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, which is devoted to studio photography-a subject we visit just once every two years-all roads (male or female) led to Jill Greenberg, a creative and gifted artist who’s established herself as one of the foremost shooters in Los Angeles, while stirring up controversy along the way. Coincidentally, she’s a native of Montreal, as is my mother. So her selection as the subject for our cover profile story seemed to be cosmically ordained!
Glenn Steiner’s feature on averting disasters in the studio is an amusing and enlightening look at how anything that can go wrong, probably will. But by tapping into his or her ingenuity, the creative photographer can overcome adversity and become something of a hero in the process.
Our story on Seattle’s Doug Landreth gives a glimpse into how this successful studio photographer is pursuing personal fulfillment by shooting his own work as well as commercial work for clients. Doug’s portfolio shows that there’s more to him than meets the eye!
We are also particularly pleased to present a special tribute to the late and great Galen Rowell, who is the subject of a new retrospective coffee-table photography book. He and his wife, Barbara, left a legacy of photographic achievement that is carried on by Mountain Light, the operation they established in Bishop, Calif. Galen had intended to be a speaker at PhotoMedia’s World in Focus event in 2003, but his untimely passing prevented him from fulfilling that engagement. We also, sadly, never had the opportunity to feature Galen’s work in PhotoMedia while he was alive, so this coverage is long overdue. My special thanks go to Justin Black and Sam Petersen for their cooperation on this story.
I am also proud to report that PhotoMedia was recently honored with its fourth consecutive Apex Grand Award for the overall Summer 2005 issue on nature and landscape photography, as well as an Apex Award of Excellence in the Personality Profile category for our cover feature on David Muench in the same issue (see page 4). It is truly gratifying to receive such honors. And receiving them so consistently makes them all the sweeter. Thanks for the encouragement, Apex!
As always, please let our advertisers know that you noticed their ads in PhotoMedia (you’ll notice their robust participation in this issue, for which we are grateful). Their support is critical to our continuity and ability to bring you in-depth coverage of the world of photography for free, and they need to know, more than ever, that their advertising dollars are being well spent. We welcome your opinions on our coverage and encourage you to share PhotoMedia with others who love photography.
Happy holidays ahead!
Sincerely,
Gary Halpern, Publisher
