Amateur Photographer

Amateur Photographer is a British photography magazine, published weekly by Kelsey Media. The magazine provides articles on equipment reviews, photographic technique, and profiles of professional photographers.

Amateur Photographer
EditorNigel Atherton
CategoriesPhotography
FrequencyWeekly (Tuesday)
Circulation13,673 (ABC Jan - Dec 2015)[1]
Print and digital editions.
First issue10 October 1884
CompanyKelsey Media
CountryUnited Kingdom
LanguageEnglish
Websiteamateurphotographer.co.uk
The Amateur Photographer, Vol 1, No 1, rear cover
Alfred Stieglitz's The Last Joke, Bellagio, also known as A Good Joke was to win first place in the Amateur Photographer's "Photographic Holiday Work Competition", appearing in the 25 November 1887 issue.

About the magazine

Amateur Photographer was first published on 10 October 1884 by Hazell, Watson and Viney, making it over 130 years old. It has established itself as the world's number one weekly photography magazine. Some of the most renowned photographers such as Alfred Stieglitz, Frank Meadow Sutcliffe, David Bailey and Bob Carlos Clarke have written for the magazine over the years.[2]

Regular features

AP (as it is referred to) is usually based around the following items:

  • AP News - information on the world of film and digital photography; including details of product launches, external competitions and upcoming events (festivals, events, galleries and camera clubs).
  • Letters - Readers letters concerning recent events, views on photography and feedback on AP articles. Sponsored by Fujifilm UK, film or digital media is provided for all letters published.
  • Photo Insight - Each week one of four photographers explains the ideas and techniques behind a particular photograph.
  • Reader Spotlight - Readers photographs. Readers can submit up to 10 photographs (not needing to be themed) on film or digital media. A selection of these is published each week. The 'Editor's Choice' each week is paid £50.
  • AP's Icons of Photography - A camera, photograph, photographer or other notable figure from photographic history.
  • AP Test Bench - AP's tests of the latest photography equipment.
  • Ask AP - Technical help in response to readers letters and emails.
  • Vendor Adverts/Classifieds - A wide selection of UK and international equipment vendors (some offering preferential rates to AP readers); and AP's own classified ads for readers to submit.
  • Final Analysis - Weekly essay from Roger Hicks.

Amateur Photographer of the Year (APOY)

APOY is an annual competition run by Amateur Photographer, and is open to anyone that earns less than 10% of their yearly salary from photography.[3]

Each year's competition is run on a monthly basis, with each month having a dedicated "theme" for the images to adhere to. The APOY judges than narrow the entries down to a short list of 50. From there, the final 'Top 30' are awarded points and published in the magazine; with the top three places being awarded prize donated by Canon UK. All 30 point scoring photographers are entered into the league table; which is edited after each round. After all ten rounds, the photographer with the highest score in the league table is crowned the Amateur Photographer Of the Year and wins £5,000 worth of vouchers.

Staff, contributors and notable ex-staff

Current staff
  • Editor: Nigel Atherton
  • Technical Editor: Andy Westlake
  • Features Editor: Amy Davies
  • Technique Editor" Hollie Latham Hucker
  • Production Editor: Jacqueline Porter
  • Deputy Editor: Geoff Harris
  • AP Internet Forum Administrator: TheFatController (AKA: Myk Ripley)

Notable ex-members of staff or contributors
  • George Hughes - Features Editor from 1968 to 1979. Created interview features with many legendary photographers, such as Brassai, Ansel Adams, Cartier-Bresson, Karsh, André Kertész. Returned to the magazine as Publishing Editor for a short period at the end of the 1980s. Served on Arts Council of Great Britain Photography Panel.
  • Geoffrey Crawley - A renowned expert on the science of photography, as well as the inventor of the Paterson range of developers, Geoffrey was previously the Editor of the "British Journal of Photography" for 21 years. He is also known for exposing the Cottingley Fairies hoax and advising investigators into the assassination of U.S. President John F. Kennedy.[4] Geoffrey died in 2010.[5]
  • Garry Coward-Williams - Editor (from November 1998 up to and including issue dated 3 March 2007). Garry first moved into journalism in 1985 after a career as a professional photographer. Before joining Amateur Photographer, he was the editor of Cage and Aviary Birds and, prior to that, the deputy editor of Shooting Times & Country Magazine.[6]
  • Bob Carlos Clarke - Irish enfant terrible erotic photographer column in the early 1990s.[7]
  • David Bailey
  • Roger Hicks (up to his death in 2019) - Born in Cornwall, Roger stumbled into photography in 1966. After various job (law, teaching, accounting) he turned to professional photography in 1975 at a London advertising studio. His first book was published in 1980, and then turned full-time to freelance photography, writing and journalism in 1981.[8]

References
  1. "ABC Certificates and Reports: Amateur Photographer". Audit Bureau of Circulations. Retrieved 15 February 2014.
  2. "Amateur Photographer Website, "About" section".
  3. "APOY Rules".
  4. "Meet the Team". www.amateurphotographer.co.uk.
  5. "Obituary: Geoffrey W. Crawley (1926-2010) (updated)". britishphotohistory.ning.com.
  6. Amateur Photographer dated 24 February 2007, page 6: Key Promotions Reflect AP talent
  7. "Layout of BCC Obituary from AP in .pdf form" (PDF).
  8. "About Us". Roger Hicks and Francis Schultz.
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