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Amateur Photographer cover dated 2
September 2006 |
| Editor |
Damien Demolder |
| Categories |
Photography |
| Frequency |
Weekly (Tuesday) |
| First issue |
10 October 1884 |
| Company |
IPC
Media |
| Country |
 England |
| Language |
English |
| Website |
[1] |
Amateur Photographer is a British photography magazine, published weekly by
IPC Media, a Time Warner subsidiary.
The magazine provides articles on equipment reviews, photographic
technique, and profiles of professional photographers.
About the
magazine
Amateur Photographer is the world's oldest consumer weekly
photographic magazine[1], first
hitting the newsstands on 10 October 1884; making it over 120 years
old.
The Test Reports from past publications can be purchased online
from TestReports. There are
nearly 9,000 test available; consisting of reviews of cameras,
lenses and other equipment.
Regular
features
AP (as it is referred to) is usually based around the following
items:
- 7 Days - Up to date information on the world
of film and digital photography; including details of product
launches, external competitions and upcoming events (festivals,
events, galleries and camera clubs).
- Through the Viewfinder - Practical
photo-technique articles from contributor Philip Dunn.
- Gallery - Readers photographs. Readers can
submit up to 10 photographs (not needing to be themed) on film or
digital media. A selection of these is published each week. The
'Editor's Choice' each week is paid £50.
- Test Bench - AP's world renowned tests of the
latest photography equipment. All past tests can be purchased from
AP if required.
- AP Answers - Technical help in response to
readers letters and emails. Includes a sub section taken from the
AP Website Forum.
- Critical Eye - Reader photo critique by Garry
McNamara. Readers can submit up to six images as prints, slides or
on CD (with original files). Prizes from sponsor Fujifilm are supplied
alongside Garry's feedback.
- On Assignment - Garry McNamara and Gemma
Padley take three readers on location for a days shooting. Each
participant is loaned a Samsung digital SLR with 18-55mm zoom. Best
picture of the day wins a Samsung DSLR with 18-55mm zoom lens.
- Filter - A weekly round-up of books,
exhibitions and websites.
- Behind the Picture - Chris Gatcomb looks at
the thinking and technique behind a winning picture.
- Vendor Adverts/Classifieds - A wide selection
of UK and international equipment vendors (some offering
preferential rates to AP readers); and AP's own classified ads for
readers to submit.
- Picture Post - Readers letters concerning
recent events, views on photography and feedback on AP articles.
Sponsored by Fujifilm UK,
film or digital media is provided for all letters published. Also
contains "Back Chat", an article introduced by then Editor Garry
Coward-Williams, where and essay on a photography related subject
from a reader is published.
- Back From the Front - Weekly essay from a
figure from the world of photography with a once a month
contribution from Roger Hicks.
- What the
Duck - A weekly comic strip by Aaron Johnson
Amateur
Photographer of the Year (APOY)
APOY is an annual competition run by Amateur
Photography, and is open to anyone that earns less that 10% of
their yearly salary from photography.[2]
The entries are limited to one photograph per reader per
month.
Each years competition is run on a monthly basis, with each
month having a dedicated "theme" for the images to adhere to. The
APOY judges than narrow the entries down to a short list of 50.
From there, the final 'Top 30' are awarded points and published in
the magazine; with the top three places being awarded prize donated
by Canon UK.
All 30 point scoring photographers are entered into the league
table; which is edited after each round. After all ten rounds, the
photographer with the highest score in the league table is crowned
the Amateur Photographer Of the Year and wins
£5,000 worth of Canon vouchers to be remdeamed against the purchase
of personal photographic goods (defined as Canon Consumer
Imaging Products). Since 2008, Samsung
Electronic took over Canon as the prize awarder.
More information can be found on the APOY page of the AP
website.
Staff, contributors
and notable ex-staff
Current
staff
- Editor: Damien Demolder - A former
professional photographer, Damien has worked on IPC Media
photography titles since 1997. He served three years in the AP
Features Department, before working as Technical Editor and Deputy
Editor for four years. He was promoted to the position of Editor
after the promotion of Garry Coward-Williams elsewhere within IPC
Media in February 2007.[3]
- News Editor: Chris Cheesman is the first port
of call for relaying photography related news. Before joining AP in
1999 Chris worked as a news reporter and feature writer on business
magazines and has journalistic experience both inside and outside
photography. He always carries a camera.
- Technical Editor: Angela Nicholson - A former
freelance professional photographer, and photography teacher,
Angela joined AP in 2004. She is a medium-format, 35mm and digital
user. [3]
- Production Editor: Lesley Upton
- Deputy Production Editor: Brendan Maguire
- Features Assistant: Gemma Padley
- Deputy Art Editor: Simon Warren - In his other
life, Simon is a competitive cyclist.
- Features Writer: Jeff Meyer
- Features Writer: Oliver Cotton
- Technical Writer: Richard Sibley Joined AP as
a Technical Writer in July 2007
- Photo-Science Consultant: Geoffrey Crawley -
An renowned expert on the science of photographer, as well as the
inventor of the Paterson range of developers, Geoffrey was
previously the Editor of the "British Journal of Photography" for
21 years. He is also known for exposing the Cottingley Fairies hoax and advising
investigators into the assassination of U.S. President John F.
Kennedy.[3]
- Studio Manager: Alan McFaden
- A Matter of Opinion author: Roger
Hicks - Born in Cornwall, Roger stumbled into photography in
1966. After various job (law, teaching, accounting) he turned to
professional photography in 1975 at a London advertising studio.
His first book was published in 1980, and then turned full time to
freelance photography, writing and journalism in 1981. [4]
Regular
contributors
- Joe Cornish - Landscape
photographer, known for this large-format work and commissions for
the
National Trust.
- Ivor Matanle - Photographer, journalist and camera/photography
historian, Ivor writes the "Classics to Use" articles for AP, as
well as answering readers questions in "AP Answers" in relation to
classic and historical cameras.
Notable ex-members of
staff
- Garry Coward-Williams - Editor (from November 1998 up to and
including issue dated 3 March 2007). Garry first moved into journalism in 1985 after
a career as a professional photographer. Before joining AP, he was
the editor of Cage and Aviary Birds and, prior to that,
the deputy editor of Shooting Times & Country
Magazine.[5]
- Bob
Carlos Clarke - Irish enfant terrible erotic
photographer column in the early 1990s.[6]
- David Bailey
(photographer)
References
The Amateur Photographer, Vol 1, No 1, 10
Oct 1884, front cover.
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