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FAQ

How often is BLUR magazine published?

BLUR magazine is currently published bi-monthly (6 issues per year), at the beginning of February, April, June, August, October and December. From August 2009 (#15) to December 2012 (#28) BLUR was published quarterly, while the first 14 issues under the brand name BULB were published on a monthly basis. This historical difference in our publishing rhythm follows the growth and transformation of our art project from a hobbyist endeavour by photography enthusiasts to the nonprofit Photography Association it grew into today.

Who is the publisher of BLUR magazine?

BLUR magazine is published by Photography Association Creatus, or Fotografska udruga Creatus (F.U.C.*) in Croatian, registered in Zagreb, Croatia as a nonprofit and nongovernmental civil organization. You can find out more by visiting our impressum or about pages.

Does BLUR profit from publishing artwork?

Although we’re treating all purchases as donations to our nonprofit, BLUR is a paid magazine, so in a sense it does generate revenue by publishing artwork. However, this revenue is used solely to cover production costs (hardware and services rendered). The selection and editing process for a magazine of this caliber is both a time and resource consuming endeavor. BLUR is published by a nonprofit organization registered in Croatia (EU) and any outstanding profit generated by our association, that isn’t used to cover operating expenses of the association and editorial fees, by law must be reinvested into public-facing projects of Photography Association Creatus or used to support similar projects in the photographic community. Such projects might include organising or sponsoring exhibitions, sponsoring galleries, launching other websites dedicated to photography or the history of photography (such as the Tošo Dabac historical, in-memoriam archive), etc. This basically means that the revenue we receive is distributed back to the photographic community in one way or another!

Are you hiring or accepting volunteers?

BLUR operates as a nonprofit magazine with a modest income that covers our basic technical expenses, so we’re not hiring. The entire operation is run mainly by a small, dedicated team of volunteers. If you wish to join this team, check out our impressum for details and/or news regarding vacant positions. If you feel you can offer something we don’t yet even know we need, feel free to drop us a note using our contact form and we’ll get back to you as soon as possible.

Can a photographer recommend their own work for publication in BLUR?

Yes! All you need to do is visit our submission pages (for single photos, check out the individual photo submission form, otherwise go to our project submission page), fill in all the required data and send us your work! Please bear in mind that we don’t usually return to authors with negative replies, due to the sheer amount of submissions we receive. If you don’t receive feedback, that basically means your submission was not accepted. Alternatively, if you wish to be more specific or feel your art does not fit into any of the specified submission categories, send us all relevant information using our contact form. Don’t forget to mention a URL where we can see your work!

Why don't you send out negative feedback?

BLUR’s been around for a while now, since 2007. Since then it has grown to a public of over 200 countries, and we receive thousands of submissions weekly. And this being the internet, you can imagine that most of what we receive are cat pics and snapshots from mostly genuinely nice people who love photography, but simply can’t pass our publishing criteria. If a human were to reply to so many people, who are simply trying and are excited, with negative replies, that would be too depressing for everyone.

We’ve experimented with automated responses, community critique, we even had public voting rounds at one point, but all of this proved either too cumbersome to implement or was, in its own way, just as cold, maybe even colder. So we simply decided to reply only positively.

Since we made that decision we’ve had little complaints, and the community vibe kind of settled around that policy, so we left it at that. If the community vibe changes, of course, we’ll change too, but for the time being we simply don’t send out negative replies.

We’re sorry if that seems cold; as you can see from historical perspective – it’s really not our intention.

Why did BULB change its name to BLUR?

BULB magazine changed its editorial structure and its team of contributors in 2009, and certain changes in the magazine’s organizational structure were introduced. As a sign of respect toward the old contributors, we decided to change the name to BLUR, but also keep all the old BULB issues available online as a permanent part of the BLUR heritage.

What are BLUR special editions?

Any BLUR publication issued outside of the regular publishing rhythm is considered a special issue. Examples include the free BLUR GALLERY edition or the printed BLUR BOOK edition. Some special editions are digital, some are printed, some are free, some are commercial, depending on the theme, occasion and production costs.

Does BLUR have a printed edition?

BLUR magazine is published primarily in PDF format and is distributed on the Internet. It can be read as a stand-alone PDF on any compatible device or through a dedicated iOS or Android application that is currently in development. BLUR is also planning on publishing special printed editions that will be available for order and printing on-demand using various online self-publishing services such as Blurb.com or MagCloud.com, but we’ll keep you updated on that one.

What kind of photography do you avoid?

Art photography should in principle know no limits, and we tend to keep it that way. However, sensationalism, unsavory provocation on a national, religious, sexual or any other level of any group or individual, crude or graphic sexual content and any similar material will not be tolerated. BLUR is read in 200 countries worldwide and we take care not to publish anything that would be considered offending to the common sense standards of the international art community. Of course, this might seem subjective, but art always is.

Do you publish nude photography?

