Photographic Topics
Photographic Topics was an early American photographic periodical, published between 1902-1917.
|
| Down-Town Topics v.1, is.1 image by camerawiki (Image rights) |
Contents
History
Photographic Topics was an early American photography periodical. It was published monthly by the Obrig Camera Company of New York, NY. Publication started in July of 1902 under the title Down-Town Topics. The periodical continued until 1913, when it merged with Popular Photography. The first edition advertised a cover price of 5 cents per issue but by issue 3 in September of 1902, it was given away at no cost.
In later times, the term "newsletter" would have been aptly used to describe the small, four page publication. The early editorial content existed primarily to attract attention to ads for the Obrig Camera Company, which were scattered through the small publication. The company was forthcoming with their motives, describing them this way on page one of the first issue:
To whomesoever it may concern.
This little paper is published for your benefit and our welfare.
Your benefit by reading the instructive articles, formulae, etc., which we gather in these pages.
Our welfare in getting your trade and retaining it by keeping [what] you want and treating you [as you] would wish to be treated.[1]
By 1903, the publisher began selling advertising space to other companies. Beginning with Volume 2, Issue 1 (July, 1903), the publication went from four pages per issue to six pages for some issues. By Volume 3, issues sometimes ran to eight pages. Over time, the publication slowly transformed from thinly disguised advertising into a more traditional magazine.
Starting with Volume 7, Issue 6 (December 1908), the periodical gained a magazine-like cover and a 20 cents per year subscription price. The name of the magazine changed to Photographic Topics with Volume 7, Issue 7 (January 1909). The name change was explained this way by the editors:
Then Down-Town Topics was meant to cover matters photographic on Manhattan Isle, and the "Down-Town" prefix to differentiate it from one or two other smaller photographic papers that spasmodically appeared from editorial chairs uptown, but which long since gasped their last gasp, and gone to the realms of departed photographic journals, where wasted and ineffectual efforts lie a-dreaming of the past. So now that a larger field demands our attention -- Maine to Manitoba, Canada to Panama and the West Indies being contributing districts -- so let the name have a meaning. Therefore the title on our present cover will henceforth be the banner under which we will sail our ship and fight our battles, and may the continued hearty support of the readers and contributors be well earned by the publishers of "PHOTOGRAPHIC TOPICS."[2]
The final issue was Volume 11, Issue 12 (June 1913).
Issues
- Photographic Topics, Volumes 1 - 7 Full scans of each issue from Google Books
- Photographic Topics, Volumes 8 - 11 Full scans of each issue from Google Books
References
Links
- HathiTrust Digital Library: Photographic Topics Full scans of early issues, cover and TOC scans of later issues.
