Ive been wanting to find out how it would get better. A of talent getting wasted because of very poor quality magazine printing jobs. I have a few tear sheets there and Im not even close to smiling at the results at most of them.

Oh yeah. And why do they always edit the "already edited photos" we all submit? I dunno man, it just sucks looking at how they tweak the photos. Is it always like that over there?

Heres one I got from In Thing magazine. It came out nice (I had to give specific instructions and not to retouch it too much but they still did but very minor and necessary) but the other tears I got from other magazines (not mentioning)

I dunno...

In Thing Magazine[Summer Special 2008]
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/2950494898_4ae1d65341_o.jpg

I've seen trash come from the US too. We just received some Hawaiian wedding magazines the other week and they all looked like crap. We could out print whoever did their job. I'm not denying that there are bad printers here in the Philippines but there are also good ones. What makes you think the job in the US is better than here boils down mainly to file quality, layout, editing techniques. Garbage in garbage out. It doesn't matter how fine tuned a press could be, or how fine a line screen is used, or whatever, if the image sucks it isn't going to print nice.

the images are burnt out.
i am also a layout artist. one thing i noticed is that, choice of font.
the color combination. the layout is boring.
is the layout artist a beginner?

I guess a lot of things to be considered here but I'm quite sure it boils down to two main problems - budget and an editor who doesn't know what he's there for.

Ive been wanting to find out how it would get better. A of talent getting wasted because of very poor quality magazine printing jobs. I have a few tear sheets there and Im not even close to smiling at the results at most of them.

Oh yeah. And why do they always edit the "already edited photos" we all submit? I dunno man, it just sucks looking at how they tweak the photos. Is it always like that over there?

Heres one I got from In Thing magazine. It came out nice (I had to give specific instructions and not to retouch it too much but they still did but very minor and necessary) but the other tears I got from other magazines (not mentioning)

I dunno...

In Thing Magazine[Summer Special 2008]
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/2950494898_4ae1d65341_o.jpg

At the risk of sounding like a toady, i echo Mr. Tuason's view that you can not make generalizations and sweeping statements with regards to printers and printing in specific places. There are good printers and bad printers everywhere. like Mr. Tuason said, it all boils down to the quality of the files submitted and to be totally honest with you, and i'm sure many good photograpfhers here at the Forum will agree, the photos above are not the best if you're talking punch and spunk.

The two gentlemen are right. Budget sets the ultimate results for any output. Low budget usually runs the risk of getting poor outcome. Setting a high budget for printing jobs gives you the upper hand in demanding for better quality output. This is normally the case in all (if not, most) situations. Maybe the magazine you cited was a low-budget type, aimed towards a certain market niche who are not too picky on the print out. I could only surmise, because I have not seen this magazine yet.

Anyway, I must say the title you chose in setting up this thread is quite hilarious... "What's up with the magazines in Manila? Print quality is very not up to par". It's like saying "Print quality is very not good".... Very not good, ey? :D You probably did it with pun intended, otherwise it reveals ones struggle in English. Isn't that a shame? :D

One thing I notice with many glossy magazines, they postprocess the pictures too much, especially the skin. Such that models like anime characters. Not that I'm saying our magazines here in Timbuktu are better ... :Grin:

But really, I'm bothered with ceramic-like skins and faces without pores.

based on my experience, the monitor of the Artist should be calibrated with the Printer. If not, the prints will look darker and unsaturated.

But it can be solved easilly, that's why Print Productions usually give "color proof materials" or mockups to the artist to show them the actual colors of the prints so they can revise the saturations and colors before Mass Production (if there are any revisions). but based on my experience, it always has some things needed to be revised on the colorproofs...

The Artist of the magazine and Print production should know this stuff. FYI.

cheers!

Ive been wanting to find out how it would get better. A of talent getting wasted because of very poor quality magazine printing jobs. I have a few tear sheets there and Im not even close to smiling at the results at most of them.

Oh yeah. And why do they always edit the "already edited photos" we all submit? I dunno man, it just sucks looking at how they tweak the photos. Is it always like that over there?

Heres one I got from In Thing magazine. It came out nice (I had to give specific instructions and not to retouch it too much but they still did but very minor and necessary) but the other tears I got from other magazines (not mentioning)

I dunno...

In Thing Magazine[Summer Special 2008]
http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3211/2950494898_4ae1d65341_o.jpg

Dude your statement is too harsh! I dunno what was your basis, I have up to date supply of most leading magazines locally as well as magazines I patronize from abroad. And I would say most magazines produced here locally would compare if not better to LEADING magazines I subscribe from abroad.

