P3D Re: ANOTHER Editor's Point of View

["Dr. George A. Themelis" <DrT-3d@xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx>]

Maybe the problem is that there are too many Stereo Editors and not
enough stereo writers!

Bob Leonard writes via Andrea:

>I pick the magazine that has the best audience for the type of 
>article I am writing.  PSA is all photographers, so they have gotten 
>most of my technical articles.  Since NSA is made up of both collectors 
>and photographers, "Stereo World" will get my historical pieces and some 
>technical articles.  

This hits the core of the argument.  Do we like Stereo World the way 
it is (mostly historical, non-technical articles) or do we want to 
change it?  Seems that Bob feels that it is fine the way it is.  
I feel that contemporary photographers are not represented well.

>"Stereo World" will publish articles on contemporary 
>photography, if people submit them.  

I really cannot view this as a competition of the type "if you want
Stereo World to carry more articles of type A then please submit more
articles of type A".  So, we have a contest between collectors and
historians from one side and active photographers in the other.
Apparently, historians have more free time and submit more articles
and that's why the material in Stereo World appears to be more
"history" oriented.  It just does not make good sense.

The question I asked is what is the Editor's role in all this?  The 
Editor has the power to select the material published and shape the 
contents of the publication.

>Which brings me to "Stereoscopy".  As the new editor, I am 
>looking for articles.  

Now you are putting us a dilemma here... Where should we submit
our photography-oriented articles?  Stereo World, to make it
become more contemporary, or Stereoscopy?

Here is some advice from my very limited experience as the
Editor of a very small publication:  Ask specific people to write 
specific articles.  Look around and see who specializes in what 
and ask them to write about it.  For example, you don't have to 
look further, with Andrea next to you.  Make them commit to it.  
Then put the deadline and pressure until you get them.  If you 
just sit back and relax, I don't think you will get much.  Someone
called it "babysitting"... I call it "reality".

>Magazines such as, "PSA Journal", "Stereo World" and 
>"Stereoscopy" are all supported by volunteers.  You read the type 
>of articles that the volunteer writers produce.  Also the more 
>readers each organization has, the better the magazines will be.  
>Are you a member of PSA, ISU, and NSA?  I am a member of all 
>three.

And so am I.  And here is my problem:  Suppose I write a good
stereo article.  Where do I submit it?  Some people say, send
it to all stereo publications.  But then, someone like me, who
is subscribed to all stereo publications, will get shortchanged.

Maybe the problem is that we have too many stereo organizations
and too many publications and not enough members or volunteers
to write articles!

-- George Themelis


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End of PHOTO-3D Digest 2711
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