Congratulations to AP for making it 135 years of publication , this is especially remarkable when you consider that photography itself did not exist until 1885 and the digital revolution has almost rewritten the technical landscape of the photographic process !
I have to confess to having a emotional attachment to this publication , this magazine takes me back to my teenage years on Tyneside when British Art Photography and myself were both finding our photographic feet, this publication lit the fire within me and convinced me to pursue a photographic lifestyle, I attended a full time photography course as a aimless 16 year old .
The 1970’s was a time of social change and challenges, nationally and personally , I found my escape within the pages of this mag, looking back it was aimed firmly at male readers who were buying camera kit , the best selling issues usually featured pictures of women wearing bikinis on the front cover , Fleet Streets finest would reflect weekly on recent pictures and stories with lots of camera name dropping going on , although it should be said that the educational ,technical and technique features were second to none at this time !
The classifieds featured a dubious “Models” section , not to be confused with “Dubious Models” ? , the publications readers appeared to be obsessed with glamour photography.
I have memories of Victor Blackman , Geoffrey Crawley and even Bob Carlos Clarke talking the talk on these pages against a backdrop of reviews for cameras that were way out of my reach financially , I stumbled on with a humble second hand £5.00 Cosmic 35 & Patterson tank before buying my Yashica Mat LM TLR for £30 from a generous neighbor, the money came from my first weekly wage, in fact it was my entire first wage and best buy ever ! I still own this camera , it changed my life !
Everyone needs help when they are starting out !
This magazine taught me what photography could be with a bit of care and consideration.
Thanking AP for holding my hand through the early days of my photography and the digital revolution , really appreciated !
I always buy the Christmas edition of Amateur Photographer as one of my Christmas traditions , perhaps we should all support this iconic British publication more .
Happy 135th Birthday AP , enjoy many more !