NEW DIRECTION
While our return has been quite successful, there were a few issues that have now prompted us to move the publication away from Instagram and direct it more to the internet and our website.
Let's answer a few questions you might have...
First off, why?
Most, not all, IG based publications only exist in the realm of the platform. They are not made functional outside of social media. Artist are acquired within IG and rarely are they found outside of it. At least 90% of the artist who are published only show there work via social media. While they may have a website, most if not all of their work is shown on IG and they even list it as the platform where all their work can be found.
So the reality is, IG magazines are mainly existing on IG. Use artist who mainly show on IG, and the magazine doesn't fully function outside of IG.
What issues does this cause?
It makes most IG publications an echo chamber. Your work as an artist is NOT being seen outside of IG. Your popularity is contained within the site. As an artist, who has created work since the early 80's, I feel this is limiting and to be honest sad. IG isn't an alternative to show your work, it's become the only world your work exist in. It's an echo chamber. You mirror what others wish to see, you don't go beyond the simulation.
Our idea?
I started publishing artist work via an online magazine (SESSIONS) in 2016. We ran for a couple of years dealing mainly with artist who showed their via websites, photo platforms (500px) and Facebook. This was highly successful. The idea was to create a magazine like Shots Magazine (a very popular photo magazine that dates back to the mid 90's) and to the more recent online magazine, Model Society. These are two great examples, while they do have IG profiles, they exist mainly through their website. Plus they produce a print publication.
This is where we intend to go with the our publication. While we will keep our IG profile, we will begin to operate more from our wesbite, email and possibly the group chat platform of, Discord.
What changes will take place?
The biggest change is that we will possibly do away with "Open" submissions and go to seeking out the work and artist that we want in each issue/recruting. We will look for artist who we want as regular contributors but also look for new talent. When we are between issues we will go about looking for artist to submit to the next issue.
This will be made up of new artist and our set regular contributors.
What will it take to be a Regular Contributor?
1.First off, respect. I don't think I need to expand on this.
2. Willing to provide Model Releases. Huge issue. Arist must be willing to provide a Model Release with every submission, contract must be signed and signed in INK! Believe it or not we have artist try and pass off contracts in pencil. This won't fly. Also, please stop telling us how hard it is for you to get an MR. Be professional.
3. Know what our publication is asking for theme wise and be prepared to send the appropriate work.
4. Follow the Submission Guidelines. They've been on our websiet since day one. Yet everyone tries to break them or go around them. If we say 12 Image limit we mean it.
5. Communicate. Keep in touch with what is going on with your submission. But above all, be respectful.
6. Provide a body of work that follows what the magazine is all about.
The website will change dramatically in the next month to reflect our now working online verses social media. We will once again launch our version of Instagram and show artist work via, our PHOTOGRAM page. This will be a link to a gallery that will show an image or two of work that is in the recent issues. Additionally, we wil be securing a YouTube Channel where will advertise video compilations of each issue we produce for PHOTOSESSIOONMAG. Our first video will be of Issue 12.
Artist will receive a tear sheet of their work per issue they appear. We will advertise the issue that has just come out, plus two other images to reflect the new issues content. Three total. Story post will no longer happen, other than one 24 hour post that submissions are open and its end date. That's all we will provide.
When submissions are open we will also contact the artist by DM or email, once with no reminders.
Why are we takiing this direction?
For many years artist sought out being published on there own and getting their work in print was a reward. Publications were treated with respect. Since the rise of Social Media, this has fallen to the way side. We hope to bring this back. We would also like to see PHOTOSESSIONMAG flourish outside of IG and become a much bigger magazine than it currently is. We can't do that as a simple IG publication.
For Questions, please feel free to email: ktracy32@hotmail.com
WHAT WE ACCEPT AND DON'T ACCEPT IN REGARDS TO NUDES
It's an old photo publishing reference but fits quite well, "WE WILL NOT SHOW THE PINK".
PHOTOSESSIONMAG, accepts all forms of nudes, but we do have limits to it's extent.
Breast are fine, butts are fine, pubic area is fine, but showing of the vagina or penis is NOT something we accept. Not even if you the artist considers it, "art".
PHOTOSESSIONMAG is an open photo work publication, meaning we publish more than just fine art nude/nudes. We publish many levels of what is considered art. It's with this, that we don't see it as appropriate to show a models vagina or penis. We feel it might offend those who are contributing work that is NOT to this level of what one might see as a, "fine art nude". Ones art might not be anothers.
If we were publishing a full publication devoted to nudes or erotic nudes than this might be something we accept.
We've noticed as of late, a resurgance of photographers delving into male nudes complete with exposing of the models penis. This can either be of a model or the photographer shooting a self portrait. We understand fully if this is an area you are exploring, but this publication will not highlight it or publish work that includes it. Same goes for model sets where a models legs are wide spread showing a vagina.
In the history of our publishing from, 2016 to present, we've piublished many fine art nude/nudes. We've even published erotic photo work. But still maintain that private areas are not to be shown.
Any work that is submitted to us that breaks this rule is automatically refused and deleted.
SUBMISSION GUIDELINES
This will be a quarterly run with issues falling in January, April, July and the big issue in October. This is a total experiment to see how well a one year publishing does.
The following themes: April: Black and White. July: FINE ART. October: Halloween.
Every issue will have two galleries you can submit to, but you cannot submit to both nor can we switch image submissions between the two. The second gallery is always an open gallery so if you don't have content that matches the theme, you would have the second gallery to submit open work.
12 IMAGE LIMIT AND NO MORE!
We can provide, a Model Release by email, if you are in need of one.
PHOTOGRAPHER CANNOT PRINT MODELS NAME IN SIGNATURE LINE!! This has been an issue in the past. Model has to sign with birth name on license and or birth certificate. No Model Release no publish.
Model Release must be filled out and signed in pen, NOT pencil. Don't care if it might be considered legal, be professional and fill it out in pen, or it will NOT be accepted.
Issue will rely heavily on PDF viewing. We will not be doing two page spreads. We will also provide print copies through BLURB BOOKS, but I will warn you, print cost have went up, so we will provide an Economy and Premium option. Blurb on a regular basis has discount deals.
APRIL ISSUE: SUBMISSIONS, FEBRUARY 5TH AND RUN TO APRIL 5TH.
NO SUBMISSIONS ARE ACCEPTED AFTER THAT.
APRIL ISSUE COMES OUT: APRIL 15TH.
QUESTIONS? CONTACT US BY EMAIL.
CONSULT ADDITIONAL GUIDELINES
