In These Times
December 7th, 2009 | by CW |So National Geographic Adventure just folded and Sports Illustrated is trying demonstrate the future of magazines (electronic/tablet based.) No one knows where it’s all going, but for some people a ‘hard rain’s gonna fall.”
An anecdote: A good friend was just shooting in HK for a travel-y style magazine. He was to collaborate with and follow the writer, a B-list “Ann Wintour” editor flown in from Europe. She stayed in the 5-star hotel most of the time, had spa treatments and recommended the in-house “hotspot” restaurant/club that opened 15 YEARS AGO!. And all the while she worked on other assignments. A certain privileged attitude that might be reined in soon…
An observation: I was recently asked if I could dig up a feature from stock I have of my hometown. This job had been assigned to me a year ago, but postponed by local political problems and the economic meltdown. Recognizing the changing times I offered to work within a more constrained budget than the one that was approved during the golden age. Nope, stock submissions only. The story is about completely obscure neighborhoods with a quirky dark angle — worthy of original photography. Yet the new constraints mean this story is basically filler without the resources or desire to illustrate it properly.
Meanwhile: While grazing A Photo Editor’s current blog reads I’m regaled by fabulous days of photography in Venice, with Bulgari gems, the Royal Suite at Il Palazzo*, 2 models, 3 assistants, untold retouching, to produce a single “gorgeous” aligned-with-the-times cover… well at least back in the golden age.
*Only about 2,000 Euros/night, maybe less with press-rate (never accept freebies, cough!) The budget for that cover could have paid for 2-3 features.
