I think I might be slightly to blame for this publication. I didn’t publish this, nor am I involved in the process but I THINK my AG23 project was percolating in the background during the formation of Cubaseen Photo-Zine, and if that is the case then I am truly thrilled because this is one nice publication.
Before I go any further. Publishing something like this, something that requires collecting work from both amateur photographers and professional photographers, editing, sequencing, designing, printing, and distributing is not something you can just willy nilly. It takes a full battle plan, revenue, and at least a tiny, potent team who is willing to put up with hassles all along the way. In the words of Hunter S. Thompson, “Buy the ticket, take the ride.”
My connection to this Zine is Jennifer Spelman, someone I first met when I began teaching at the Santa Fe Workshops. And speaking of the workshops, if you have attended or are thinking of attending, Jennifer Spelman is a name you will see across the board. Jennifer is an excellent teacher and does a lot of heavy lifting for the workshops, teaching in Mexico, Cuba, New Mexico, and a range of other places. And now she is part of a publishing team.
One of the things I find interesting is that this team is publishing both amateur and professional photographers. For example, this spread is from Rebecca and Alex Webb, both high-level, professional photographers. Alex is a Magnum member. That can be a tricky thing and the team looks like they are handling this effortlessly. This is a classic 8.5×11 magazine-style publication with coated stock. The pages have enough punch and the coating will allow these pages to really handle a lot of different fingers and hands. I’m an uncoated stock lover but there is no doubt the downside is wear and tear. This thing is built like a tank.