Have you seen a copy of Digital Photography Philippines magazine? if not go get one and check it for yourself to find out.

This In thing Magazine tears you posted would not even pass in an editorial page here. we don't do layouts like that here. even the fonts they use, not even my kids use those. colors are not accurate as I believe is a scan or photograph, though they look burnt in terms of colors, if you're the one who took those photos, you might as well post the original digital file so we can appreciate them better.

oh dennis- you should circulate more. i can assure you that there are more manila printers who can kick serious arse than you can shake a stick at. and what's with the thread title? grab a copy of DPP, like arnel said. it wil put a smile on your face. guaranteed.

Dennis since most were already taken up, here are just a few points for you to ponder on.

Most magazines from the US and UK print on lower quality paper as that of those in the Philippines. Most of them have lots of advertisements at the back portion. I've even seen one that went to a point that there were more advertisements than there were articles. In my opinion, shouldn't these US and UK magazines be of better quality since they have a lot of advertisers?

Print quality is subject to a lot of things. Budget is the most probable constraint. It could be the paper, it could be the printer. It could be that the color profiles used do not match or it could be that the photos to start with were not of good quality.

In a nutshell, the outcome depends on a lot of things and unless you are there to supervise the publisher every step of the way there's not much you can do.

Seriously, get a copy of DPP and see if it's up to par with your standards. And btw, the images you posted don't look at all "summer-y" to me. But that's just my opinion and that's another story.

I've bought US/UK editions of Maxim, FHM, etc... They're pretty lousy as well... I guess the point here is the sweeping statement....

Hey guys, theres no such thing as a BAD QUESTION. I made a generalized comment about how I do not like the print quality of most top magazines in Manila and this is my honest and true statement. Do not jump in on this thread unless you have anything constructive to say. Harsh statement? Im sorry if it did bother you but its a very honest statement like I mentioned. Im just one guy who happened to traveled there for a few days and I cannot go through every single magazine in the newstands to find those good magazines you just mentioned which Im sure they do. But by looking at the popular ones on the main newstands, its just not up to par for me.

Nobody in here can judge me because of my reviews and vice versa. Nobody paid me to write the title and Im not here to amuse myself either. You guys can read the thread I created again and I did not mention anything about the US being better than the Philippines so dont even go there. Try going back to the thread content and stay there please. If you got nothing better/ constructive to add then just stay on the sidelines and be a nice spectator.

Its probably the poor editing, its probably the color profiles, the quality of paper or probably the standards of photos that gets printed or maybe the content on that month's issue content.

I ask one question and this is how I get my answers.

Easy lang mga pare, Im not here to attack the country's quality of work. Im just trying to find a nice solution to a current problem or maybe a lot of you do not even know that yet. I dont give a damn about how I can improve the ones in the US... Why would I? But I do want my print work in Manila to look nice for my portfolio.

It isnt my fault to be really picky. I was in the military and was an interior designer and I pay attention to little details like these. (Well I think you dont need to be in the military to be like this.) I apologize if I broke a few hearts in here. But it will not change how I express my views about what I see.

Jared Gomez: Im sorry If you dont find my summer images summer'y. We didnt have too much sun that day. lol. ok that was sarcastic but yeah Im sorry if you do not like my work, im pretty sure theres a good percentage of people in here find it not summer'y as well and probably a few percentage like it. Im a photographer and I see through my eyes and not yours. Although I didnt ask for any critiques. Well it is posted on here so I guess its ok to get a few from talented photographers like you. But I appreciate that comment and Id be happy to look at your work too. :)

Arnel and Basil: IM sorry dude If you think the statement is harsh and has the "in your face" feel to it for grown men like you guys. I was in the military and I dont think theyre close to being harsh. But yeah when I get back there in September, I will buy a copy of DPP magazine and put a smile on my face. I have a lot of DPP US versions here and i like reading em.

Bobby: Yes, pretty much all the magazines I have bought there have glossy pages that has that "typical" skin so smooth skin so porcelain look. I was into that before but after interning with top photographers who shoot for Harper's and Vogue for UK and US... I have out grown that idea. Im not a fan of that technique anymore. (hmm, i wonder if Im gonna get attacked again with that statament). Free speech guys.

Anwar: "The Artist of the magazine and Print production should know this stuff. FYI." All print photographers know this fact Im sure.

