As a kid, I loved reading magazines. In elementary school, my parents got me a subscription to Disney Adventures (remember that one?). I soon also had a subscription to Sports Illustrated for Kids. I can distinctly remember copying the magazine's cartoon version of Muggsy Bogues over and over.
In middle and high school, I read PlayStation Magazine, a favorite that I subscribed to from the first issue. I continued with Sports Illustrated, though I graduated to the grown-up version. I also loved Car and Driver. Video games, sports, and cars. Pretty typical teenage boy stuff, right?
Even today, our home is full of magazines. Health and fitness, parenting, photography, and news. We love magazines. Of course I understand the downside of magazines--they can't keep up with the minute-to-minute changes in the news--but I don't care. I love the depth, detail, and skill of a professional's opinion.
To expand my love of (addiction to?) magazines, I spent the last two months reading a dozen photography magazines for Improve Photography. There's a little bit of everything in my comparison. Take a look at my comparison of 12 photography magazines.
On a separate note, today's magazine comparison is also my last article for Improve Photography. Writing isn't easy. It takes time and attention. It's time for me to spend that time and attention on my growing photography business.
In case you didn't know, for the last year, every two weeks I've published an article for Improve Photography. Writing for IP has pushed my photography further than I'd ever imagined. My camera and post-processing skills have improved tremendously. Nothing makes you learn faster than a writing deadline.
Even more important is how I've connected with photographers around the world. I've helped photographers from coast to coast in the United States, from Australia to Canada, from England to India. Whether it was just a quick back-and-forth message or a long-term mentoring relationship, I owe the far-reach of my photography connections to Improve Photography. This isn't goodbye to IP. I'll still read, listen, comment, and share with everyone else. I was a fan before I was a writer, and I'll stay a fan now.
Thank you, Jim Harmer, for your generous spirit and influence. (Another version of a thank you is in this article.)
Here's a full list of what I've written for Improve Photography.
