Jan 02 2009
RIP JPG Magazine, We’ll Miss You
I just received the most disappointing email: JPG Magazine is over, out of business, and shutting down.
JPG Magazine is (was) a photography magazine, but not at all an ordinary photography magazine. It was something really special. JPG Magazine was a bimonthly publication of outstanding photography and stories that you would never see anywhere else. The focus of the publicication was 100% on actual pictures and stories about pictures – not about the latest gear or about any particular famous photographer’s work. The thing that made JPG Magazine special was that everything published – every story, article and photo – came from the user community at jpgmag.com. The community was made up of everyday people like me and you. That is, amateur and enthusiast photographers.
Before each publication, several themes would be announced on the website. Photographers would publish photos and articles based on the theme. Other community members would vote on the stories and photos, and the best would be published in the magazine. Members were able to discuss photos and stories, mark photos and stories as favorites, mark other members as buddies – essentially all the basic social networking features you would expect. The community was strong, and the fact that the photos were published in print helped attract some of the most unique and intriguing photography I’ve ever seen.
The loss of JPG Magazine is a big blow to me, personally, and the entire photography community. I don’t recall any other publication that showcased such an enormous amount of fresh photography produced by a community of amateur and hobbiest artists that shared a passion for photography. JPG Magazine was one of a kind, and for the sake of seeing really good photography again, I hope to see something similar in the future.
That is really sad. I contributed a few photos to themes I liked and really enjoyed browsing around.