Get a wide view of the world of Photography - American Photo
Written: Feb 04 '04 (Updated Feb 04 '04)
Product Rating:
Pros: High ratio of content to advertisements, excellent writing, helpful information
Cons: Not enough issues
The Bottom Line: American Photo is an enjoyable magazine that does an excellent job at covering the many facets of photography in an interesting and entertaining way
Do you want a photography magazine that hits all the highlights in the photography world from equipment, to techniques to the business? American Photo fits the bill and is an excellent magazine for anyone involved in the photography world looking for a magazine with a broad perspective on the photographic world.
More than magazines like Popular Photography or Shutterbug, American Photo is a photography magazine that tends to try to cover a wider area of content than these other photography magazines. From stories on certain famous photographs, to a review of the latest photographic gear and to a look at the first all digital shot story for National Geographic, American Photo has an interesting mix of articles, departments and stories that should engage most readers with interests in the various areas of photography.
Details
American Photo is published six times a year (once every two months). A subscription directly from the publisher is $10, a two-year subscription costs $18. If you pick up a single issue, it will cost you $4.99 at the newsstand.
Each issue is around 100 pages in length and about 2/3 of the each is made up of editorial content, while the remaining third is composed of advertisements. American Photo lacks the expansive photography advertisements that fill over half of many other photography magazines.
An issue of American Photo is made up of two different major sections. These two sections are the Departments section and the Special Feature section.
Departments is made up of several smaller sections that include: Inside Photography; See It Now; First Look; In Focus; Public Eye; Visual Culture; State of the Art; Closeup; Contact; Technology & Vision; Field Test; Editor’s Choice; Tutorial; Workshop; In Print; Reader’s Photo Contest; Hands On; and On Assignment. These are all quick stories/articles/columns (2 to 3 pages each) on each topic that while short, provide plenty of information and entertainment value.
The Special Feature is the main story/topic of the issue and is a series of articles, reviews or other stories focusing on that central theme. The current issue looks at new photography books and profiles the best ones out there this year, with a single book reviewed in each article.
My Feelings
Sometimes it is nice to have a magazine that doesn’t focus so closely on a certain aspect of a hobby that you enjoy and instead gives you a bigger picture view of that area. For me, that’s why I enjoy about American Photo, the fact that instead of just equipment or technique, I get stories and interesting articles about all of the facets of the photographic world. While I may not be as involved as say someone who makes their living as a photographer with all of the different areas covered by American Photo, nevertheless, I still find it interesting to read about something that may be beyond my sphere of experience.
Did you know that a picture of Brittany Spears making out with Colin Farrell sold for $50,000? Makes me want to start hiding in bushes in Hollywood with my camera trying to get some shots. Or how about the fact that another glowing review of the Canon Digital Rebel has increased the desire factor I have for this new camera.
Yes, there are many things to enjoy in American Photo, not the least of which are articles that can validate your desires for new equipment.
The Final Take
Not as focused on certain aspects of photography as other magazines are, American Photo is an enjoyable magazine that does an excellent job at covering the many facets of photography in an interesting and entertaining way.
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