In a world where graphics, video and pictures have gotten sharper than our eyes can perceive, one photographer dares to ask: what if we didn’t do that?
Bentley Zylstra has spent the better part of the past year learning the ropes of magazine publication, to bring us Revelry Collection — now available in print by clicking here.
"Our Memories aren’t Crystal Clear or Perfect; it’s Kinda Similar to the way film is. Maybe that’s why We find so much Meaning with it."
This magazine has an interesting hook: everything in it was shot on film. Bentley explains that this is to make the reading experience feel more raw and natural, like you were actually there yourself.
Interview Notes
0:52 — Why work in print?
1:45 — Getting started in photography
3:05 — Deciding to go analogue-only
4:38 — On “Photographic Overkill” (earlier article referenced)
5:50 — Replicating the feel of memories
7:00 — The struggles of starting a magazine
10:00 — Low effort filler content
12:15 — Fighting for clicks in the “attention economy”
15:00 — Zoom tries to censor the cover of Issue 001.
16:52 — The Red Bullification of outdoor media
19:20 — How to get your copy of Revelry Collection
20:09 — Getting your copy
“Basically what I did was bought — I don’t even know, probably 50 to 100 magazines — way too many, and I would just study the design and see, ‘I like this, I don’t like this, why do I like this?’ And I would ask people, friends and family, ‘what do you like about this? What catches your eye?’ Just learning over time.”
A problem plaguing many magazines is a clear struggle to scrape together enough filler content to keep the ad volume tolerable. As a reader, it’s painfully obvious when you’re being fed watered down writing.
Bentley says he’s had the opposite problem, describing the decision on what makes it into the magazine one of his biggest challenges in the process.
If you’re intrigued by this project, make sure you pay his site a visit.
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Original music for the Trail Talk podcast is produced by Ty Ellenbogen.
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