For me, one of the many joys of publishing PhotoMedia is navigating the path of discovery that leads us to the talented photographers we feature. Many of them are household names; others fly under the radar, yet define their careers by producing great work and making a living. In either case, it is a pleasure to become acquainted with them personally and to learn about their expertise and passion.

Somehow, we manage to gravitate toward worthy subjects who deserve the attention, and we are pleased to give it to them. This is one of those issues in which all roads seemed to lead to the photographers we selected for our coverage – the ones whose work seemed the most relevant and whose imagery we felt would inspire our readers...

Last September, it seemed uncertain whether it would be worthwhile to do our biennial issue on travel photography. The cost of gas had rapidly escalated to more than $4 a gallon. As the general public struggled to afford just commuting to work every day, it seemed as though foreign travel might become a luxury reserved for the rich.

Then something unprecedented happened. The price of a barrel of oil, which had topped out at about $145, plummeted to about $35 in just a few months. Unfortunately, the worldwide economy imploded along with it. But for travelers and travel photographers with some discretionary dollars, the price drop meant they would get another shot at affordable travel...

As we enter our 21st year of publishing PhotoMedia, much has changed.

The skyrocketing price of oil and shrinking value of the U.S. dollar, along with other economic factors, have caused prices to soar. This, in turn, presents everyone with the challenge of keeping pace with spiraling expenses. Few of us have experienced anything close to this, except for those old enough to have lived through the Great Depression.

Against this backdrop is a U.S. presidential election that will produce the first black man, the first woman or the oldest candidate to lead the country. We can only hope that the winner will provide some much-needed leadership and stability; we’re certainly overdue for progressive environmental initiatives...

As the world continues to sink deeper into an economic crisis, with the U.S. government bailing out banking monoliths and oil prices struggling to stabilize, the challenge to survive in business continues for everyone. At the same time, Americans are preparing for a presidential election, which is sure to have a profound impact on our collective future, whatever the outcome.

In this tempestuous atmosphere, the photography world recently reconvened for the biennial Photokina exposition in Germany to discuss the latest groundbreaking advances in photo technology. Most notably, the introduction of high-definition video capability in the high-end still-camera market is empowering photographers to express themselves creatively, conveniently and affordably in the motion-picture medium. This issue’s expanded...

If you’re picking up PhotoMedia for the first time, we hope this issue will strike you as visually powerful and editorially impressive. If you’re a longtime reader, on the other hand, you may be surprised by the dramatic evolution since our last issue (Fall 2007, on photojournalism).

Change is almost always a challenge and even a little scary, but in this case we think you’ll appreciate the results of our efforts. A sizeable rise in mailing costs and other expenses for the last issue prompted us to consider reinventing PhotoMedia with a new, slightly smaller and more convenient format — our first revision in more than 11 years — and a complete redesign, from front to back. This allowed us to incorporate many improvements that we had long contemplated. Every square inch of every page has been scrutinized...

In the world of publishing, surviving two years is an accomplishment – lasting 20 is something of a miracle!

To celebrate entering our 20th year, we wanted to make this a very special issue of PhotoMedia (PM). This is our most ambitious edition ever – a lot more pages (76), photos and in-depth features.

You’ll notice we have a new look, including a more contemporary PM logo and improved design throughout, thanks to our new creative director, Rich Huston.

It’s been a while since our last issue (Spring 2007). Skipping an issue (Summer) allowed us time to make some operational improvements and staff changes. Meanwhile, it’s been an incredible year so far...

Recently I was invited to be a judge for the Costco International Photo Contest. The 24,000 entries received reminded me, once again, how so many people around the world love making pictures. Since the Kodak advances in the late 1800s, photography has been as simple as pressing a button, but only the truly talented can produce an original and inspiring photo.

Surprisingly, judging the qualifying 7,000 shots in the contest wasn’t nearly as time-consuming as one might expect, as the most impressive efforts were quickly recognized and ultimately honored.

Fortunately, we don’t have to look through quite that many photos to identify those we’ll present in each issue of PhotoMedia, since we cover some of the foremost photographers in the business, with archives full of great work.

Certain events in one’s life can be pivotal to what lies ahead. In my case, it was the loss of my father in a heartbeat (or lack of one) when I was 16 years old that would prompt me to reevaluate my destiny. His passion for photography as a hobby would, along with other influences, inspire me to later make photography my career. After his passing, my mother and two older sisters provided their continued guidance to keep me on a positive track, while also instilling within me an appreciation for women’s issues and their struggle for gender equality in our society. I shall be forever grateful for their insight and wisdom.

With that in mind, it always gives me great pleasure to present the work of deserving women who have excelled in a heavily male-dominated industry. In this issue of PhotoMedia...