Imaging Resource Comes Back From the Dead. Our Plans for the Future - Letter From the (New) Editor
posted Tuesday, January 21, 2025 at 10:49 AM EST
When Toys R Us closed in 2018, my son was about to turn eight. The first time I took him there, his eyes filled with wonder at the endless rows of toys. It brought back my childhood and the time I spent in that same store looking for the things I'd ask for for birthdays or holidays.
We would sometimes go not to shop but just to wander around looking at new Star Wars figures or checking out the latest Nerf blasters. I took it for granted that a place filled with so much potential happiness, anticipation, and affinity could exist.
My son was crushed when the store closed. It's hard to explain to a child that something could exist one day and be gone the next. This is an apt parable for life but also a hard lesson.
Of course, toys are important because they teach us how to interact with other humans and help us find people with shared interests.
There is very little in life that goes away but which then comes back.
My interests have included photography since childhood. My dad was a commercial photographer in the 1970s, and I grew up with a camera in my hand.
I have been fortunate enough to surround myself with the gear and people I love. The photography business and the photo press have been part of my life for decades.
That's why I was so heartbroken when Imaging Resource closed its doors. IR was a vital and vibrant part of the imaging world. Founder (and friend) Dave Etchells built a site dedicated to demystifying camera gear and rigorously pursuing facts. He surrounded himself with good, competent, and friendly people. I consider them all part of my extended family, the photo press.
Imaging Resource closed due to an incredibly mismanaged business sale. The sale found its then-parent company embroiled in a series of "he said, she said" lawsuits, shutting the Digital Photo Pro and Outdoor Photographer magazines. These publications were cornerstones of photography, and both had been serving readers for decades.
Now, I have the opportunity to perform a small miracle. I get to bring something important and valuable back from the dead.
Hi, I'm David Schloss, the new editor-in-chief of Imaging Resource, and I'd like to introduce myself and tell you a bit about where we are headed at this reborn site.
The Real Treasure Was the Friends We Made Along the Way
I turned my love of photography into a career in which I help people learn about the art and the tools to create it.
In the same way, my son found friends with the same interests while playing with toys. I've found kinship among photographers (and videographers). I dive into the minutia of camera gear the same way he and his friends debate the features of their Nerf blasters.
By my twenties, I had become a writer in the photography world. I've been fortunate enough to be the Technology Editor at Photo District News and Outdoor Photographer and the Editor-in-Chief of Digital Photo Pro, Digital Photo, and HDVideo Pro magazines.
I've written several books on photography, taught classes on photo editing software, was an adventure sports photographer for many years, and shot for numerous corporate clients.
Most recently, I worked as PR for Sony's camera division, taking a turn on the other side of the camera press table.
I've dedicated my whole career to advancing photography and videography, and I am bringing that passion to Imaging Resource.
When I read that Imaging Resource was being revived, I contacted Will Blears, who, with his company BGFG, was acquiring the Imaging Resource and Outdoor Photographer brands (among others).
BGFG is based in Manchester, but Will and I had a chance to talk over coffee while he was on a work trip in New York City. I could tell he was excited about the brands' potential and the challenges inherent in revitalizing them.
I have worked in online publishing for a long time, and it's rare to find people who embrace the challenges of a complex task. Will and I talked for at least an hour, jumping from conversations about content needs to the best ways to configure servers, discussing Slack channels, and reminiscing about different content delivery platforms.
I knew right away this was going to be a good match.
So now, we have started hiring writers and reviewers and updating the news section.
I've begun testing camera gear again, and we will soon have reviews of the Sony a9 III, Nikon Z6 III, and other products.
We have some ambitious goals for the next few months. Imaging Resource is showing its age. Its layout and navigation are from earlier in the Internet's history.
That's being addressed as we speak, and I'm looking forward to modernizing the publication so we can showcase the best gear for content creators.
I mention the content creator because imaging is no longer just about still photos. Videography, audio, streaming—it's all part of the world of imaging, and we'll cover it all.
The Imaging Resource YouTube channel is also being refreshed. You can visit it at youtube.com/@imagingresourcereviews. I've just posted the first review video in a year, and more are coming. (Don't forget to like and subscribe!)
I am truly looking forward to this journey, and I will do my absolute best to make Imaging Resource a platform you can depend on and enjoy.
More importantly, Imaging Resource isn't about me and the team; it's about you. I want you to know people are working hard to bring you the best of what you and I are passionate about.
To start the conversation, I'd love it if you could let me know what you value most in Imaging Resource and what you'd most like to see us do in the next year. You can also just say hello and tell me more about the type of creator you are.
Here's to a long future together.