MarcMagazines
Perspectives
Many of my photographs have appeared on the covers of books (with topics such as Sociology, Psychology, Political Science, American Government, Urban Studies, etc.), on brochures and other publications. In several cases the actual outcome was less than satisfying when the original images were altered (without collaboration) and displayed in ways that obscured the underlying photograph. Black and white images were colorized and color photographs were cropped without a rationale. These "improvements" were almost always obvious failures. The question became why use a photo for use on a cover if it cannot stand on its own as the best choice for marketing and sales?
Those experiences prompted an idea. What if many of my countless photographs spanning decades were used on magazine covers to preview actual essays and poems I have written as well as possible articles that come to mind when viewing the images?
MarcMagazines are collections of experimental magazine covers illustrating essays and poems based on existing web journals, each with a theme.
The cover images, in partnership with article titles and descriptions, describe the content in the journals or magazines.
The titles of the magazines are:
Perspectives: historical and current images and essays
Journeys: architecture/cityscapes/nature
Roamings: black and white photographs and retrospectives
Moments: historical black and white photojurnalism
Portraits: portraits of models, actors and friends
Urban Journal: images and essays focusing on urban life
Black Journal: race in all its many forms and encounters
ObserSpections: observations and introspections
Introspections: self-portraits and nude self-portraits
PRRS: politics, religion, race and sexuality
MarcWords: poems mated with photographs
MarcArt: artistic and altered images
MarcLife: personal and autobiographical essays
Visions: holiday and celebrations
Bare: artistic nude portraits and self-portraits
The cover designs are based on a nameplate (at the top) representing the magazine/journal, a cover photograph and the title of the main article. The image is the biggest part of the design. It simplifies and focuses attention while avoiding overdesign.
On this page are examples of magazine covers for Perspectives. Excluded are several covers that illustrate controversial essays and poems with nude photographs.
