PhotoForum

PhotoForum Inc. is a non-profit New Zealand photography organisation founded 12 December 1973 in Wellington "dedicated to the promotion of photography as a means of communication and expression," and is also the title of its magazine, first published in February 1974.
The magazine issues were discontinued after 1984, but the organisation continues to publish a series of books on New Zealand photography and photographers with the same ISSN. One of these, number 83, is a 273 page, large format history of PhotoForum Inc. published with Rim Books and edited by art historian Nina Seja.
History.
Background.
Desmond Kelly and John B. Turner screened documentary films, and held discussions, on photography in Wellington over 1969/70. They and their audience noted the prevalent lack of attention to, or analysis of, photography in New Zealand other than as a commercial profession or an amateur activity. Photography publications existed but were mostly books presenting the country's landscape often with an eye to tourism, and hobby, trade, technical and photographic society journals; "New Zealand Studio", the journal of the New Zealand Professional Photographers’ Association 1952–1975; "New Zealand Camera", journal of the Photographic Society of New Zealand, launched in 1954; and "Photographics New Zealand" magazine 1961–1963.
Publication.
Kelly and Turner met Bruce Weatherall who subsequently in 1970 published the newsletter "Photographic Art & History", which was the precursor to "Photo-Forum" magazine. Its first issue covered conservation of photographs, appreciation of fine art photography, collecting photographic equipment, and the history of photography, and called for expressions of interest in contributing to further newsletters. Kelly and Turner became co-editors of the magazine with Weatherall from issue 2.
They turned attention to New Zealand photographers Tudor Collins, Mac Miller, John Daley, and the current "Maori in Focus" exhibition, and in issue 3 covered Ans Westra, Mac Miller, and Hill & Adamson in New Zealand. After issue 4, featuring reviews of the 19th Century New Zealand Photography exhibition; "Photography, A Visual Dialect," Gernsheim’s "History of Photography"; Hardwicke Knight’s "First Century of Photography" exhibition; and an article on the photographer J.N. Crombie, the journal was renamed "New Zealand Photography."
Under the new title "New Zealand Photography" and from 1971 the content was more internationally focused and included Keri McCleary's reviews of New Zealand exhibitions of Brassaï and "Photography 1971" exhibitions, and articles on the American Bruce Davidson and the French photojournalist Cartier-Bresson, with others on New Zealanders J.W. Chapman-Taylor and others.
Through 1972/3 more attention was given to New Zealand photographers and exhibitions, with articles on, and photographs by, Alan Leatherby; Richard Collins; Roger Leach; James McDonald; Lloyd Homer; Keri McCleary; Max Oettli; D.L. Mundy; Simon Buis; John Fields; Walter Logeman; Mike Hammersley; Allan McDonald; Don Roy; Clive Stone; John Milnes; Jim Payne; Harry Foster; Ans Westra; Barry Lett Galleries; Bryan James; Historical New Zealand photographs in Australia; Bryan James; Ken Foster; Corynne Bootten; Graham Mitchell; Grant Douglas; the Elam Workshop; John Daley; Victorian photographs of Wellington; Michael Hawkins; the Photographic Communication Symposium; Barry Myers; Barry Hesson; Paul Cooper; Gary Baigent; Paul Gilbert; Rev. John Kinder; Christchurch photographers at Victoria Market Gallery; Leith F. Jennings.
After Weatherall departed for a position as Lecturer in Journalism at the University of Canterbury in 1974, Turner took over "New Zealand Photography" magazine and re-launched it as "Photo-Forum" magazine in February 1974, the title inspired by the American "Artforum." As well as its magazine, the organisation also produced posters, postcard sets, diaries, calendars, newsletters and books.
"PhotoForum" ceased publication as a magazine in 1984, replaced by the irregular issue of book-format titles which continued the magazine numbering and its ISSN. Subscribed members received "MoMento", published from January 2008.
Organisation.
On December 12, 1973, founders Ken Browning, Paul Fudakowski, Bob Jones, Peter Maughan, Max Oettli, Peter Robson, Larence N. Shustak, and John B. Turner contributed $1000 each to register PhotoForum as an Incorporated Society. Max Oettli became first President of the Society, Treasurer was Wendy Turner; Secretary, Janet Mayo; "Photo-Forum" (originally hyphenated thus) Editor was John Turner, and Associate Editors Laurence Shustak and Do Van Toan.
The magazine contents 1974-1984.
1974
1975
1976
1977
Photo-Forum 41 was the last A4 size Photo-Forum (designed by Karen Sarno-Woodroffe).
1978
With issue 42 the magazine format is reduced and centres more on images. "Photo-Forum Supplement", launched at the end of 1977, is in tabloid newsprint format to provide space for more discourse and news.
1979
1980
1981
From issue 48 the hyphen in the title was dropped.
1982
1983
1984
From 1986 "PhotoForum Newsletter" was renamed "PhotoForum ReView" and changed to A5 format under new editors Janet Bayly and Athol McCredie.