New Article in Aftercapture Journal about McNeil

Aftercapture is a fairly new journal that features artists, photography and the rapidly evolving world of digital photography. Aftercapture is published by the ever venerable folks over at Rangefinder Magazine (whose own magazine is aimed at professional photographers). It was written by Paul Slaughter, a very gifted Santa Fe photographer who is well known for his photographic portfolios of jazz musicians, world travel, stock, Olympic, and advertising photography. I first met Paul back around 1993 when we collaborated to bring an exhibition of world class Photographers to Santa Fe for the 50th Anniversary of ASMP, the highly revered photography organization.

The exhibition in Santa Fe was a who's who of the photography world. The ASMP members donated their prints to a fund raising auction to benefit the Institute of American Indian Arts Photography area (I was lucky enough to win a beautiful 8x10 print by my hero Eugene Smith). We got new enlargers, cameras and supplies and generally got our entire darkroom upgraded because of the generous photographers from ASMP. Paul was instrumental in making this happen. Thank you Paul! You keep coming through for indigenous photographers. Paul has a passion and love for photography that spreads through the community in Santa Fe and the world beyond. He has also taught photography workshops at the Santa Fe Photography Workshops.

Rangefinder is easily one of the best photography journals out there. Leave it to Rangefinder to come up with a journal that does proper justice to the subject of digital photography. Digital photography is evolving so quickly that it is challenging to keep up with all of its recent developments. It seems that every 18 months or so both hardware and software gets critical upgrades, which includes the huge myriad of cameras & lenses, software, computers, printers, etc. It became clear to everyone that what happens after you fire your shutter has expanded almost exponentially in recent years. This includes camera controls, computer manipulations and edits, various methods of output to prints and electronic media and so on. Digital photography is all about aftercapture, or what you do to your digital photographs after you make your exposure.

What I really love about Aftercapture are their interviews with artists, photographers, digital photography gurus (yep, they actually do exist and have quite the followings) and so on. Not only that, but it is FREE! Wow. Who ever heard of that? Especially for a journal that is light years better than the whole mess of digital photography magazines being published today. When you go to their website, you can subscribe for free, plus download PDF files of all of their current and archived articles. You can start your own library on digital photography.

What I find very appealing about Aftercapture is that it is aimed at both beginning digital photographers (like my own students), and at advanced photographers like myself. I always find interesting reading and constantly learn new things about not only digital photography, but the human element too; how photographers are using digital photography as an expression of their art. In that sense, it is very much about both art and craft, which is what makes it fun and lively. Check it out.

PS: My son made the portrait of me for the article last year when he was 12. Nice going, young Mr. TZ McNeil! I am very proud of you!