8 Magazine
A photography magazine dedicated to the art of storytelling, 8 Magazine is an excellent source of contemporary photojournalism. At a time when the Sunday supplements and mainstream magazines are often criticised for shying away from the difficult art of actually telling a story with photography, 8 Magazine is a reminder of how powerful pictures on a page can still be.
The Stack interview
Name
Jon Levy
Job title
Founder and Publisher
What is 8 Magazine?
8 Magazine is an independent biannual bringing together high quality photojournalism, documentary photography and writing. We present stories that we feel are important, whether because they describe current events in an effective way that we have not seen before or because they convey an intimacy with a personal subject that enlarges our understanding of the many ways that people live.
The magazine originated as a web magazine in 1998 to showcase working photojournalists’ personal projects. In 2002, when many magazines were moving from print to the web, 8 moved in the other direction. The magazine now presents a mix of work from established professional photojournalists as well as from documentary photographers who may not identify as photojournalists. Many of our contributors have never been published before; others are seasoned veterans. We select work based on the strength of the photographer’s pictures, not on their credentials or professional reputation.
What makes it different to the rest?
We believe in the power of photographers to tell stories that we strongly feel should be seen and heard, honest and meaningful stories which once seen will not be forgotten. These stories, which generally represent a significant personal commitment on the part of the photographer, describe the world in a way that the mainstream press cannot, and which art photography venues may overlook, ignore, or decontextualize.
Who makes 8 Magazine?
8 is produced by a small staff of editors and interns based in London, with regular contributing writers.
Who reads it?
Over the last eight years our audience has grown from being primarily people within the photojournalism industry to a wider readership that values great photography and writing. Our readers are people who are curious about the world and thoughtful, who appreciate art and literature but perhaps do not buy into conventional categories. I think they both enjoy photography and appreciate the importance of documentary photography and photojournalism.
Why do you work in magazines?
We believe that magazines continue to be a vital way to present photography, that they offer the opportunity to display picture stories in a way that remains essentially different from other venues. The tradition of picture magazines has changed considerably over time. Our magazine honors and is grounded in that tradition but also benefits from the possibilities offered by contemporary creative design.
Aside from the print magazine, what else are you involved in?
8 Magazine, alongside www.foto8.com and the HOST Gallery on Honduras Street in London are all part of Foto8. The three complementary projects allow us to present photography to different audiences and convey the same sensibilities in very different kinds of experiences.
What would you change about 8 Magazine if you could?
It would be nice to have a way to distribute and ship the magazine affordably everywhere in the world.
Can you pick a favourite issue of 8 Magazine?
The next issue, the one which hasn’t been published yet.
Where do you see 8 Magazine in five years?
The magazine is continuously evolving as our own ideas and feelings about what photography can be and how it can be best-presented – and why – change. It’s impossible to say what the magazine will be like in five years except to say that it will not be the same as what it is now. Each issue raises new questions and challenges.
Tags: 8 Magazine, Jon Levy
