Magnum Blog / A new start for the Magnum Blog - the photo blog of Magnum Photos

Due to the fact that our former blog editor relocated to Stockholm it's been quiet on the Magnum Blog for a while. Time for a new start and some changes.

First of all I am going to briefly introduce myself. I am Martin Fuchs, an Austrian photographer and former intern at Magnum. Following my internship I have been freelancing for Magnum In Motion, the multimedia department, and various other departments for about two years. For my internship in 2005 I created my first blog (which is not updated anymore) and the blogging fever assumed power over me. It didn't let me go ever since and because I wanted to create a blog less tied to a certain location I created "Journal Of A Photographer".

The time I worked for Magnum proved to be a very valuable one. Imagine all the people you get to know and all the stories you get to hear... And over the long run I was even able to incorporate my blogging experience into Magnum. A couple of months ago I created the Magnum Blog and now I am very excited about the fact that I was asked to take over the editorial responsibilities for it.

This does not mean that I will be the one writing each and every article for this blog. It just means that I will try to gather as much information, stories, anecdotes and funny snippets for it as I can. Trying to give you a better insight into Magnum and what's going on. I will be in close touch with the photographers and one of our goals is to get them directly involved, to create a better way of communication and conversation between them and you.
Some of them such as Alec Soth and David Alan Harvey (the first two to start with) will become regular contributors to the blog. Both Alec and David have very interesting and successful blogs already. In case you don't know them yet check out Alec's blog and one or all four blogs of David Alan Harvey (1, 2, 3, 4).

There are many ideas and improvement suggestions that we want to incorporate and that we are working on. I am currently collecting content, I might change certain areas of the blog such as the links section a bit. But after all - you, our readers and visitors are the reason for this blog to exist and therefore I want this blog to become a more vital and valuable place for you to be.
I would like to ask you for a favor: It would be really great to hear your suggestions and ideas. What would you like to see and read here, what did you like so far and what did you find kind of odd? Please post your thoughts or e-mail me with any concerns you have about the blog at martin@magnumphotos.com.

This is a challenge and it's a good one. I am looking forward to all your comments and suggestions.

Reader comments (18)

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Hey martin,

I was reading your NEw York blog. Really interesting stuff, but a lot to take in at once since I had just found your new and then through that your old new York blog. Looking forward to seeing what you do with this place

Comment posted by Rafal Pruszynski on July 10, 2007

Martin, glad to hear that you are steering the ship. Most of all I would love to see a wide variety of photographers posting regularly about their works/assignments in progress. Those of us familiar with the magnum website have poured over the portfolios more than a few times, but I'd like like to get in touch with the more immediate stories that Magnum photographers are currently working on. As a young photojournalist, I look to magnum photographers for inspiration and as great educational resources. To hear more from the photographers themselves about the personal investments and inner thought processes that drive them to document issues/create works, I think, would be really valuable to this readership. Speaking for myself, I'm less interested in reading cynical remarks about how new technologies and shifting markets are affecting the industry. I get that enough in other photojournalism blogs. What strikes me about magnum photographers is that they are really grasping for something deeper, always pushing the craft forward with challenging imagery. I'd like to see challenging and evocative posts to compliment this imagery, and to know whats important to Magnum photographers NOW. Cheers, and I wish you the best in your new position, Martin.

Serge

Comment posted by Serge Giachetti on July 11, 2007

Martin! I'm glad you're back. Last year, I read with great interest your blog about interning at Magnum; it was some of the most insightful stuff I've read about my favorite photo institution. (I also really loved your InMotion work; someone needs to pick up where you left off there.) Congratulations on your return, and congratulations to Magnum for getting someone who is as motivated and productive as you.

For future topics, I would recommend that you interview and report on the new nominees as well as the new associate members. Beyond their photos, which we can all see, WHO are they and how did they get here?

Looking forward to your posts.

