I once heard from a veteran photographer here in Manila that not a lot of photographers shoot to print these days. As a result, there are very few opportunities for today’s lens-based storytellers to explore the beauty of their work in print. So it always warms my heart whenever I encounter or learn about printed volumes focused on photography.
That brings me to a recent correspondence from Mei Seva, Studio Manager of The Raw Society, introducing me to their magazine and inviting Photofocus to review their second issue. How could I say no? While I initially wanted to take her offer to send a printed copy, shipping to my side of the world was too expensive, so I settled for a PDF copy.
For the uninitiated like me, discovering The Raw Society Magazine was a pleasant surprise, and the second issue a poignant introduction. It features opening notes from Los Angeles-based Ibarionex Perello, Fujifilm X-Photographer, writer, educator, and host of The Candid Frame Photography podcast. There’s also an impressive roster of photographers and projects featured in this issue, including an interview with the amazing Nick Brandt, and stories by the founding publishers and editors-in-chief themselves, Jorge Delgado-Ureña and Christelle Enquist.
At 306 pages and being scant of ads, it feels and reads like a book than a magazine (and that’s actually a good thing). Also noteworthy is how it casts net over a wide range of topics within the disciplines of street, documentary, and travel photography instead of focusing on a single theme. As a non-profit project, it’s dedicated to “sharing compelling and important work by our pro members and the greater storytelling community” through slow photojournalism.
How the non-profit publication is able to do that is also interesting. Through its Adopt a Story program, The Raw Society Magazine invites readers to donate or “adopt” a story proposal posted on the website each year. The donations can cover the entire issue in part or in full, and stories that meet their funding objectives get included in the issue. This way, readers play an active part in selecting the stories they want to read.
Going back to this issue’s stories, it’s actually hard to pick a favorite or two. It takes us across the globe through stories of varying gravitas and social issues, all worthy of being told to an audience of supporters who are actually looking forward to reading them. If you’re an aspiring storyteller in the fields of street, documentary, and travel photography, this volume is guaranteed to inspire and educate you on what makes a compelling visual narrative.
Flipping through its virtual pages through an iPad wasn’t a bad experience. But with the quality of the photography projects featured in this issue, I can imagine how amazing it will be to view the issue in its full printed glory. So I highly suggest heading over to The Raw Society Shop to grab a printed copy while it’s still available!
