“the spirit of la pura vida, or the love of life for its own sake…” – Garrison Keillor
LPV is an online and print magazine dedicated to contemporary documentary and fine art photography. Our aim is to provide a platform for photographers to showcase their work in interesting ways. In our essays, we explore the evolving nature of photography in the digital age and how social media and technology are creating new opportunities for photographers and publishers.
We source our photography primarily through the ecosystem we’ve built on Flickr, through contributor submissions and a healthy dose of serendipity.
Published in print three times yearly, you can buy individual issues on MagCloud or purchase a subscription which gets you all three issues plus exclusive content including Q & A sessions with photographers featured on the site as well as established professionals. For further details, CLICK HERE.
Founder & Managing Editor - Bryan Formhals
Editor - James Turnley
Submissions
Submissions are open to everyone and can be made through the LPV Flickr group or via email – editors@lpvmagazine.com
Guidelines
1) 8-10 JPEGS, no larger than 600 pixels long, preferably from a single portfolio or body of work.
2) A biography of 50-100 words
For more ideas about submitting work, take a look at our article ‘Observations on Submitting Work’
Connect
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Flickr
For all other inquiries contact Bryan - editors@lpvmagazine.com
Press For LPV
Get to Know Our Favorite Photobloggers [Wired Raw File Blog]
“Photography on La Pura Vida hovers between fine art and documentary. It’s drawn primarily from the Flickr community Formhals and his cohorts have built. In regular op-ed appearances, Formhals attempts to make sense of the onslaught of photography, social media and their meaningful intersections.
Balancing the benefits (visibility, direct relationships with clients, self-determination) of the digital age against its downsides (continued battle for mind share, added self-marketing responsibility, image use and control), Formhals is a cheerleader for emerging artists without shying away from the sticky conversations about distribution, payment and self-marketing.”
I have no doubt, based on the first issue and the extensive background of Mr. Formhals that LVP will be a significant publication.
Bryan is a digital media consultant and also photo-centric wunderkind. He founded La Pura Vida Gallery, which evolved from his networking and involvement on Flickr where he curates monthly on-line exhibitions. He also writes a well-read blog, co-founded at photography collective, strange.rs, and produces his own work. Bryan is a champion of the Flickr photography community and has worked hard to bring exposure and validation to many photographers who use Flickr as their main platform.
Blake Andrews -2009 Recap: Prime Photoblogs
“It’s no secret that the internet is the ultimate curatorial platform. In 5 minutes you can whip together images from around the globe, put them on a screen and an hour later they’re seen by a thousand people. While everyone knows this, Bryan Formhals has put it to the most creative use. If Lenscratch is de Tocqueville, La Pura Vida is Lewis and Clark, pioneering into the Flickr jungle to dig up stuff that I’d never find on my own, curating and organizing it into various thematic shows, and editing the choices of guest curators. Once in a while he’ll add nice writing. This is the photoblog equivalent of your local underground college radio station. They may not always play your favorites but they’re guaranteed to stretch your taste.”
Bryan Formhals has enough creative activity going that he merits an extended post. As a curator (or, visual editor? more on that below) his online exhibition endeavor La Pura Vida Gallery, which presents innovative monthly group exhibitions, just turned two years old. Pooled from Flickr and presented with a simple PREV/NEXT navigation, these shows have an unmediated intimacy that exemplifies what an online gallery should be. -
Bryan Formhals is a multi-tasking photographer who keeps his own work on the down-low, while promoting the work of others. Bryan founded La Pura Vida Gallery, which evolved from his networking and involvement on Flickr. He curates monthly on-line exhibitions and this month, La Pura Vida Gallery is having it’s first brick and mortar show at L’Keg Gallery in Echo Park in Los Angeles that opens and closes tomorrow night at 8pm. It’s a show that examines the increasing phenomenon of photographers forced to create their own print sales. Bryan also has a thought provoking and well written blog. Bryan is currently sampling the New York lifestyle after a chunk of time in Los Angeles.
This months event is extra special, Allegra Wilde the fabulous host of the last Take 5ive inspired us to invite bloggers and press to join the event. Along with Wilde, Elizabeth Avedon provided a list of ‘favorites’ for Chrissy Reilly WIN’s Operations Director who reached out and put together some of the most fabulous industry giants that will all “take” their “5” allotted minutes and give us some insight into their world or sphere of interest.
As many of our steady Take 5ivers know, Take 5ive is Dada inspired so one never knows what information or performances the speakers will be presenting us! The line up so far includes Susan May Tell, Ruben Natal-San Miguel, Bryan Formhals, Sheri Lynn Behr, Alison Zavos, Ted Sabarese, and Elizabeth Barragan.