Tampa Bay Magazine a disappointment... (Miami: appointed, lawyer, buy)

[PhotoProIP]

I recently visited some friends who are subscribers to Tampa Bay Magazine, and I flipped through it for the first time, and I cannot tell you how disappointed I am. Coming from Miami where Florida Design is a gem, this Tampa Bay magazine seems ran by blind dinosaurs. It is clear they are trying to educate new generations that good photography is no longer alive; in photography "light" is everything, yet this magazine is not familiar with that. I attached a cell phone shot of their "fashion" page! (not only they haven't heard of professional photographers, but they also never heard of "Models" being used for fashion shows, nor backgrounds! Look how many backgrounds are available here: Backdrop Outlet) The background is MIND BLOWING and an insult to photography anywhere. I am not sure who to email about this as their website is a joke stuck in the 80's too, but who could be responsible for such horrible photos? how can magazine named: "Tamp Bay Magazine" present itself like this!? what if a tourist picks this up? this makes us look like crap!

It used to be an honor to be published in a magazine, now forget it; I wouldn't want my photos in a magazine that publishes this kind of crap. I still cannot believe these photos!

What a disappointment.

The people photos are splashed with flash, the "home" section is skewed and poorly lit...with a few exceptions, even the advertisements for other photographers are messed up, I just don't get it. My friend told me its the "IT" magazine, to which I had to laugh and grab a Florida Design and an HGTV magazine which I had in my car to compare...my friend hasn't seen either of those and was shocked when she saw them as we compared!

I have never seen a magazine so uninterested in quality before in my entire life. Just compare the 3 if you don't believe me. Shameful, but I guess they get what they don't pay for (like many others) who don't want to pay for quality anymore. We should stop paying for subscriptions in that case too, magazines should serve as inspiration, provide interesting articles, reviews for local places etc. I am still trying to figure out what this magazine's purpose it. Anyone in here see it yet?

[Lior Arel]

It's purpose is self promotion. Like everything else in Tampa. The same 500 people buy and sell to each other and also publish local magazines that they "hire" within the same group of people, who all go to the same parties, etc. it's really comical and kind of sad. Especially when one of them, every so often, starts thinking they could make it anywhere outside of the little circle. They go to New York, L.A., or even Miami and then come back to their little circle in Tampa with some story about how great they were doing, but just misses Tampa SO MUCH that they had to give it all up amd come back.

Seriously. I can even name names (but I won't).

[jsun556]

I am not sure what is more hilarious. The presentation of the magazine or the fact that your entire post was trying to explain what professional photography is whilst attaching a cell phone pic as an example.

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by jsun556

I am not sure what is more hilarious. The presentation of the magazine or the fact that your entire post was trying to explain what professional photography is whilst attaching a cell phone pic as an example.

Sorry I did not have my camera with me when I was visiting! but there isn't anything that I could/can do with my camera at this point to change these horrendous already published photographs!

My friend won't be renewing this joke of a magazine, and already switched to Florida Design and HGTV and a few others we get that still present themselves professionally.

To me the fact that the title of the magazine covers the "supposedly" entire Tampa Bay is the main problem; I flipped through some older ones she had and there isn't anything passed Tampa talked about. This last issue had like 10 pages worth of some advertisement for a law office!? what a heck does that have to do with "Tampa Bay"??? It has 90% ads and no articles of any value. You can't put an land area this big in a magazine and not talk about the area, and what it has to offer at all! I am pretty sure that the cost to advertise in such magazine is prohibitive to anyone making less than 7 figures too, and it doesn't address the people of Tampa Bay which are not all making 7 figures to give a crap about the ads in this magazine!

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by Lior Arel

It's purpose is self promotion. Like everything else in Tampa. The same 500 people buy and sell to each other and also publish local magazines that they "hire" within the same group of people, who all go to the same parties, etc. it's really comical and kind of sad. Especially when one of them, every so often, starts thinking they could make it anywhere outside of the little circle. They go to New York, L.A., or even Miami and then come back to their little circle in Tampa with some story about how great they were doing, but just misses Tampa SO MUCH that they had to give it all up amd come back.

Seriously. I can even name names (but I won't).

Right, but then change its name to something else, and give the name to a real magazine that can represent Tampa Bay properly. Its like domain names for the web, you pick one to match what you do and not go "cookingformoms.com" for an auto shop!

Call it "Tampa Elite's Adventures"! and leave the "Tampa Bay Magazine" for a magazine actually talking about the whole Tampa Bay!

[LandsharkJB]

I had just gotten an issue in the mail this weekend and it really is horrid. To be fair the subscription is dirt cheap, I just thought I'd get to see a few interesting articles, some restaurant ads to see whats around, and mostly just a lot of ads. My expectations were set pretty low and somehow not even met.

The magazine is chock full of ads yes, but i find absolutely nothing of interest in the magazine itself. In my past life in the north east we had Philadelphia Magazine, and again its mostly restaurant and realtor/lawyer ads, but they at least tried to have articles of things of note about the area and one good cover story. The cover story was always interesting, or at least provocative and was at least a few pages of research and interviews. (You only have to do 12 a year, its not that hard).

Some parallel examples for Tampa would be an article on the different faces behind the St Pete Pier controversy or moving the baseball team, the future of downtown Tampa Bay, road rage, inside scientology, something.. anything. Just not a cover of a picture of a patio set (aka the current issue).

[jsun556]

Originally Posted by PhotoProIP

Call it "Tampa Elite's Adventures"! and leave the "Tampa Bay Magazine" for a magazine actually talking about the whole Tampa Bay!

Tampa Elite's Adventures would be fitting if 90% of the magazine consists of lawer ads.

[PhotoProIP]

Originally Posted by jsun556

Tampa Elite's Adventures would be fitting if 90% of the magazine consists of lawer ads.

Just go to publix and flip through it and grab a botle of lemon juice to cure the nausea as you flip through it!
As a TAMPA Bay resident i am embarassed on their behalf of the way they chose to present this area! There was an argument a while back regarding "what" land mass was even considered to be Tampa Bay but if you open this magazine guess what? Not even the entire South Tampa is represented, let alone the whole bay area.

[DUNNDFRNT]

You always have the option to not buy the magazine, not read it. Its a private magazine they could put stick figures with pirate gear if they want. Are you suggesting we nationalize the magazine?

[Red3311]

just read the "flyer" instead or go on craigslist...problem solved