Nicfoagas: "At the risk of sounding like a toady, i echo Mr. Tuason's view that you can not make generalizations and sweeping statements with regards to printers and printing in specific places."

-Yes I can and will. Actually I just did. So be happy you have people like me creating balance to this forum. :) This is not an attack. And yes you can echo whoever's comments if you wish.

C'mon guys, Im not even going to bother asking if I dont care. But I do.

Hey guys, theres no such thing as a BAD QUESTION. I made a generalized comment about how I do not like the print quality of most top magazines in Manila and this is my honest and true statement. Do not jump in on this thread unless you have anything constructive to say. Harsh statement? Im sorry if it did bother you but its a very honest statement like I mentioned. Im just one guy who happened to traveled there for a few days and I cannot go through every single magazine in the newstands to find those good magazines you just mentioned which Im sure they do. But by looking at the popular ones on the main newstands, its just not up to par for me.

Nobody in here can judge me because of my reviews and vice versa. Nobody paid me to write the title and Im not here to amuse myself either. You guys can read the thread I created again and I did not mention anything about the US being better than the Philippines so dont even go there. Try going back to the thread content and stay there please. If you got nothing better/ constructive to add then just stay on the sidelines and be a nice spectator.

Its probably the poor editing, its probably the color profiles, the quality of paper or probably the standards of photos that gets printed or maybe the content on that month's issue content.

I ask one question and this is how I get my answers.

Easy lang mga pare, Im not here to attack the country's quality of work. Im just trying to find a nice solution to a current problem or maybe a lot of you do not even know that yet. I dont give a damn about how I can improve the ones in the US... Why would I? But I do want my print work in Manila to look nice for my portfolio.

It isnt my fault to be really picky. I was in the military and was an interior designer and I pay attention to little details like these. (Well I think you dont need to be in the military to be like this.) I apologize if I broke a few hearts in here. But it will not change how I express my views about what I see.

Jared Gomez: Im sorry If you dont find my summer images summer'y. We didnt have too much sun that day. lol. ok that was sarcastic but yeah Im sorry if you do not like my work, im pretty sure theres a good percentage of people in here find it not summer'y as well and probably a few percentage like it. Im a photographer and I see through my eyes and not yours. Although I didnt ask for any critiques. Well it is posted on here so I guess its ok to get a few from talented photographers like you. But I appreciate that comment and Id be happy to look at your work too. :)

Arnel and Basil: IM sorry dude If you think the statement is harsh and has the "in your face" feel to it for grown men like you guys. I was in the military and I dont think theyre close to being harsh. But yeah when I get back there in September, I will buy a copy of DPP magazine and put a smile on my face. I have a lot of DPP US versions here and i like reading em.

Bobby: Yes, pretty much all the magazines I have bought there have glossy pages that has that "typical" skin so smooth skin so porcelain look. I was into that before but after interning with top photographers who shoot for Harper's and Vogue for UK and US... I have out grown that idea. Im not a fan of that technique anymore. (hmm, i wonder if Im gonna get attacked again with that statament). Free speech guys.

Anwar: "The Artist of the magazine and Print production should know this stuff. FYI." All print photographers know this fact Im sure.

Nicfoagas: "At the risk of sounding like a toady, i echo Mr. Tuason's view that you can not make generalizations and sweeping statements with regards to printers and printing in specific places."

-Yes I can and will. Actually I just did. So be happy you have people like me creating balance to this forum. :) This is not an attack. And yes you can echo whoever's comments if you wish.

C'mon guys, Im not even going to bother asking if I dont care. But I do.



OK,OK-- no such thing as a bad question.. CAN YOU SPELL PSYCHONALYSIS?

Yes, there are a lot of lousy magazines here at the states as well as in any place in the world for that matter. Kudos to Dencio for spicing up the forum and bringing some passionate members here to speak up.

Bobby: Yes, pretty much all the magazines I have bought there have glossy pages that has that "typical" skin so smooth skin so porcelain look. I was into that before but after interning with top photographers who shoot for Harper's and Vogue for UK and US... I have out grown that idea. Im not a fan of that technique anymore. (hmm, i wonder if Im gonna get attacked again with that statament). Free speech guys.
Here's what happens when you don't PP the faces into ceramic-like smoothness ... :Grin:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=OqZJ7v4XIFk

Yes, there are a lot of lousy magazines here at the states as well as in any place in the world for that matter. Kudos to Dencio for spicing up the forum and bringing some passionate members here to speak up.

Goodluck na lang sa lahat. Im done here for now.

