Are there any technique oriented periodicals specialized in B&W photography? I found one site http://www.bandwmag.com/ but the magazine seems to be lacking the technical aspect. The subtitle is "For Collectors of Fine Photography". ANy suggestions?

regards Xosni

-- Xosni (xosni@gega.net), March 11, 2002

Answers

I find Photo Techniques to be a good periodical. It is not just B&W, and even has a nice balance of digital. But there are frequent technical articles dealing with black & white film and print development. Also, there is a feature each month titled something like "Master Printing Series" that describes B&W printing techniques. Articles are from well-know printers such as Howard Bond and Ctein.

Other magazines such as Shutterbug have gone so far digital that there is very little on traditional black & white. The occasional good article that they used to have doesn't exist anymore.

-- Jim Rock (jameswrock@aol.com), March 11, 2002.

But what about B&W? I don't know if there are two or just one labeled B&W; I heard that there is one from the UK, but the one I found on the web is an American one. Do you know about that?

I already subscribed to PhotoTechnique and Photovision. Lenswork looks superb but far too expensive for overseas! Xosni

-- Xosni (xosni@gega.net), March 11, 2002.

Greetings,

The two best periodicals that include B&W from a technical aspect are Photo Techniques (already suggested) and View Camera Magazine. Both deal with color and digital, but do offer technical B&W articles from time to time.

Lens Work and B&W magazine are excellent publications, but approach B&W from an artistic perspective and rarely if ever get very technical.

Regards, Pete

-- Pete Caluori (pcaluori@hotmail.com), March 11, 2002.

All of the above are excellent recommendations. Let me add a shout out to PhotoVision - Steve Anchell is the editor of the excellent bi-monthly. The focus (pardon the pun) is on mainly on black and white and purely on traditional techniques.

-- David Parmet (david@parmet.net), March 11, 2002.

Yes, I have liked Photovision a lot so far (though I missed the last issue because my local store dropped it...).

B and W is definitely not a technique magazine. I liked it at first anyway, perhaps because of the novelty. There are still some good pictures in there and I buy it occasionally, but I wish they'd only come out half as often so they wouldnt have to publish most of the garbage thats in there and I wouldnt have to have nightmares trying to forget some of it. Disturbing seems to be really popular these days.

lenswork is very well done, but its too expensive on either side of the pond, IMO...

My opinion of View Camera has declined considerably. Its high quality and all, I just havent been excited by the subject matter lately. I will only buy it off the shelf if it looks good. Same w/Camera Arts, although I was never a subscriber of that one.

I think I'll try a subscription to Photovision (not just B&W as mentioned), but the rest are too inconsistant and I'll buy them off the shelf only

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), March 12, 2002.

One thing you might want to try is to buy back issues of magazines such as Photo Techniques. PT has a good index on their websites and in each issue with information on the contents in particular issues. So if there are few good choices today, why not read something still relevant but old.

-- Jim Rock (jameswrock@aol.com), March 12, 2002.

Thank you all Now there are two B&W magazines: One is monthlly published, from the UK, technically oriented: http://www.gmcmags.com/ The second is bimonthly published, from the US, art oriented: http://www.bandwmag.com/

Now I'm gonna settle on PhotoTechnique, PhotoVision, and B&W Photography (from the UK).

I want to choose one from LensWork and B&W (from the US) for art- oriented publication. Which one?

Xosni

-- Xosni (xosni@gega.net), March 12, 2002.

If you were paying for it, I'd pick Lens Work; fewer, but all quality pictures and a more artistic feel. B&W has a lot more photographs and more variety but a different feel, sometimes of art and often of wannabebutneverwillbe art, in each and every issue. It is, after all, for collectors not necessarily photographers, not that it cant be interesting to peruse from time to time. And you might like the stuff that I dont car for. Maybe if you ask nicely they will each give you a trial subscription that you can cancel early on if you dont like one or the other.

-- Wayne (wsteffen@skypoint.com), March 14, 2002.

Go with LensWork.

IMHO B&W exists to "showcase" those photographers that want to sell their artwork to collectors, or are seeking repesentation in a a fine arts market. LensWork addresses itself to the artistic process of making photographs, interviews with photographers and photographic portfolios.

Go to the LensWork web site. You can download samples of all issues of Lenswork to get an idea of what the magazine is about.

Is it expensive? You get what you pay for.

-- Joe Lipka (joelipka@earthlink.net), March 14, 2002.

Camera Arts has regular features on B&W printing, often essentially looking over the shoulder of a master darkroom craftsman. They also have regular features on B&W prints via Photoshop.

-- Tim Nelson (timothy.nelson@yale.edu), March 19, 2002.

Sorry but someone from this list sent me the email address of (the British) B&W Photography Magazine. It seems I lost it. Can anybody help me with that?

regards Xosni

-- Xosni (xosni@gega.net), March 19, 2002.

Subscription Add: Black & White Photography 166 High Street, Lewes, East Sussex BN7 1XU, England

Email: sueb@thegmcgroup.com

It is difficult to choose between Lens Work and B&W (American mag). the reproduction quality, work presented and essays in Lens Work are always excelent. I enjoy B&W because of the tremendous variety of work displayed as well as one or two interesting articles on photographers and history of photography. Recent articles include an indepth look and Clyde Butcher and his darkroom, An issue highlighting the photographers of the Visual Dialogue Foundation and the most recent issue contains wonderful background article about photography and modernism in America. I agree with a previous post that a portion of each issue is blurry self-indulgent drivel, but the good outweighs the bad.

If you like very good to excellent imagery and well thought interviews and essays get Lens Work. If looking at a wide variety of images and styles in varying degrees of quality go for B&W. If cost is an issue like it is for me, I subscribe to Lens Work and purchase B&W of the self but skip 2 or 3 issues during the year.

-- James Chinn (jChinn2@dellepro.com), March 20, 2002.