For one day last September, it seemed as if the world stopped. And in the subsequent days and weeks, we were all awakened to the realization that every moment of every day is precious, since, as we saw, our own security is but an illusion.

The world will never be the same as a result of those fateful events. Global economics and politics have shifted dramatically, while a country (Afghanistan) has been decimated in order to overthrow a corrupt government and eliminate a terrorist network. These efforts have collectively tapped our courage as a society while...

This issue of PhotoMedia marks the beginning of our 15th year of publishing. That is no small feat in an industry that typically sees titles fail within two years. Considering that PhotoMedia is the only regional publication (Western states and British Columbia) of its sort in the entire United States, and that it has been free to readers throughout our distribution network since its inception, our continuity is something of a miracle.

Looking through past issues recently, I was reminded of our humble beginnings and the evolution to the publication you are now reading. Since our first issue in 1988, it always has been our goal to educate, inspire and make every new issue better than the last, pushing the creative and content envelope a little further. From a black-and-white newsprint tabloid to a four-color, coated-stock magazine, PhotoMedia has...

Travel photography is often perceived by the public as a glamorous profession in which the photographer has the opportunity to experience the world in an atmosphere of spontaneity, curiosity and adventure.

Many of us grew up with National Geographic, and the impressive and dramatic photographs of exotic cultures in distant locations no doubt inspired many to take photography more seriously, and perhaps even enter it as a profession...

On April 20, I had the opportunity to put PhotoMedia's 13 years and my publishing career in perspective when I attended the 50th annual Maggie Awards for publishing excellence in Los Angeles. Last year, PhotoMedia won one of these prestigious statues in the Best Interview or Profile in a Trade Publication category, but I was unable to attend and receive the award in person, as the event's schedule conflicted with production deadlines on our Spring 2000 issue. This year, when we got the word that we had been named a finalist in two categories - including the same category as last year and also Best Overall Design in a Trade Publication...

As it does once every two years, our editorial focus this issue returns to studio photography. As we researched stories focusing on individuals and the industry, it became clear that these photographers, regardless of their specialty, have one thing in common: They make photos rather than just take them.

The photographers we present in these pages are masters of premeditation with an obsession for detail. From concepts to completion, they use time-tested skills as a foundation for cutting-edge lighting, exposure and post-production techniques. Without exception, they inventively capture their clients' desires on film, and often deliver much, much more.

Our thanks to all the featured photographers (and their staffs) who cheerfully cooperated in presenting their work...

This is an issue I’ve been looking forward to since last summer. While on a nature photography road trip from Seattle to Grand Teton National Park, I stumbled on a photo gallery in Jackson Hole, Wyo. It was a Sunday night, so the gallery was closed, but I was transfixed by the photos displayed inside. I was heading back on the road early the next morning, so would not have a chance to enter the gallery, but I grabbed a courtesy catalog from a dispenser outside the door.

Continuing on my trip, the memory of those photos stayed with me. As I looked over the catalog along the way, I knew we had to share those photos—and this photographer—with our readers. One of the highlights of this issue on nature and wildlife photography has been getting to view more...

This issue started out with a focus on travel and location photography. As we began talking to location and travel photographers to research stories, we learned that many are focusing on portrait photography on location.

Technically, portraiture overlaps into several of our general themes, including location and studio photography. But more and more, portraiture offers location photographers a new source of income. And, more and more portrait photographers are facing new demands to photograph subjects out of the studio, on their subjects' home turf. To explore this trend, we've focused this issue on people and places. We hope you'll enjoy what's in store...

Since our spring issue, several events have drawn my attention to a phenomenon that has been intensifying dramatically for the last five years or so: the news media's tendency to sensationalize stories. Whether it be the downfall of a celebrity, a senseless shooting, or a natural disaster, all segments of the news industry seem to be embracing these stories with zeal.

We are living in the age of the big story, and each new story seems to get bigger than the last. Witness the Oklahoma City bombing, the O.J. Simpson murder trials, Princess Diana's passing, President Clinton's sexual transgressions and subsequent impeachment, the war in Kosovo, the Columbine shootings, JFK Jr.'s passing, and the aftermath of Hurricane Floyd. The subjects are put under a microscope while the public lives vicariously...

As we exit the 20th century, computers have become integral for processing virtually all aspects of human intellectual activity, from transacting business to conducting scientific research to facilitating communications and the arts. Little remains untouched by the computer's impact.

It has been intriguing to monitor the evolution of digital technologies within the photography industry, starting with the prototype systems for image capture and output to the current, fully conceived products. The move to digital has given us plenty to write about as photographers and photo users discover new opportunities...

Since our spring issue, several events have drawn my attention to a phenomenon that has been intensifying dramatically for the last five years or so: the news media’s tendency to sensationalize stories. Whether it be the downfall of a celebrity, a senseless shooting, or a natural disaster, all segments of the news industry seem to be embracing these stories with zeal.

We are living in the age of the big story, and each new story seems to get bigger than...