Awww. Come on... I just got here and the thread's already finished?

Dennis, lighten up, I know that you know that you're good. Give us a piece of that all the time. Don't take it personally, we're a community here. I know how it feels to see your work on an ugly light - but man, sometimes you get it your way, sometimes you dont. Too many pre-press issues to consider, maybe the deadlines were more important than the quality of the print, or maybe it wasn't web offset at all, maybe the paper absorbed too less the M and K inks and dot gained more on the C and K. Or maybe they printed and scanned your work instead of using the raw file.

If its any consolation. I love your work. And i find the thread interesting. Keep it open. This will open the untrained eyes from fellow fotogs to see press work in the right light.

Dennis <-- First of all, I can vouch for the quality of work you do and I remain a fan :)

They are right though, not all mags here are overPP'ing the photographer's already PP'd photos.

Blame it on the graphic/layout artist
Coming from a graphic design background, sometimes the layout/graphic design artist becomes too happy (or crazy) with being handed over a great set of images. They usually get over enthusiastic on the post-processing they do to leave a signature/their mark on the pages they work on. Like they feel that the photos are their work and credit should fall into them since they're the ones who PP'd them.

Blame it on the print quality
Don't know who to blame here - the printer or the paper quality or both likely.
I was hoping to be a fan of Playboy Philippines but the quality of their mag - layout, print, paper is too lousy compared to Maxim and FHM (both Philippine versions). The images are soft, like they were printed at 100-150dpi deskjets.

You may not blame the layout artist for the color outcome of the pictures in that magazine. The layout artist is not allowed to post process a photograph (if their printing press have separate department for that). There may be two printing plates that have interchanged in the four color offset machine that is why the color reproduction is not good in the first two pages shown.

No matter what quality of paper will be used as long as the proper color (CMYK) and plates were arranged in correct sequence the color outcome is good. High quality paper (coated/glossy) produces high quality and bright color prints while lower quality paper (newsprint) produces dull and darker colors.

Producing a good quality magazine is a TEAMWORK - from the Contributors (includes Photographers and Writers), Typist, Layout Artists, Proofreaders, Color Proofer, Color Separation Processor, Film Stripper (if not done digitally), Offset Operators, and to the Binders (if manually collated).

The magazine color quality rely on the final procedure - the printing process. Teaming-up together for the printing is the Color Proofer, Film Stripper and the Offset Operator. The offset operator with his assistant should consult the color proof that came with the pre-press to check if it match desired color output. If they don't coordinate with each other, the outcome is garbage, waste of time and money.

You may not blame the layout artist for the color outcome of the pictures in that magazine. The layout artist is not allowed to post process a photograph (if their printing press have separate department for that).

I'll have to disagree on that point. Different magazines and different publishing houses means different rules, workflows and standards. Some magazines, for lack of manpower, dump all art related tasks on a poor graphic designer who may or may not have skills in photo retouching but is tasked to do so anyway.

Producing a good quality magazine is a TEAMWORK - from the Contributors (includes Photographers and Writers), Typist, Layout Artists, Proofreaders, Color Proofer, Color Separation Processor, Film Stripper (if not done digitally), Offset Operators, and to the Binders (if manually collated).


But i highly agree with this. The better your team works together, from EIC to production, writers to binders, publishers to circulation, the better the output.

I'll have to disagree on that point. Different magazines and different publishing houses means different rules, workflows and standards. Some magazines, for lack of manpower, dump all art related tasks on a poor graphic designer who may or may not have skills in photo retouching but is tasked to do so anyway.

If this happens, the color quality is compromised. One solution to this is a close supervision of the Production Manager/Supervisor should anyone is available.

If this happens, the color quality is compromised. One solution to this is a close supervision of the Production Manager/Supervisor should anyone is available.

Exactly. I've seen this happen many times and the results are always less than what is desired.

*hanging my head in shame* I once had a part-time editorial position in a lad mag that shall remain unnamed. The owners decided to buy its own printing press but nobody really knew how to properly operate it. Our spreads - of women in various states of undress - were consistently bad. Skin tone close to the skin tone of a nicely steamed shrimp, but with measles. It was THAT bad. 4 or 5 issues later, it went belly up.

As part of the production staff, it is really a shame if your work is rejected by the client or if it doesn't come out the way you expected due to the negligence in the final printing process. I use to work on a printing press and I have given the opportunity to work as layout artist and at the same time I use to color correct the images from the source and bring it to the color separation, and I have also given the opportunity to work on the final process by checking the color consistency in the output right after the the delivery chain in the offset machine. Its a tedious work but it is very rewarding if you saw that your output is shining.

