Underdogs 15

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DOGS photography magazine / issue_15

John Brian King Ismael CastaĂąeda J. Daniel Hud Jonathan Jacquet Zisis Kardianos Matthew Martin Boris Milas Alex Muriana Michele Vittori Klavdia Balampanidou Michel NguiĂŠ Lena Pogrebnaya

Curator/Editor/Publisher: Isa Gelb www.punkroyaltiger.tumblr.com/ www.flickr.com/photos/isagelb/ www.instagram.com/punkroyaltiger/ Cover & back cover: Michel NguiĂŠguiĂŠ All images and text published in Underdogs are the sole property of the featured photographers.

NO image can be reproduced, edited, copied or distributed without the express written permission of its legal owner.

NO part of the publication may be reproduced in any form without the written consent of the publisher.

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I’ve been thinking about entry fees that some photo magazines and contests charge on artists’ submissions— not because I intend to do anything similar with Underdogs, but because from time to time I submit my photography to other venues myself.

To be honest, I reactively grudge at the thought of having to part with my money for the uncertain opportunity of getting published. (I hope that’s human nature and not just me.)

Attempting to go beyond my own instinctive disinclination, I have taken some time to consider the pros and cons of entry fees .

First, the pros: Entry fees are a way for publishers to increase revenue and thereby stay in print (or on the web).

Such fees might compensate editors for their time reviewing submissions. To the extent people are willing to pay entry fees, they may even validate the status of a publication (i.e., it’s so good, people will pay for the chance to get in).

Depending on the taste and priorities of the publisher, entry fees may also reduce the need for advertising revenue, resulting in fewer ads and increased emphasis on the content—a positive outcome in my opinion.

An issue I find fascinating, which I believe lies somewhere between a pro and a con (at its worst, I think it’s a con disguised as a pro), is the justification of entry fees based on editorial feedback to the submitting artist.

At first, it’s hard to see such feedback as anything less than a positive: instead of a submitting artist receiving a summary “no thanks” from a publication, the artist might receive some constructive criticism on how to make their work publishable in the future.

However, I’ve seen examples resembling this one: A well-regarded photo magazine charges a substantial entry fee for submissions—say $50 for a 5-photo series. An amateur photographer, who is inexperienced but has some confidence in her work, and who would be thrilled to be published in the magazine, decides to submit and pay the entry fee. She thinks, “Well, even if my photos don’t get published, at least my work will get looked at by such-and-such prominent photographer, critic, etc., and I’ll learn their thoughts.” The magazine declines to publish the photos. The photographer doesn’t receive an engaged, personal, and thoughtful response from the editor explaining the decision, but rather something resembling a form letter explaining the basic principles of photography.

It might be too much to expect an MFA-level “crit” for $50—but the cost of arts education is its own important issue.

For the sake of space, I won’t write much on the cons of entry fees, but I’ll raise an issue that ties into charging for editorial feedback: what does it mean to charge at the level of the submitting artist, as opposed to the viewer?

Does this practice play to artists’ vanity instead of relying on the social value of the work, and of the publication?

Even if it’s all a wash in the end, I believe publications should be conscious of what values they are championing through their practices.

John Koch www.flickr.com/photos/orphotographer/ Isa Gelb www.punkroyaltiger.tumblr.com/ www.instagram.com/punkroyaltiger/

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JOHN BRIAN KING

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JOHN BRIAN KING

Palm Springs, California / USA

HIS CAMERAS Lomography Lomo’Instant Wide and Fujifilm Instax Wide 300 instant film cameras

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ISMAEL CASTAÑEDA

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ISMAEL CASTAÑEDA Toledo / Spain

HIS CAMERAS Olympus OM-2 and Fuji X100F

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J. DANIEL HUD

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J. DANIEL HUD

Tucson, Arizona / USA

HIS CAMERAS Canon 5D and Bronica GS-1

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JONATHAN JACQUET

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JONATHAN JACQUET

Bouillon / Belgium

HIS CAMERAS Olympus Mju II,Yashica T4, Canon AE1P, Ricoh GR2 and Fuji X100T

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ZISIS KARDIANOS

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ZISIS KARDIANOS

Zakynthos / Greece

HIS CAMERAS Fujifilm XT-1 (mainly now) and Canon 5D 30

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MATTHEW MARTIN

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MATTHEW MARTIN Chester / United Kingdom

HIS CAMERA Ricoh GR

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BORIS MILAS

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BORIS MILAS

Perth / Western Australia

HIS CAMERA Mamiya C330 and Hasselblad 500 Cm 42

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ALEX MURIANA

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ALEX MURIANA

Granada, Andalucía / Spain

HIS CAMERA Olympus E-330 49

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MICHELE VITTORI

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MICHELE VITTORI Roma / Italy

HIS CAMERAS Sony A7II and Canon Sureshot Supreme

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KLAVDIA BALAMPANIDOU

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KLAVDIA BALAMPANIDOU Nicosia / Cyprus

HER CAMERAS Powershot G15, Nikon 750, Canon AE1 and disposable cameras

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MICHEL NGUIÉ

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MICHEL NGUIÉ Roubaix / France

HIS CAMERAS Canon T80, Yashica T5, Olympus Mju II and Contax T2 66

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LENA POGREBNAYA

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LENA POGREBNAYA Odessa / Ukraine

HER CAMERA Nikon F100 72

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THANKS TO ALL PHOTOGRAPHERS

JOHN BRIAN KING

Palm Springs, California / USA http://johnbrianking.com/ www.instagram.com/jbkphotographer/

ISMAEL CASTAÑEDA Toledo / Spain

www.ismaelcastaneda.com/ www.instagram.com/ismaelcastanneda/

J. DANIEL HUD

BORIS MILAS

www.jdanielhud.com/ www.instagram.com/jdanielhud/

www.borismilas.tumblr.com/ www.instagram.com/asylum_years/

JONATHAN JACQUET

ALEX MURIANA

www.flickr.com/photos/djodjack www.instagram.com/dialekte.be/

https://www.instagram.com/alex.muriana/

Tucson, Arizona / USA

Bouillon / Belgium

ZISIS KARDIANOS Zakynthos / Greece

www.zisiskardianos.com/ www.instagram.com/zisiskardianos/

MATTHEW MARTIN Chester / United Kingdom

www.endlessproof.com/ www.instagram.com/endlessproof/

Perth / Western Australia

Granada, Andalucía / Spain

MICHELE VITTORI Roma / Italy

https://www.michelevittori.com/ https://www.instagram.com/mhlvittori/

KLAVDIA BALAMPANIDOU Nicosia / Cyprus

www.cargocollective.com/Clodiamp/ www.instagram.com/clodia_mp/

MICHEL NGUIÉ Roubaix / France

www.flickr.com/photos/michel-nguie/ www.instagram.com/michelnguie/

LENA POGREBNAYA Odessa / Ukraine

https://www.flickr.com/photos/helenapogrebcarter/ https://www.behance.net/lenapogrebnaya www.instagram.com/lena.pogrebnaya/

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Next issue July 2018

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