A zine is typically a small self published book, often printed at home and folded into 6-8 pages. It can contain photos, text, poetry and all sorts. Zines are a form of self expression and have often been used in protests and to spread awareness of certain causes. They are self published, imperfect, and often made at home with basic photocopiers, this hand finished style gives zines a unique and rebellious quality!
In recent years photographers have published their work in zines using a number of different online printing companies. These can offer a more professional end product than most people’s home printers.
Zines have been present throughout history in socially marginalized groups. Some state that the first zine was Thomas Paine's 1775 pamphlet Common Sense.
Zines were popular with science fiction fans who would make ‘fanzines’ (short for fan magazine). This allowed them to collaborate with each other and share ideas around their community.
The time of the punk zine came in the late 70s. With the emergence of household printers and software people were able to create these cool DIY publications which became vital in spreading information about music around the UK.
Emerging from the DIY punk subculture was the Riot Grrrl movement in the 90s. This was the same time as the American era of third-wave feminism which saw many feminist documents able to circulate ideas that would simple not have been published in mainstream media.
“BECAUSE we girls want to create mediums that speak to US. We are tired of boy band after boy band, boy zine after boy zine, boy punk after boy punk after boy . . . BECAUSE in every form of media I see us/myself slapped, decapitated, laughed at, trivialized, pushed, ignored, stereotyped, kicked, scorned, molested, silenced, invalidated, knifed, shot, choked, and killed ... BECAUSE every time we pick up a pen, or an instrument, or get anything done, we are creating a revolution. We ARE the revolution.”
- Erika Reinstein, Fantastic Fanzine No. 2
By the mid-90s zine makers were also publishing their work on the internet as e-zines.
The internet obviously changed the way people get information; being able to share ideas in a web forum, in msn or AOL chat, myspace. So the zine started to die out a little.But here is truly nothing like experiencing your photography in print form, and holding a print in your hand.
How Would You Define The Difference Between A Zine and A Photo Book?
The difference is simple. One is handmade, short run and limited page count, containing content that is more ephemeral in nature and put together simply but with consideration for the quality of the work more so than the quality of the final end product. The other is from a considered specific body of work, generally of some substance when it comes to size (number of pages), printed professionally and made with the intent for sale and promotion of the photographer’s portfolio and current artistic endeavors.
gummygunk
pixelskylines
blakekathryn