DPP magazine is an one excellent example of paper that employs the word teamwork and coordination.
Too bad, due to its printing and content quality it never reach my favorite newsstand in Dagupan City. Might have ran out of copy.

@karlosamson: thanx for discussing printing with me, i missed the sound of the offset machine. It reminds me one of my output were rejected due to color inconsistency, I was not able to supervised the printing.

@karlosamson: thanx for discussing printing with me, i missed the sound of the offset machine. It reminds me one of my output were rejected due to color inconsistency, I was not able to supervised the printing.

Of all the stages in magazine production, it's the printing stage which I want to learn about more. In my day job I produce print supplements, but only the digital files. They are sent to Singapore where a different team picks them up, tweaks them and passes the files to our Singapore printer. So my role ends too soon for my tastes.

Of all the stages in magazine production, it's the printing stage which I want to learn about more. In my day job I produce print supplements, but only the digital files. They are sent to Singapore where a different team picks them up, tweaks them and passes the files to our Singapore printer. So my role ends too soon for my tastes.

You may have relatives or friends or relatives or your friend working in a printing press in your area. Ask him for a quick tour in the final stage of the printing process. There you got an idea how a magazine or a newspaper is made.

Of all the stages in magazine production, it's the printing stage which I want to learn about more. In my day job I produce print supplements, but only the digital files. They are sent to Singapore where a different team picks them up, tweaks them and passes the files to our Singapore printer. So my role ends too soon for my tastes.

Karlo, all you have to do is take Intet of Summit Publishing out and he'll tell you all about it. :D

Im glad I get to learn about what goes on after image submissions. Those are critical stages but so sad to say for a few, its very hard that you cannot have a good way of tracking your images especially when you are thousands of miles away.

I really appreciate you guys taking the time to give out detailed valuable information. This isnt just for me but for all photographers who has no clue how it is done after the submissions. The very thing that worries me is when they put my name on that page. The day I get the magazine copies to find out they messed up.

It happened to me before but a different scenario, when I took photos of this celebrity and while I was away on a military deployment, the celeb e-mailed the 400x600 jpeg unedited proofs to this magazine and got 3 pages of pixelated, low quality, blurry photos WITHOUT my name on em. No credit was given to me. The editor probably thought I wouldnt know and think Im stupid. But I will probably open a new thread about this for discussion.

Who to blame? I guess each magazine will have different issues. The only one thing to do is to set our standards high all the time and with this kind of attitude we will not have anything to do but to take action to make sure these images come out how we all wanted.

the term lousy = becoming redundant here....
(just a thread reader)

the term lousy = becoming redundant here....
(just a thread reader)

ok.. anndddddddd???

Im glad I get to learn about what goes on after image submissions. Those are critical stages but so sad to say for a few, its very hard that you cannot have a good way of tracking your images especially when you are thousands of miles away.

Who to blame? I guess each magazine will have different issues. The only one thing to do is to set our standards high all the time and with this kind of attitude we will not have anything to do but to take action to make sure these images come out how we all wanted.

Usually in a magazine work for hire situation (meaning they book you for a job), the photographer has little power over the final output. In my experience (and my experience is from the editorial side, not the photographer's), what the shrewd photographer does is select only the best images for the article, do his post-processing and submit to the art director. Next step is pray to whatever gods that the art director doesn't mangle, misuse or muck-up your photos, through more processing or bad cropping, poor layout etc.

If you can get the art director to attend the shoot, then so much the better. That way he can tell you what he wants, where to put negative space for text etc. This sets expectations for both the art director and the photographer. Fewer surprises when the magazine comes out.

Usually in a magazine work for hire situation (meaning they book you for a job), the photographer has little power over the final output. In my experience (and my experience is from the editorial side, not the photographer's), what the shrewd photographer does is select only the best images for the article, do his post-processing and submit to the art director. Next step is pray to whatever gods that the art director doesn't mangle, misuse or muck-up your photos, through more processing or bad cropping, poor layout etc.

If you can get the art director to attend the shoot, then so much the better. That way he can tell you what he wants, where to put negative space for text etc. This sets expectations for both the art director and the photographer. Fewer surprises when the magazine comes out.

Exactly bro. Depends on the budget if they will fly their directors to attend your shoot and pretty much make a final decision which needs to be used for whatever layouts they will use. Shoot list is very important to avoid cropping the last minute.

