Vol.2 No.4

Editor's Letter

ei8ht is the magic number! Well it has worked for us. This issue of ei8ht, Vol.2 No.4, marks our eighth issue and two years of existence. With each edition we have striven to achieve our goal of publishing compelling photo stories that inform, challenge and inspire us. On these terms I am confident that this issue will not disappoint, full, as it is, of vibrant and innovative photo essays.

During the past two years of publishing ei8ht I have been fortunate to receive guidance from dedicated individuals who have helped bring the magazine from its initial concept stage to the printed version you hold today. Their names appear below on the masthead and their continued involvement is a testament to the passion they share with me for photojournalism. Similarly, ei8ht has been aided by you, our subscribers, readers, advertisers, editors, photographers, wives, husbands, families and friends, and the back cover page of names is designed to thank you all for your contribution and support.

In our desire to continually break new ground and expand the resourcefulness of ei8ht, this issue contains a new section, Index, where those interested in a particular subject or photographer featured in the magazine can find useful information. Subscribers to this issue will also receive a short film on cd-rom. Produced by MAG, the landmines action charity, it shows the work of two photographers who have applied their skills and chosen to make a documentary film in order to highlight the danger of landmines in Angola. In a similar vein the stories in the magazine pick up on this idea – of choosing the appropriate media to convey the message. 

In Secret War and We are Happy!, the photographers have chosen to tell stories they believe are important using a format that feels appropriate to them, be it digital film, black and white prints, pen and ink on rice paper or a combination of these and many other elements. 

In Rwanda, with the war crimes tribunal ongoing, the camera sifts for clues and exposes individual truths. In Laos, Uganda and Viet Nam it reminds us not to forget, turn away or betray our allies and those particularly vulnerable. Whilst in Understanding Stanley photography leads us to question the meanings we attach to images as the photographer seeks to communicate a state of mind.

I hope this issue captivates and carries you along with us to explore the diversity of photographic expression we present now and in the future.  When Vol.1, No.1 went to press in 2002, little Louis, whose image faithfully appears on this page, was just a wee babe small enough to hold in one hand. Now he is an energetic and eager two-and-a-half-year-old child mastering his universe. I look forward to watching him grow up on this page as ei8ht too develops and claims its place in the world.

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