove the advertising from any of the glossy monthly mags and your left with little more than a pamphlet.

Simon photo said:
So, mainly because of the ridiculous amount of money spent and the fact that, if you actually look back through a years subscription you see so much recurrence and repetition it just gets boring. I've been reading the usual suspects for the last three years now but for the last six months i kicked the habit and you know what? I wish i did it earlier. I have found myself shooting more of what i want. Im not hooked up on settings, gear or fads. Im more relaxed about shooting and its really shown. I don't find myself editing nearly as much as i used to as i now only have my own ideals to live up to rather than some over cooked post production technique.
Im also shooting nearly 90% film now and lust after trying new films and aspire to buy a large format camera instead of top flight digital, the effect of reducing the exposure to advertising perhaps?
I have a confession to make however, i do still buy the British journal of photography now and then as i find it to be a stimulating read on a subject i love, it never repeats itself and allows a glimpse into the world of some extremely talented practitioners working today.
Im not twisting the knife in the back of the glossy mags full of adverts but i would say that anything more than a years subscription is a waste of time, they hamper creativity and cost too much to for what is essentially a pamphlet. Try separating out the actual articles from adverts, you'll have a shock at the limited content.
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Practical photography, Outdoor photography and Digital SLR magazine. I don't buy them all monthly, but at least one. Whichever has the best articles and reviews any given month. I've been buying them for years, even though there;s a lot of repetition, it's a good way to revise techniques. A lot of their tut's are aimed at beginners, but no harm going over them again. You can get some good ideas from them on what and where to shoot when you're stuck for ideas.
 
I gave up on most of the popular monthlies a while back, it was just like reading the same magazine over and over. Now it's Black and White Photography and occasionaly BJP, Amateur Photographer and Outdoor Photography depending on the contents.
 
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There definitely is repetition in most of the mags, I was just pondering what the 12 (or 13 - 52/4) "themes" were. The ones that always seem to be on the cover of one or the other every month I can think of are:

Black and White/Mono
Landscapes
Get the most From RAW
Macro
Portraits
Shutter speed
 
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Digital SLR Mag (dslr user)

&

Outdoor Photography

My two favourites
 
I'd pop into a newsagents and have a look and see which one appeals most to you.

If you have an ipad then there are digital subs which can be great value and no piles of magazines to take up space!
 
They sure can take up space. I had a press full to the brim with old issues. I just hate throwing stuff out, and they were all still pristine. I've off-loaded them all to a friend's daughter, who is just beginning to get into photography ;) She's already completed a tonne of the projects from them. It was worth hanging on to them in this case.
 
simonblue said:
Just endlees pp stuff in most mags theses days :(, sometimes will get AP :)
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True! And all massively biased toward Photoshop (or it's by-products).
 
for a UK magazine another vote for Pratical Photography and I also like a US magazine, Outdoor Photographer
 
Personally I subscribe to Practical Photography and Photography Monthly but I'm sure there are loads other out there. Considering your professed interest is in landscape photography. Outdoor Photography recommended by previous posters sounds like an appropriate option for you.
 
Another vote for Outdoor Photography - it has a very different feel from the other magazines and definitely doesn't push PhotoShop!
 
Agian another vote for Outdoor Photography, a good use for my Tesco vouchers.
 
Only get one, Digital SLR mainly because it's more varied than many others
 
Outdoor Photography is the best of the bunch for my taste and genre. No cheating / photoshop articles (runs for cover!!)

Good balance of articles from Wildlife to macro.

Still can't get in the damn thing though!!
 
-1 for outdoor photographer, I don't really get on with it for some reason.

For the last two years I've been getting Practical Photography and its been great but I fancy a change. I think getting a few issues and seeing what you prefer is best.
 
Thanks guys :) Outdoor Photography has certainly been mentioned by quite a lot of you so I might just go for that one. I'll have a quick nosey through some of the others next time I'm out. That should help me make my mind up!
 
Digital photo is a good one if you ask me
 
British Journal of Photography. There's too much focus on stuff you could find on the internet with the other mags, whereas the BJP has quite a few thought provoking articles and the photography featured is both varied and good. Print quality is nice too.
 
The ipad version of the BJP is excellent and they're doing it for £18.99 for a year at the moment. It's loads better than the other mags that are basically pdf viewers.
 
I've gone right off Photography Monthly, not keen at all on the editor Adam Scorey's layout/topics of the magazine.
I'm subscribing to Outdoor Photgraphy as i've bought the last 3 months and what i've seen i like.
 
N-Photo, have had a few images in there from posting to their FB / flickr pages... and they pay :)

Practical Photography, with Tesco vouchers.. do the DSLR skills courses in them and won this year :)
 
I subscribe to Practical Photography and Digital Photo because they worked out at 25p a copy for a 1 year sub after going via topcashback. Probably costs them more than that just to post it to me. :D

Practical Photography is okay and I would happily pay the £12 a year it costs (when on offer) even without cashback. Digital Photo is just endless Photoshop stuff and I won't be renewing that one.

Outdoor Photography sounds okay though might have to get a copy of that and check it out.

All magazines tend to be very repetitive (not just photo magazines) - basically every issue of Trail has a variation on "great walks in the Lake District/Scotland" and every issue of Mens Health has a variation on "how to get a 6 pack in 6 weeks". Over and over and over again. :D
 
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