Yes. Nude photography is an important part of our photographic culture for more than a century and is by extension welcome in BLUR magazine. Of course, there is a clear distinction between the artistic portrayal of the nude human body and graphical pornographic content, which is not tolerated. However, we do accept images that depict genitalia, as well as aesthetically thoughtful imagery of the sexual act, as long as it’s done in a tasteful and artistic manner. Our editorial staff reserves the right to interpret such imagery independently and will not enter into any discussions over its decisions not to publish a certain photo.

Why do you request material well in advance for issues that will be published much later during the year?

There are many valid reasons for this. First and foremost, it helps us avoid production bottlenecks and assures we don’t miss production deadlines. BLUR is a volunteer project and we sometimes have difficulty organizing the entire staff at the same time. Keeping a healthy reserve of material on stock enables a worldwide team to organize their time more efficiently to get things done. Textual material needs to be proofread, graphically laid out and authorized by you – the photographer – before publication. All this requires time. One other major reason for doing this is to ensure that BLUR remains colorful and unpredictable. We often mix up the content we receive from photographers in order to keep every issue interesting and fresh. We’re not overly worried about publishing photos chronologically and pay close attention not to degrade the overall quality of a future issue just because it’s summer, everyone is out partying and we receive fewer submissions. That’s why we sometimes keep really good stuff on ice for a future issue – simply thinking ahead.

Do you keep the photos you publish? What if you don't publish them?

You can rest assured that if not selected for publication, your photos will not be held by BLUR magazine. They’re automatically deleted from our servers after 48 hours, and are deleted from our offline archive during the selection process, if we don’t decide to publish. Published photos are kept offline in our archive, while one to three cropped versions can be found in our online archive advertising the issue in which the photos were published.

If you like my photo, when can I expect it to be published?

Due to translation, proofreading, and editing tasks, the editorial team tries to get as much of the material as possible well in advance. Therefore, there is no fixed time limit within which a certain photo will be published. For example, a particular photo might be a better thematic fit in a future issue. You’ll receive a notification in due time.

Why don't you send out negative feedback?

BLUR’s been around for a while now, since 2007. Since then it has grown to a public of over 200 countries, and we receive thousands of submissions weekly. And this being the internet, you can imagine that most of what we receive are cat pics and snapshots from mostly genuinely nice people who love photography, but simply can’t pass our publishing criteria. If a human were to reply to so many people, who are simply trying and are excited, with negative replies, that would be too depressing for everyone.

We’ve experimented with automated responses, community critique, we even had public voting rounds at one point, but all of this proved either too cumbersome to implement or was, in its own way, just as cold, maybe even colder. So we simply decided to reply only positively.

Since we made that decision we’ve had little complaints, and the community vibe kind of settled around that policy, so we left it at that. If the community vibe changes, of course, we’ll change too, but for the time being we simply don’t send out negative replies.

We’re sorry if that seems cold; as you can see from historical perspective – it’s really not our intention.

Why didn’t you publish my photo, and why didn’t you tell me that it won’t be published?

BLUR magazine’s editorial team is not obliged to reply or justify its decision to publish or not publish any photo or project. We only notify authors that are selected for publication, and we send out any material to the photographer for written authorisation before we publish an issue. Please read the question above for more context. Thank you.

My photos were published in other magazines: why won’t you publish them?

We respect the decisions other magazines take when selecting photos for their publications, however we have our own editorial policy that might differ from the rest of the industry. BLUR magazine is dedicated to art photography. For that reason, even photos that are technically perfect do not necessarily fit into BLUR magazine’s identity. This does not automatically mean we deem your photography sub-par or bad. We might simply feel it’s out of place in BLUR at a given time.

I’ve been published in a previous issue, but I have sent you more photos which you have not published yet. Why?

BLUR magazine attempts to publish the work of as many photographers with quality work as possible. If a particular artist really stands out, we try to present them through an interview, project, or in some other way. In any case, we always try to keep a period of time between repeated appearances by the same photographers. Therefore, there is no need to send us new photos for each new issue.

What are the technical conditions a photo must meet to be considered?

In order for a photo to be considered by the editors it must meet the following criteria: The longer edge of the photo must be at least 1500px long (1500x1500px square, 800x1500px portrait or a 1500x500px panorama are all examples acceptable formats) The photo must have at least 72 dpi of resolution The photo must NOT be watermarked The photo must NOT include a frame The photo must be submitted as a .JPG or .PNG file The photo must be in RGB

What happens if a photo doesn’t meet some of these criteria?

Due to heavy interest for publication in BLUR, our submission systems are automated. This means our server will automatically disqualify any photo that doesn’t meet these guidelines. If the photo is too small (longer edge smaller than 1500px), the editors will not even get to see your photo to override the automated system decisions, so please make sure you follow these guidelines correctly.

Will you warn me if my photo doesn’t meet your requirements?

