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Magnum, Magnum
As most people are aware Magnum is the only agency where the photographers vote on any potential new member, so it would be quite logical that we select each others' work for this book. Peer group knowledge can also be quite illuminating as we know our fellow photographers' work pretty well. This idea then started to get legs and it was clear that the only person capable of orchestrating such an undertaking was Brigitte Lardinois who had worked in the London Magnum cultural department for 12 years. Not only was she liked by all the photographers, she would know all our quirks, foibles and was also very charming and persuasive, a vital ingredient to make this work. One month was allotted to the task of making up the pairings, but in fact this eventually turned into 3 months. Some photographers would have to select more than one, because of the estates, but it soon became obvious this was no easy task. Jane Cutter, an editor at Thames and Hudson likened this process to organising a teenage camping trip. You had to find out who did not want to share a tent with x, who did not mind sharing with anybody, and who was determined to sleep on their own. She also had the problem that some photographers were very popular and were over subscribed with potential selectors, and horror of horrors, some had no suitors. After 3 months, 4,000 e-mails and hours on the phone it all worked out like a huge jigsaw. A couple of photographers such as Dennis Stock insisted on self selection. Some photographers such as Bruce Davidson insisted that he was selected by Chien-Chi, and that he selected Chien-Chi, who he regards as the most underrated photographer within Magnum. Brigitte then had the task of getting the introductory text out of the photographers, and this too was a daunting task. This process was all the more difficult as the photographers would disappear as the were on assignments or doing personal work in all the corners of the globe. So far, so good. At the AGM in 2007 when I was debriefing the member photographers about progress on this project, there was much concern voiced about the procedure for signing off the proofs and of course the quality of the printing. Some photographers demanded to personally sign off their proofs, and this meant sending them to summer retreats, and catching the restless Josef Koudelka at one of his rare times in the Magnum Paris office or other rather complicated arrangements. I agreed to take on the responsibility of checking all the proofs. These finally caught up with me in a hotel in Tokyo and meant getting up at 4am, so they could be returned immediately, as by now the project was on a very tight schedule to come out now for the run up to Xmas. So finally the book is out and weighing 6.5kg and with 414 photographs it is an epic item. I calculate that at £95 in the UK, this means it works out at £14.62 per kilo, about the same price as cod, so you do get a lot of book for your money. Links:
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Now that this tome has hit the streets, I thought it would be worthwhile to give some details to the background of this project. All Magnum group projects have to gain board or membership approval, and so it was at the 2006 AGM in London we were discussing Thames and Hudson's interest in doing a book to celebrate our 60th anniversary for 2007.I came up with an idea that the photographers select each other as being a potentially interesting way to get a fresher selection, and to benefit from inside knowledge within the agency.
Reader comments (23)
I already had it in my hands and my eyes started to glow, my girlfriend told me. ;-) I guess I will buy it on 25th of Dec if it will not make it as my Xmas gift. :)
Comment posted by Daniel K. Gebhart on November 20, 2007
Love the comparison between paying £ 14.62 for a kilo of cod and about the same price for a kilo of a Magnum book. :)
Which member did you select to write about Mr. Parr?
Comment posted by Lea Kast on November 20, 2007
I thought Vii Agency photographers also selected their new members?? Looks like a great book!
Comment posted by Me on November 20, 2007
While I've been looking forward to the book ever since I heard about it, the list price in Canada is $270. In the US of A, it's $225. 95 pounds in Canadian dollars today is $190. Not at all a good time to be living in Canada.
This will be the one book where I have to admit defeat and order from Amazon in America. Or sell a kidney. Or put my cameras in hock.
Comment posted by Luke on November 20, 2007
This is very exciting. I might have to buy a new coffee table especially for it.
And three cheers for Bruce Davidson. Chien-Chi Chang is underrated. I myself had barely known his work (other than what was in Magnum's "Stories") until he began getting some attention earlier this year on the Magnum Blog. Odd how something as inherently quiet as "still photography" relies on "speaking up." There are a lot of great unknown photographers in this world. Publicity and personality can make all the difference between doing great photography and being a "great photographer."
Comment posted by Terry Carroll on November 20, 2007
I didn't knew about the internal policy of Magnum. Its truly amazing that a company as big as Magnum is, trust his employees with such respect.
Has for the book i can't wait to have it in my hands. I haven't seen it in the stores yet. In the article you said that it was translated to 7 languages. Do you know if Portugal is include ?
Comment posted by Bruno Afonso on November 20, 2007
On www.amazon.com the book is listed at USD 141, 75....which is USD 58,25 less than in the Magnum store. That's a lot of cod. Now if I'd buy it from the amazon people, could you still send your children to school? Thanks for letting me know. Cheers, Peter
Comment posted by Peter on November 20, 2007
Yes but at the Magnum Store the book is signed. No?
Comment posted by Mark on November 21, 2007
I recently bought Magnum: Stories, and haven't had time to start reading it yet. How is Magnum Magnum compared to Magnum: Stories?
Comment posted by Greg on November 22, 2007
Literally heavier?