For some editors, they would just have me deliver them the best photos from an editorial shoot based on a short theme or title that I will receive and from there they leave it to me to create my shoot list. I will be guessing all the time. Last thing you know is that they will crop images and grab a cropped headshot taken from a full body shot from one of the photos to be used fr the cover. They will be overwhelmed and not even take consideration of print quality results. Sucks..

hello everyone,

Did somebody mentioned summit media and victorino intet?
Yes! The workflow of summit is an ISO compliant for offset printing as well as ISO in file submission. You may have viewed your pictures from your your computers and laptops, but don't you think you have the same settings with ISO printers, settings for photographers and printers are not the same. You might be using a perceptual intent but we from offset printers are using a colorimetric intent. An ISO printer is using the ISOCoated ICC profile while some printers are using a SWOP/Gracol icc profiles. Submission is another thing, it may be in pdf/x-3 or x-1 or X-4 or X-5. The conversion of files also depends on what is your source/input profiles. Some printers may provide you a color proof, but the best hard copy proof, should be a contract proof not a content proof. There is no way that you might interchanged plates. Moire, wrong color will appear.
For the layout, blame it to the creative & art director.
For the rendering, blamed it to the artist.
For the films(CTF)/plate(CTP), blamed it to prepress man.
For the final print, blamed it to pressman.
For poor quality, blamed it to QC man.
but for poor shot, blamed it to the photographer. garbage in garbage out.

The DPPP magazine is printed by an ISO compliant printer, affiliated to summit media, that is why you have a good copy, correct me if I am wrong Sir Nick.

DPP magazine printer must be using the Heidelberg Speedmaster SM 74, very fast very efficient and ISO certified machine.

As for submission of printing materials especially PDF format, the production staff should pack all the necessary digital source, pictures and text including fonts that is used in the publication to produce a good quality printed magazine. The pictures and text should also be properly linked with its originals. Failure to link pictures in a layout produces low quality outputs - this happens in a magazine that is made with Adobe Pagemaker 7. This is also applicable the Adobe Indesign CS. If necessary, include an installer of the latest Adobe Reader to open the PDF file that will be submitted to be consistent in color and layout.

For the layout, blame it to the creative & art director.
For the rendering, blamed it to the artist.
For the films(CTF)/plate(CTP), blamed it to prepress man.
For the final print, blamed it to pressman.
For poor quality, blamed it to QC man.
but for poor shot, blamed it to the photographer. garbage in garbage out.

Very well said Ferdinand :)

Glad you guys kept the thread open and glad to see Dennis Santarinala come back. Don't disappear Dennis cause we need other opinions like yours here on the forum.

My take on some of this. As a photographer if you want make sure that your images are printed properly, first rule I would say is submit to a magazine you know will do justice to your work. There are so many photographers who do not have the opportunity of being published, that they desperately turn their work in to any magazine (second or third rate quality mags) and scratch their heads when their work looks lousy printed.

I understand Dennis' sentiments because there are some really poorly printed magazines here in the Philippines. However, there are also some very good ones, and the best of the lot come from Summit Media. Summit revolutionized the magazine business in the country with their quality. Now as an experiment, I would like to ask anyone who is interested to go into a magazine stand and open up a PREVIEW magazine and compare it page by page to any other Summit title. My money says that you will vote Preview as the better printed magazine. But as "Billy" Basilio stated in an earlier post, all of Summit's printers follow the ISO standard, so why does Preview look better than all the other titles? Its simple. Preview has the best files. Look at the list of photographers in Preview magazine and you'll see the biggest names in the country shooting for that magazine. Combine that with a good layout and that in my opinion is why Preview magazine wins all the awards.

So the perfect formula: 1. Take good shots 2. And submit to a magazine who knows what the hell they are doing.

Usually in a magazine work for hire situation (meaning they book you for a job), the photographer has little power over the final output. In my experience, what the shrewd photographer does is select only the best images for the article, do his post-processing and submit to the art director. Next step is pray to whatever gods that the art director doesn't mangle, misuse or muck-up your photos, through more processing or bad cropping, poor layout etc.


Very much second this one by experience as a photographer and as a graphic artist as well.

Glad you guys kept the thread open and glad to see Dennis Santarinala come back. Don't disappear Dennis cause we need other opinions like yours here on the forum.

My take on some of this. As a photographer if you want make sure that your images are printed properly, first rule I would say is submit to a magazine you know will do justice to your work. There are so many photographers who do not have the opportunity of being published, that they desperately turn their work in to any magazine (second or third rate quality mags) and scratch their heads when their work looks lousy printed.

