A limited number of copies and complete artistic freedom. That’s how you can briefly describe the essence of zines—DIY and self-published magazines by artists.
Modern zine culture formed in the 70s. Half a century ago, zine creators were opposed to mainstream glossy magazines, where conformism and consumerism reigned. Photos were the basis of almost every zine of that time.
In, photo zines no longer look like folded xerox pages stapled together. With drag-and-drop graphic editors (like VistaCreate) and 24-hour print shops, anyone with an artistic idea and a set of visual content can publish their photo book.
So why not try it out? We want to inspire you to express yourself through photo zines with this article. Tips and legendary examples included.
What is a photo zine?
A photo zine is a self-made, printed issue built of photos and captions. The term comes from the word “magazine”, as zines follow the style of magazines with headings, text, and illustrations put on a grid.
An important feature of a photo zine is visual storytelling . On its pages, images dominate the text and form a sequence that tells a story. Learn more about this technique in our article A Brief Guide on Sequential Storytelling.
There are no rules for creating photo zines; you could even say that’s their main strength. Therefore, zine-creating often becomes an outlet for photographers who become hostages of their customers’ needs and market trends.
Photo zines have no commercial purpose and are designed to spread bold artistic concepts. However, since the circulation of such issues is often minimal, some of them become valuable collectible items.
Zine-creation is an act of artistic freedom. Not surprisingly, they often set new trends and push the boundaries of photo genres and culture. And the concept of a zine has sprouted in modern culture, too—In fact, your Instagram account is a digital analog of a classic zine.
Why publish a photo zine in 2022
“If I can run an Instagram, photoblog, personal website, and portfolio on Depositphotos, why would I publish a zine?” you might ask. Well, here are some reasons for you:
- The creative freedom that leads to discoveries
A zine enables you to share content beyond the projects you’re working on. As a result, you can rediscover yourself, practice new skills, and even find a new audience.
