Is the print magazine dying? As we continue to find ourselves at the mercy of an ever-evolving virtual reality, we wonder how long it will take before our relished fashion magazines soon become nothing more than “vintage” coffee-table accessories. The launch of ‘The Wild’ online magazine conveys this idea of providing compelling, high-concept editorials to a more far-reaching audience – at the click of a button.
Created by Brooklyn-based photographer Giovanna Badilla, ‘The Wild’ is a new quarterly publication with the promise of “a unique perspective on a range of contemporary subjects” including fashion, design and style integrated with the social and cultural issues that impact us.
Photographers and creative directors have been reluctant to engage with the online medium as they beg the question of whether a photograph can embody the same sentiment online than its tangible counterpart?
My evaluation: I have no qualms about the magazine’s content and design, for it offers what it claims to. I’m told ‘FOR BEST VIEWING PLEASE USE FULL SCREEN MODE.’ However, full screen mode means a mere 13 inches on my laptop, thus I have to zoom and adjust the page. Call this laziness, but it’s a tedious task. There’s also something about staring a computer screen for an hour that drains my eyes more than staring at any other physical page would.
Upon zooming I don’t believe the photographs are as high quality as a magazine’s would be. It’s certainly not disagreeable that the design layout of a story may include a headline and caption in a sans-serif font, but online this seems to make it a lot harder for me to read than the body text (in serif font).
I may sound pedantic, but these are a few hindrances I find online magazines have in their way as they transform their content from page to screen. All in all, ‘The Wild’ is definitely worth a read – and I’m sure all of you with 15 inch+ screens and proficient eyesight won’t even think twice about the points I just raised. Have a look and tell us what you think.
