Finding Inspiration in Online Photography Publications
Life seems to slow down just a bit during winter in my household. It is a time to catch my breath after a busy year with family activities and work. For some reason my motivation for photography is renewed during this quieter period. Part of it is the changing of seasons and snow covered landscapes which offer great opportunities for exploration without the crowds. The other part is having a bit more time to simply sit still and reflect.
One of the things I enjoy most during this time, especially when snow is falling outside, is sitting next to the fireplace and getting absorbed in a photography book from my growing collection or reading thoughtful articles from the online photography publications. The focus of this article is on the latter. I currently subscribe to the following photography digital magazines: Elements Photography Magazine, On Landscape, Nature Vision Magazine, LensWork, and ICM Photography Magazine. This listing is in no specific order.
Elements
Elements Photography Magazine is published monthly and features a clean modern design which allows the images to standout. Each digital issue is carefully curated and dedicated to the finest landscape photography. The core of Elements Magazine is the “genuine experience of landscape photography”. Unfortunately that does mean that non-landscape and experimental work is not included in their magazine at the time of writing this article.
The editors, Steven Friedman and Olaf Sztaba, do a fantastic job with their featured interviews and selection of articles by some of the best photographers in the world. I also like how they provide a platform for photographers to showcase their new book projects. A few times a year they also publish a special edition for a given month. For example, in the December 2023 issue, Elements released an issue dedicated to black and white photography.
Most issues are at least 100 pages with the special editions doubling in page size. The font selection and size are easy to read. Each issue is best viewed on a large desktop but also look great on a nice sized laptop or tablet. Another feature I enjoy is their “Photos We Share” section where they highlight images in the magazine from their social media page.
The annual subscription costs $99 and there is an option for a quarterly subscription at $39 for 3 issues. I believe with the annual subscription you get access to all of the previous issues which is a great value. Overall, I would highly recommend Elements to anyone that is looking a beautifully crafted magazine dedicated to the best of landscape photography.
You may subscribe to Elements here.
On Landscape
Out of the publications that I am highlighting here, On Landscape is the longest running digital magazine which started back in October 2012. The magazine is dedicated to landscape photography and is published twice per month compared to once per month in the case of Elements. You would think that the higher frequency would diminish the quality of each issue but I have not found that to be the case. Each issue contains a well curated selection of interviews and articles covering a wide range of topics including creativity and the art and craft of landscape photography,
On Landscape was an idea brought to life by engineer turned photographer Tim Parkin and world-renowned professional landscape photographer Joe Cornish. Our original goal was to create something dedicated to the people we both meet on a regular basis. The amateurs who spend all of their spare time in the field, the semi-professionals trying to make a living from this misunderstood occupation and the full-timers who have managed to build themselves a niche in a challenging business arena.
What I enjoy most about On Landscape is they give voice to a wide spectrum of photographers from seasoned pros and rising amateurs. They also showcase a variety of landscape and nature photography from the eye witness style to the experimental including Intentional Camera Movement (ICM) and Multi-Exposure work from artists. Matt Payne’s article series titled “Portrait of a Photographer” are especially noteworthy because he helps spotlight talented photographers that many may have not have heard of. I always enjoy learning about these emerging photographers through Matt’s excellent writing.
Another standout feature of On Landscape is they publish some of their content for free on their website. The rest of the content is subscription based. The magazine is based in the UK but their content is largely nationality neutral.
Subscriptions vary from yearly, every six months, or quarterly. Pricing on their site is in British pounds. Yearly is the cheapest at £59 per year, paying £34 every six months works out at £68 per year and paying £19 quarterly works out at £76 per year. Once you have an active subscription, you will have access to every article ever published in On Landscape. This includes back issue content amounting to over a thousand articles.
You may subscribe to On Landscape magazine here.
Nature Vision Magazine
The new kid on the block is Nature Vision Magazine, an extension of Nature Photographers Network (NPN). This excellent publication launched in the summer of 2023. David Kingham is the publisher and chief editor and Cody Shultz is the editor. David is also the driving force behind NPN. What sets this magazine apart from the others is their mission statement:
Our primary objective is to inspire and ignite your passion for nature photography through thought provoking articles that will help you find your own unique path in this art form. Our mission is centered around enhancing your vision and refining your craft.
Nature Vision Magazine distinguishes itself by offering comprehensive coverage of various aspects of nature photography. Our focus encompasses a wide range of subjects, including abstracts, wildlife, birds, flowers, landscapes, and macro. In each issue we will strive to provide diverse perspectives by exploring a broad array of topics and outlooks.
Where as other publications have specialized in just landscape photography, Nature Vision has broadened their scope to a wide array of nature photography. The variety of the articles, interviews, project and book reviews, and the clean layout help elevate this magazine. I love the fact that the staff give voice to fresh talent and help their audience improve their creative vision. They rotate articles so it is not the same contributing authors in each issue. Nature Vision also highlights NPN community members regularly by featuring their work in the publication.
Each issue is released on a quarterly schedule. I like this frequency because it allows me to spend time with each issue without feeling rushed to finish it. Subscriptions include the following:
Nature Vision Magazine at $49 yearly
NPN and Nature Vision together at $89 yearly (excellent value)
You may subscribe to Nature Vision Magazine here. The page includes a download link to preview the inaugural issue which I highly recommend. Note: I was privileged enough to write an article on abstract photography in the first issue.
LensWork
LensWork is a well established and tightly curated paperback periodical dedicated to photography that is released bimonthly (six issues per year). Brooks Jensen is the chief editor of the magazine which has an emphasis on the creative aspects of photography. It primarily showcases black and white imagery although color images are also featured. This publication highlights artists and images from many different photography genres, not just landscape and nature. Each edition features four to six photographers.
Beyond cameras and equipment, beyond film and chemistry, beyond pixels and technology lie the mysteries of the creative life shared by those who strive to communicate and express themselves clearly – fine art photographers, commercial photographers, amateurs and professionals.
Although LensWork is primarily a print publication, I included it here because there is a LensWork digital (tablet) edition. The online publication is essentially the print version included in a single PDF. Horizontal and vertical pages (based on image orientation) allow tablet rotation which help present images in the best possible way. Dynamic "Table of Contents" via PDF bookmarks are included in addition to live links to photographer's webpages and email.
I have considered switching my print subscription of LensWork to their digital offering but for now, I truly enjoy receiving the print periodical. I would not hesitate subscribing to either version. A yearly subscription costs $59. There is a trial option for 30 days which costs $10. There is also a half a year option for $30.
ICM Photography Magazine
If you are looking for a digital publication solely focused on the art of Intentional Camera Movement (ICM), I would recommend checking out ICM Photo Mag, founded by the talented Stephanie Johnson. This is an amazing magazine featuring inspiring ICM images, articles, reviews, and tutorials showcasing creative ICM photographers from around the world.
The magazine is free of advertisements which is a difficult acommplishment in this difficult economy. Each issue contains approximately 300 pages packed full of purposeful ICM content. I also want to highlight the strong community (ICMPhotoMag Network) that Stephanie and her team have fostered around the magazine. There are mentoring opportunties and workshops available.
The magazine is released on a quarterly schedule in digital format (March 15th, June 15th, September 15th, and December 15th). An annual subscription costs $45 and any back issue can be purchased for $15 each. A free abbreviated sample from June 2021 is available if you wish to check out the publication.
All of the publications I have covered here will help inspire you, will motivate you to get out with your camera, and will further strengthen your creative vision. If you have another online photography publication that I did not cover, please let me know in the comments or send me a message. Thank you!