I understand Dennis' sentiments because there are some really poorly printed magazines here in the Philippines. However, there are also some very good ones, and the best of the lot come from Summit Media. Summit revolutionized the magazine business in the country with their quality. Now as an experiment, I would like to ask anyone who is interested to go into a magazine stand and open up a PREVIEW magazine and compare it page by page to any other Summit title. My money says that you will vote Preview as the better printed magazine. But as "Billy" Basilio stated in an earlier post, all of Summit's printers follow the ISO standard, so why does Preview look better than all the other titles? Its simple. Preview has the best files. Look at the list of photographers in Preview magazine and you'll see the biggest names in the country shooting for that magazine. Combine that with a good layout and that in my opinion is why Preview magazine wins all the awards.

So the perfect formula: 1. Take good shots 2. And submit to a magazine who knows what the hell they are doing.

Hey Nick. I love this site and I love BS'ing with everyone here. I love talking s!@# about a lot of issues and I love how everybody gets involved around issues here... Especially when I am brutally up front about it. People react and they voice it out.

Everybody loves drama! And thats the easiest way to get a lot of viewers and participants.

Print issues may be nothing to pros but for a lot of aspiring photogs who started with digitals.. This thread means a lot.

The two gentlemen are right. Budget sets the ultimate results for any output. Low budget usually runs the risk of getting poor outcome. Setting a high budget for printing jobs gives you the upper hand in demanding for better quality output. This is normally the case in all (if not, most) situations. Maybe the magazine you cited was a low-budget type, aimed towards a certain market niche who are not too picky on the print out. I could only surmise, because I have not seen this magazine yet.

Anyway, I must say the title you chose in setting up this thread is quite hilarious... &quot;What's up with the magazines in Manila? Print quality is very not up to par&quot;. It's like saying &quot;Print quality is very not good&quot;.... Very not good, ey? :D You probably did it with pun intended, otherwise it reveals ones struggle in English. Isn't that a shame? :D

i wouldnt start with the personal attacks....this will grow into another popcorn thread....you could state your opinions without attacking.....

weeee....! Anybody want to see magazine covers?
I'd be happy to add spice on your popcorns.....!
My oh my...

weeee....! Anybody want to see magazine covers?
I'd be happy to add spice on your popcorns.....!
My oh my...

always looking forward to...

weeee....! Anybody want to see magazine covers?
I'd be happy to add spice on your popcorns.....!
My oh my...

what cover? mens magazine? it's hot and it is always hot. its redundant i mean "nakakasawa nang tignan". always the same thing, same style, same pin-ups, only different artists. can't they not think of any other style in cover designs/layouts?

show something interesting and something new.

Okay. i'm cooking..... cover coming up shortly (maybe till end of business day today).
Hmmm..... ansaya nito.

It is natural for a publisher to go with a proven formula. For example, lots of blurbs on the cover because the reader wants to know what is in the magazine. Local mags don't have the luxury of packaging their magazines in plastic wrap where the blurbs are printing, thus enabling the cover itself to be "blurb-free" so that the cover photo looks uncluttered and much, much better.

I miss talking shop (even though I'm working for a magazine now haha). The magazine pros and veterans should all get together for coffee.

I think I need to start my own magazine...

I think I need to start my own magazine...

Go for it, Dennis! But if you're doing this in the Philippines, note that suppliers (meaning the advertisers) will pay you around 3 months after your magazine comes out so you ain't getting any money back until then. I wonder how it is in the US?

Go for it, Dennis! But if you're doing this in the Philippines, note that suppliers (meaning the advertisers) will pay you around 3 months after your magazine comes out so you ain't getting any money back until then. I wonder how it is in the US?

pretty much different winston. Im not after the advertisers. I just want a very simple showcase of photographs with caption, credits and thats it. publish it bi-annually like australia's Noi.se magazine. give it to the aspiring photographers who are trying to get their names out.

wow ! pretty nice idea. i can do the layouts [powered by InDesign CS] - just don't blame me the colors :).

i'm reading the dpp issue #22 right now and i'd say that it is one hell of a greatly printed magazine. the images and colors are crisp. not to mention the great content for this issue. grab your copy tomorrow! :)

pretty much different winston. Im not after the advertisers. I just want a very simple showcase of photographs with caption, credits and thats it. publish it bi-annually like australia's Noi.se magazine. give it to the aspiring photographers who are trying to get their names out.

