893 Magazine | Playing wide
I wonder how “wide” a photographer should be playing these days. It seems obvious to me that the time has passed that a photographer is merely required to make a good image.
Input has expanded from photography to video, internet, graphic design, writing,… Output has grown from just “a book” to a smart mix of different things that make up a whole experience (book, magazine, video, multimedia, website, gallery, exhibition, …)
… and all of it seems to be crucially important. To be able to “widen your output” as a photographer, seems to me to require not only many more “input” skills than you are used to, but more importantly clever thinking what to “output” and how to combine those elements.
After I designed my magazine, I felt the need to be able to take my images further than just treating them as “photographs” in the traditional way. Not that the magazine is incomplete in any way, don’t get me wrong… it’s absolutely perfect… but it is also just one of the many parts of the story that is Yakuza.
(FYI the BOOK will be incredibly beautiful and relevant when it hits the presses — for which I’m going to need some very specific help — but more on that next time)
I feel that by adding the stories I tell to my images, in a different way than is possible online, is an incredible enrichment to the story. So I designed a magazine that combines all the above into a package, the way that I actually envision it to be:
I’m not going to lift the veil just yet regarding other things that I’ll be doing while “playing wide”… but 893 Magazine gets the honor of being first in line.
So as of now I’m selling it as a hardcopy. Exciting… I’ll publish an issue twice a year, as long as the project goes.
I’ve worked on it for two months solid, and set the price at what I think it should be… so go ahead… indulge, enjoy… and please spread the word! post it to your blog, twitter it, call up your mom or shout it out in the streets… I depend on your help getting word out there. Seriously.
[button url="http://www.blurb.com/bookstore/detail/1364125" target="_blank" size="small" style="green"]Grab a copy here.[/button]
[alert style="white"]In light of my recent win at Blurb’s Photography Book Now contest, I’ve changed the above link to the new Blurb version of the same Issue.
Those of you who ordered and received the original first edition of the first issue, you now actually own a very limited edition of my first publication… Hang on to it! More information here…[/alert]
Yes I know, it’s a big plunge – this is my first step to carve my way into independently publishing my work.
Obviously this is only the tip of the iceberg, and getting the complete Yakuza project out there will take on many shapes and forms. I’m just secretly hoping that 893 Magazine will gain enough momentum with you buying and spreading the word…….
So there it is. You guys have the scoop. With hopefully many more to come.
Mark Tomalty
May 13, 2010 at 07:22 //
My order has been placed.
Looking forward to it and good luck with your endeavor.
Mark
anton
May 13, 2010 at 08:38 //
hey mark… thanks! in tokyo now, shooting… frantically as ever
cheers,
a
Thomas Bregulla
May 13, 2010 at 10:53 //
Great!
I have ordered one. Now the difficult time of waiting has started.
Enjoy your time in Japan, and good luck for the further activities leading to your book.
Cheers,
Thomas
Robert
May 13, 2010 at 11:59 //
Anton,
I’ve been following your blog and the Yakuza project for a while now, and am impressed by the results. Placed my order, and can’t wait to see it for real. Are you planning on publishing high quality prints of the photography for this project?
Robert
david root
May 13, 2010 at 13:14 //
it feels like christmas morning. well, when it arrives anyway.
thanks anton ;)
anton
May 13, 2010 at 15:17 //
THOMAS, ROBERT, DAVID,
cool!!! I’m really glad you all got a copy… it honestly means a lot to me…
I hope you’ll all be happy when it arrives! Yep, might even be a bit like Xmas morning… ;-)
ROBERT
yes I’m absolutely doing high quality prints… I’m gonna reveal my secret to that one soon… but not just yet :-)
cheers,
a
david root
May 15, 2010 at 02:47 //
just bought another copy for a bday gift ;)
anton
May 15, 2010 at 04:58 //
david root you are DA MAN!
Imants
May 15, 2010 at 06:14 //
hmmmnnnnn………
anton
May 15, 2010 at 11:17 //
hey imants… obviously… you’re da man too :-)
Paul Treacy
May 17, 2010 at 01:43 //
This is my second attempt at posting here. My previous post was quite long and right now I can’t go back over it all.
I’ll be ordering a copy shortly.
Paul Treacy
anton
May 17, 2010 at 02:33 //
hey Paul,
Sorry that your comment did not make it… no record of anything happening here behind the scenes…
I thank you for ordering a copy!!
cheers,
a
Paul Treacy
May 17, 2010 at 12:07 //
Don’t worry about it. Something strange happened elsewhere too and I blame Chrome. Also tried to upload several single images at Burn and nothing registered, apparently. Grrr.
Anyway, I just ordered 893 Magazine.
All the best,
Paul.
anton
May 18, 2010 at 12:45 //
hey Paul,
yes I’ve had the some issues with Chrome too… Blindingly fast, but has some minor issues… I’m sure they’ll be ironed out soon. Thanks again for your order!
