Amateur Photographer magazine hit a massive milestone today, turning 140 years old.
Amateur Photographer‘s first-ever issue was published on October 10, 1884, and since then, the magazine has published an issue nearly every week.
“When Amateur Photographer launched on October 10, 1884, photography had only been around for 45 years. It was a slow, complicated and expensive process practiced almost entirely by the well heeled,” says Nigel Atherton, Group Editor. “In its early years AP wasn’t even able to reproduce photographs. Over the decades photography equipment, processes and styles have continually evolved but AP has been there to keep its readers inspired and informed. Today AP reaches over a million people worldwide in print and on our various online and social platforms, and we continue to navigate and report on the rapid changes that are happening in photography today.”
The magazine shared some fascinating facts about its history alongside the birthday announcement. There have been 7,220 Amateur Photographer issues since its inception in 1884. The longest-serving member of the staff, Alan McFadden, worked for the publication for an awe-inspiring 48 years. The magazine’s first color photo cover was in 1925, while its first full-color issue hit newsstands in 1962.
Amateur Photographer has also published an assortment of articles to celebrate its 140th anniversary, including a fascinating look at 140 years of landmark cameras, a deep dive into the magazine’s history, and an article investigating what it was like to be a photographer when the magazine launched back in 1884.
Over its 140-year history, Amateur Photographer has undergone rebranding and experienced numerous seismic shifts in the photography and media industries. The magazine has had 17 editors, including five in the magazine’s first 20 years. The current leader, Nigel Atherton, took over the role in 2013.
“Photography has undergone many profound changes during Amateur Photographer‘s lifetime,” writes Atherton.
Over the decades, AP has guided its audience through the transition from plates to roll film, from larger formats to 35mm, from black and white to color, and film to digital. It has survived mergers, acquisitions and name changes along the way and today remains the world’s only weekly photo magazine, and the oldest still widely sold at retail. No other photography magazine in the world has published so frequently, for so long, and so dominated the market like AP has; and even today, with so many rivals, AP accounts for around half of all the photography magazine purchases at newsagents and supermarkets across the UK.”
Congratulations to Amateur Photographer and its staff, past and present, for achieving this remarkable milestone.
Image credits: Amateur Photographer