Comment posted by Terry Carroll on July 11, 2007

Thanks a lot for your feedback so far. Serge, I totally agree with you and we are working on getting the photographers more as well as directly involved. Not everything is gonna change from today until tomorrow but I hope that all of you will be able to see some fresh wind again soon!
Terry, your request to learn more about the new nominees and associate members is a good one. I actually already talked to the new nominees and they where already able to answer some of my questions. You can expect to read a first introduction of them later this week.

And thanks as well for the e-mails I received with ideas. Keep your comments coming and I will collect all of them.

Comment posted by Martin Fuchs on July 11, 2007

Hi Martin, going by the quality and the subject you choose for blogging, I expect some really good articles from you.

Comment posted by Jerald Noronha on July 11, 2007

welcome back, and good luck.

Comment posted by maique madeira on July 11, 2007

Martin, glad to have you back, I agree with Serge's comments and hope the 'New' blog will have more postings from the Magnum photographers, and of course more Photographs. This blog should be a two way street, I hope us photographers can learn from the experiences of other people outside of the Magnum sphere. (By the way, this is my first ever blog entry, hopefully the first of many I hope.)

Comment posted by Peter Marlow on July 11, 2007

At the end of the interesting discussion in Arles "Magnum - Mythes et Réalites", the panel takes a look on the future of Magnum.

I remember it was Susan Meiselas, who asked, how Magnum could connect to the flickr-generation.
It was a question, not an answer.

Back home, writing a littel article about my days in Arles, I had a look to the Magnum-Blog.

Last entry was from 31 May, more than a month ago!

It was an article from Martin Parr (I liked his conference in Arles!) about a tourism-project from 1991.
And I wrote, that in 1991 most of the flickr-generation was only a smile on the lips of their mothers!

As it was to quiet arround the Magnum-Blog, I hope, the relaunch brings more actuallity,more discussion to MiM.

Good luck!

Comment posted by Martin Storz on July 11, 2007

A good first step would be getting Peter Marlow to do a more detailed blog entry. I would like to see that. More importantly, there a number of photographers whose work is amazing, but I rarely see published in the US like Misters Marlow, Wylie, Steele-Perkins, Economopoulos, D'Agata and Ms. Sarfati. There are others, these names are just off the top of my head. What would they be willing to contribute? Their thought processes? That would be interesting. The idea process? If photography a process for them? Their meaning of photography? This is a rich opportunity and I look forward to the results. Good luck.

Comment posted by Tom Leininger on July 11, 2007

Fantastic - I think that this blog is quite unique already and it sounds like with what you have planned will become one of the top photography resources on the net. Definately worth keeping badgering the photographers to make posts- it's a remarkable insight into what is usually a fairly lonely and remote art. Wishing you all the very best with the project!

Comment posted by Neil on July 11, 2007

this could be a GREAT place....for example David Allan Harvey's blog is my favorite blog on the web because of DAH's involvement in the blog..writing almost everyday, responding, interacting...if you could get the other Magnum guys to be a little invlved in this blog that would be amazing

Comment posted by Rafal Pruszynski on July 11, 2007

martin!
great news! go for it! all the best for you here.

Comment posted by David Clifford on July 11, 2007

Great news Martin, Good luck!

Comment posted by brian david stevens on July 16, 2007

Es una buena noticia y además coincide con la publicación de un especial nuestro sobre la agencia, esta es la dirección: http://blogs.ya.com/yashoot/c_47.htm.
Un saludo

Comment posted by yashoot on July 18, 2007

Followed your internship period and linked to some of your other stuff. Good to see you 'in charge'. And...don't become the 'tech' guy. Cheers, PW

Comment posted by Peter on July 19, 2007

I also agree with Serge. Unfortunately a day only counts 24 hours. That's way too little to spend on Magnum's excellent site and blog :-(

Comment posted by Serge on July 20, 2007

Hey Martin! it's "blinking8s" from the photoblog world. Awesome to see you posting on here!

Comment posted by Will on July 27, 2007

Thanks for the great information. I just suscribed to your blog feed. Michelle

Comment posted by Michelle Wong on February 9, 2008

A new start for the Magnum Blog

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