…and all the best,
a
Ellen
May 18, 2010 at 12:07 //
Hey Anton!!! Heb net mijn bestelling geplaatst…ben zo benieuwd!
Dikke proficiat met alles wat je al verwezenlijkt hebt! Ziet er allemaal supermooi uit!!!
anton
May 18, 2010 at 12:48 //
Ha die Ellen…. amai dat lijkt een eeuwigheid geleden!
Alles goed met je daar in St. Truiden? Ik hoop het wel…
Super dat je er eentje besteld hebt… Ik hoop dat je’t mooi vindt wanneer het aankomt binnenkort…. en Ik hoop dat ik er nog veel kan maken in de toekomst…
heel veel groetjes!!
a
jonathan vdk
May 18, 2010 at 16:22 //
sweet! will order one now!!!
anton
May 19, 2010 at 02:50 //
cool, Jonathan, cool…. thanks for that one
a
david root
May 22, 2010 at 15:18 //
my copy arrived yesterday. the pictures look great, but i think it’s the sequencing and layout that really shine.
btw, how did you ensure that Lulu would print consistently…im always wary of these print-on-demand outfits, though they are all getting better.
anton
May 23, 2010 at 04:50 //
Hey David,
You nailed it… editing and sequencing is exactly the thing that takes the longest and is by far the hardest work once the images are made and the master edit is done.
and the mutual effects of sequence, layout, edit, on each other, is the hardest balance to find
It’s what I mentioned in an earlier post (or was it a newsletter issue?), that editing and sequencing per “product” (slideshow, book, magazine, article, video,….) in a story, should be very different as each medium has it unique feel and one should adjust everything accordingly.
Basically, telling the story is more important that anything else, and everything i do in the project serves that purpose.
Meaning that i basically start all over when i do something new in my project :-)
—
Having Lulu print consistently is a lot of careful post processing, knowing what your images will “do” in print, and going through at least 2 test prints, even if you like first result…. then you should be fine
Glad you like it….
cheers,
a
Jean-Pierre
May 26, 2010 at 13:07 //
Hee makker…..
Your copy arrived….mmmmm….not bad at all:-)
Nice work….the first thing you have to do when back in Belgium….is…..sign it!!!
See you soon….
Jean-Pierre
anton
May 30, 2010 at 08:57 //
Jean-Pierre… back in belgium today…. will pass by your place soonest…
Thomas Bregulla
May 28, 2010 at 13:22 //
I got my copy today. Blew me away completely. Great Work.
Ummm, .. will you sign it for me, Anton?
anton
May 30, 2010 at 08:59 //
Thomas….
of course…. how and where and when?? :-)))) where are you based in Germany?
cheers, a
ps. glad you like it… spread the word…
Jean-Pierre
May 30, 2010 at 14:18 //
Okay…..nice…..and keep friday the 4th of june (around 16:30) free…..to join me on a ride to ASAP……:-) to pick up my 9 prints!!!
Dominik Dunsch
June 11, 2010 at 02:48 //
Anton!!
Wonderful news!
Just ordered my copy – let me know when you sign Thomas’ copy – I might pop in too…!
Take care! Dominik.
Geoffrey Hiller
June 29, 2010 at 05:34 //
Beautiful work on the Yakuza- great meeting you at Look3.
Geoffrey Hiller
Editor, Verve Photo
anton
July 1, 2010 at 17:38 //
thanks geoffrey… likewise!
cheers
a
Dominik Dunsch
July 5, 2010 at 22:14 //
Anton!!
My copy arrived – looking great! Congrats, man!
Hope to see you soon, take care, d.
anton
July 5, 2010 at 23:28 //
dominik -
cool! glad you like it. I’ll be organizing to visit Lassal again somewhere along the second half of July… I know you’re based in F.a.m. as well, so I’ll let you know!!
cheers,
anton
Ramon Mas
July 13, 2010 at 18:50 //
I’ve repeated it over and over since he first time I saw this project: “Anton, absolutely amazing. This essay is the one that I´ve always dreamed of doing…”. The magazine looks amazing and can’t wait to feel it in my hands…..I will place an order right now (maybe even two for a gift) and will certainly spread the word throughout my people. Congratulations for the zillionth time!!
Daniel C
October 11, 2010 at 15:18 //
I had been telling people about your project and photos for some time, and only JUST realised that you’ve release 893 magazine and ordered my copy today, can’t wait for the arrival, then the next edition, and finally the hardcopy of the book and documentary when it’s released. Having walked around Kabukicho, it makes me quite excited to see it in such intimate detail. Will have a very fresh perspective on my next visit!
Carla
December 16, 2010 at 11:01 //
Ben binnenkort jarig…ik weet al wat ik vraag :-)!!!!
Prachtig werk, complimenten!