Yep, my point is that we need money to publish ergo the advertisers. But yours is a laudable goal. I hope you get it done.

it's only now I heard about noi.se i'll check it out..

i'm reading the dpp issue #22 right now and i'd say that it is one hell of a greatly printed magazine. the images and colors are crisp. not to mention the great content for this issue. grab your copy tomorrow! :)

it's sold out i think, it didn't reach my fav news stand in dagupan.

it's sold out i think, it didn't reach my fav news stand in dagupan.

No, George, as of yesterday, it hasn't been out yet. The ones who have it are the ones who dropped by Bella Luce (the DPP publisher) and those involved in the production.

pretty much different winston. Im not after the advertisers. I just want a very simple showcase of photographs with caption, credits and thats it. publish it bi-annually like australia's Noi.se magazine. give it to the aspiring photographers who are trying to get their names out.


Let me offer you "CONTRACT PROOF". Give me the file in Pdf ( with my specification) and I will have printed with your print specification ( ISO, Gracol, or Swop). How about that? I will have it saddle stitch if that is 80 page mag. (including Cover in 300 gsm). This is just a suggestion.

No, George, as of yesterday, it hasn't been out yet. The ones who have it are the ones who dropped by Bella Luce (the DPP publisher) and those involved in the production.

so the magazine is not yet delivered on newsstand.

so the magazine is not yet delivered on newsstand.

OT: George, they should be out on the newstands by now. Please check the issue #22 thread.

Re: Whats up with the magazines in Manila? Print quality is very not up to par

for one thing!!! suppliers (publications) always requests files which are JPEG format and which i hate 'coz the text are already rasterized and therefore jagged alreagy!!!!!

Re: Whats up with the magazines in Manila? Print quality is very not up to par

for one thing!!! suppliers (publications) always requests files which are JPEG format and which i hate 'coz the text are already rasterized and therefore jagged alreagy!!!!!


Depends on which publication, but surely not ours. I've noticed this problem in a lot of the newer publications. Some of their photos are obviously just copied from the web and expanded to at least 4R size.

Depends on which publication, but surely not ours. I've noticed this problem in a lot of the newer publications. Some of their photos are obviously just copied from the web and expanded to at least 4R size.


well i could say a lot of big publication do request JPEG files!!!!

I've seen trash come from the US too. We just received some Hawaiian wedding magazines the other week and they all looked like crap. We could out print whoever did their job. I'm not denying that there are bad printers here in the Philippines but there are also good ones. What makes you think the job in the US is better than here boils down mainly to file quality, layout, editing techniques. Garbage in garbage out. It doesn't matter how fine tuned a press could be, or how fine a line screen is used, or whatever, if the image sucks it isn't going to print nice.

Nick have you seen the new magazine Cocoon? Published by Hinge Inquirer. I can't believe the cover quality given it's their maiden issue. A shot done by Neil Oshima of Budji Layug seems soft bordering to nyarp!!!

Get a copy and tell my your opinion.

@winstonbaltazar: i already got my copy today... thanx.

well i could say a lot of big publication do request JPEG files!!!!

i have no problem with jpeg images and rasterized text saved as jpeg (in bitmap) on my print projects as long as they're in high resolution. quality loss is very minimal when saved in "high-res"... there's just a minute difference if scrutinized, but of course vector render is the preferred kind for crisp texts and lines & small file size... (for those who don't understand the difference between vector & bitmap here's a link (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bitmap_font))

also most* local printing presses still uses traditional way of film color separation (http://www.webopedia.com/TERM/C/color_separation.html), which adds more quality loss to an image... the best method as of now is the digital process or computer-to-plate (ask your printer if they have it).
* 90%? just a guess... based on my 14 year printing industry experience; no actual stats ;-)

@perry jocson: only in manila where most magazine production is located is the only place where you can find direct to plate color separation method. provincial printing press rely on the negative color separation equips where it is the easiest and most convenient way of producing color for local print production. the loss of print and color quality in a magazine production depends on the offset operator. but even if it is direct to plate method is used, still the print and color quality depends on the knowledge of the offset operator regarding the proper and exact color overlay.

it's only now I heard about noi.se i'll check it out..
I found out about Noi.se magazine when I was in Sasebo, Japan. It was sitting at one of those small bookstores near the Kujukushima island harbor. I love the images and used it as inspiration on a few of my test photoshoots. I dont think theyre that big.

Not to add gasoline but what are the magazines other than DPP that are up to "par". Ignore writing style but focus on visual side and print quality.