Comment posted by John Vink on November 22, 2007
Luke, it's even worse to be a Canadian student :( ... especially one who spent his summer travelling in Europe rather than working... and who instantly bought Magnum Stories in Glasgow and lugged it on Ryan Air all over the place... including a one-day trip to London and pilgrimmage to the Magnum office, where the young woman at the front gave me a funny look for knocking on the door to at least stick my head in...
Ah well... Magnum, Magnum will be in my library one day. :)
Comment posted by Andrew on November 22, 2007
$225? Oh well, I think I'll wait for the movie version.
Comment posted by Akaky on November 24, 2007
I have seen Magnum book in Amsterdam two week ago. No way to buy it with comments in dutch. Last saturday I bought it in Zurich (english version). Great print quality, great photos and comments by photographer to photographer. It's really a "Magnum" book.
Comment posted by lino sprizzi on November 27, 2007
The local bookstore here told me that only 3000 copies of this book were printed.. is this true or am i being told lies???
Comment posted by Alan on December 3, 2007
I purchased the book last week at the Aperture gallery unveiling, where Bruce Davidson, Paul Fusco, Bruce Gilden, Alex Majoli, Steve McCurry and Susan Meiselas were on hand for meeting, greeting and signing. One would hardly know one was amongst titans.
I'm no expert but the printing is fabulous. It's more a coffee table than a coffee table book. The images stand out because the sizes of the prints are generous and the quality--- whether b+w or color-- is tailored so suit the particular style of each photographer; its not as lush or idiosyncratic as a vintage print, but it's as close as I've seen reproduced in a book. Despite the differences in format (b+w, color, full bleed, four ups, etc.) and each photographer's style, the design is simple, classic and elegant and feels gracefully uniform throughout.
I already have IN OUR TIMES, MAGNUM DEGREES and MAGNUM STORIES (not to mention dozens of monographs) already so they really had to go a few extra miles to get me to commit to this new tome. Each photographer's section presents an editor's introduction, an essay by a fellow Magnum photographer, and a selection of the photographer's images chosen by the fellow essayist. The formula works, but, for me, perhaps not as quite well as MAGNUM STORIES in which the text reads like well-edited interviews, which feels less formally composed but more alive. I also prefer MS photo essays, that read more like epics than stories. MAGNUM MAGNUM doesn't quite compare in this regard. Perhaps my judgment on this point will improve once I've read all the essays (some are better written than others; some are more heartfelt than others). It was quite ingenious to have each photographer appraise another. I'm sure these assessments reveal keen insights.
Unfortunately, I can't really afford to buy actual prints, so this feels like the next best thing. As such it is a bargain at twice the price, which would have been unaffordable. As for other such tomes crippling my shelves, it's snuggled nicely with Nachtwey's* INFERNO, Stieglitz's KEY SET, and VII's WAR.
* Curiously absent from MAGNUM STORIES, I know he went to VII but why wouldn't he release the rights? What's the story on that?
Comment posted by verninino on December 6, 2007
Oh, I read about it here!
Comment posted by verninino on December 7, 2007
Alex Webb was there too. It's kind of ironic that I forgot him on my original list. He got there earliest, stayed the longest and was the most engaging of the entire bunch. He was the only one to do a reading; though Susan Meiselas made some opening remarks.
Comment posted by verninino on December 8, 2007
the one REALLY intreresting book would have been photographers selecting and wrinting about the one they DID NOT like in magnum...would have learned much more - maybe for our 70th anniversary
a.
Comment posted by abbas on December 9, 2007
On some reason the book at Amazon UK is listed as "dispatched within 7 to 9 months". Also it is not listed in Thames & Hudson UK web site (http://www.thameshudson.co.uk). Can anyone comment? I really would like to get the book and if it will not be available from UK then I'd like to order it from US (before it is sold out).
Comment posted by Ahto T. on December 12, 2007
Ahto, thanks for your comment. We already noticed strange delivery times with Amazon in that case and don't quite know what's going on. We're checking that. At the moment you can definitely order your copy at the Magnum Store. I just checked with Meagan, our store manager and the book is in stock. We do ship internationally as well. I hope that helped for now.
Comment posted by Martin Fuchs on December 12, 2007
In the UK all copies are out in the bookshops. At present, the Thames & Hudson (UK) warehouse has no copies left which is why it's not on our website.
However, this week I have seen copies in a few central London bookshops - If you want to purchase from the UK and want instant gratification - support your bricks-and-mortar bookseller!
Comment posted by Johanna on December 12, 2007
MAGNUM MAGNUM is a glorious production -- a credit to the collective effort that Martin Parr explains went into it. The Amazon delivery times are surely just a glitch in the info on the website -- my copy came from Amazon UK and arrived as soon as it reached them, I think -- I've had it several weeks, anyway.
I took the (I thought) clever move of having it delivered to my office. Since then, I have been pressed for time to look at it while here at the office...and of course the book is too damned big to lug home on the bus! So here it stays, all fourteen kilos accusingly looking at me and waiting to be feasted on -- just like cod!!
regards, alun
Comment posted by alun severn on December 17, 2007
This book is definitely a milestone within the Magnum publications. It's on my wish list but right now I have other financial obligations...
Comment posted by Serge on December 17, 2007