No. We’ve taken great care to inform all interested authors regarding all the specifics related to our submission process, through this FAQ, through the submission webpage and e-mail confirmation messages after submission. We do not send personalized replies to authors who failed to understand these instructions, as there are simply too many photos going through our servers every day and we need to rely on automation in order to be able to manage this workload and keep up with the high quality of the selection process that makes BLUR what it is and why you like it. Some people do find this approach cold or rude, although we sincerely don’t mean it that way at all. Please understand we’re read in, and receive submissions from, over 200 countries worldwide. As a volunteer project, we’re unable to set up a communication centre just to inform people about things that are already clearly explained on our website. Thanks for understanding! 🙂

Will you notify me if my photo is NOT selected for publication?

No. BLUR magazine’s editorial team is not obliged to reply or justify its decision to publish or not publish any photo or project. We only notify authors that are selected for publication, and we send out any material to the photographer for written authorization before we publish an issue.

How many photos can I submit to BLUR for consideration?

Our photo submissions forms are limited to two photos per author for individual work (choose wisely!), while projects/series can be uploaded in a batch of up to 20 photos. You can send in more photos by re-submitting the form, just in case you made a mistake, but misuse of the submission form to upload a lot of photos is something neither we or our server consider that fair use, so do it at your own peril. Automated firewalls, IP blacklisting of malicious users… we don’t want to get into it – it gets a bit technical. 🙂

How can I be sure you’ve received my submission?

The submission form will show you a confirmation of your submission if everything went according to plan. You’ll also receive an automated e-mail confirmation if our server has your files saved and categorized. Make sure you use your real e-mail address and that it’s typed in correctly in order to ensure you get your feedback.

Where can I see the photos that I’ve just submitted?

Nowhere – yet. 🙂 The photos you submit will not be published automatically. They will be subject to editorial review and published only if the BLUR editors decide the photos are in line with BLUR’s policy, quality requirements and any other editorial criteria, and this is not subject to discussion.

What if I wish to submit a project, but don’t have a website about it? Can I upload photos like for Gallery 36?

Project submissions usually involve authors that have published them on websites, and we don’t accept direct file uploads for projects due to server strain (lots of photos per project, with lots of projects submitted, requires infrastructure BLUR cannot yet afford; Gallery 36 submissions are the most we can handle at this point). If you don’t have a website describing your project, you can send us photos via Dropbox, Google Drive, Box, MediaFire, Wikisend, or any similar file sharing solution, by creating a download/share link and pasting it into the website URL field or the Description field of your project submission.

Do you keep the photos you publish? What if you don't publish them?

You can rest assured that if not selected for publication, your photos will not be held by BLUR magazine. They’re automatically deleted from our servers after 48 hours, and are deleted from our offline archive during the selection process, if we don’t decide to publish. Published photos are kept offline in our archive, while one to three cropped versions can be found in our online archive advertising the issue in which the photos were published.

What payment methods do you support?

Currently we use two payment gateways, PayMill and PayPal. PayMill supports payment using credit cards, in case you don’t have or want a PayPal account. Together, that includes Visa, MasterCard, American Express, Discover, JCB, and Diners Club cards.

Is payment secure?

Yes. Our entire website is served via https, so it’s protected with a 2048-bit SSL certificate that makes sure any data you send through our website is kept private between your browser and our server. Furthermore, we don’t handle your payment – PayMill and PayPal do, and they’re certified financial institutions with industry standard protection. This means we don’t store your credit card credentials on our servers – we never even see them.

What is your pricing system?

BLUR magazine is published by a nonprofit NGO and uses a pay what you want donation system to enable download access to an individual issue, with a symbolic $2 minimum price. We respect whatever value you attach to our work, so we leave the final amount up to you. All of the revenue is directed towards publishing BLUR, funding its activities and exhibitions, ensuring its quality and, hopefully, keeping it online for many years to come. And we thank you for that. If you’d like to have access to the entire BLUR archive, you can also subscribe, in which case you won’t have to go through the checkout process before downloading any of our issues – subscribers can simply browse and download every issue right in the archive.  

I’ve changed my website url; can you make the correction in the old issue(s)?

The URL written under an author’s name can be changed on our website (please contact us!) but not in the PDF editions. Otherwise, such changes would ultimately require too much manpower and would result in an ever-growing archive, which we cannot support. Should a mistake be made in a web address in a current edition, the change/correction will be made as soon as possible.

When you publish my photos in BLUR magazine, why do you need two photographs in print resolution (300 dpi) while all the others are needed in screen resolution (72 dpi)?

This is done for practical reasons in day to day production. BLUR magazine sometimes advertises in print magazines, and occasionally organizes exhibitions that are branded with BLUR visuals. Therefore, we ask each artist who has several photos published in our magazine to include two in print resolution so that we can respond to media requests and/or event organizers in a timely manner. Of course, all photographs used in this way are signed, and the photographer’s copyrights are completely protected.

Why don’t you include technical information about photos and what gear was used to take the photos?

In these times of photographic hyper-production, BLUR magazine aims to slow the pace and encourage its readers to reflect more on the images and to experience photography more profoundly. This is why BLUR omits the technical specifics of photographs and focuses instead on creative, impactful photography and its creators.

What are the BLUR physical/printed editions about and how are they distributed?

BLUR publishes two yearly printed books that summarize all the best authors and photos published in BLUR throughout the year. They don’t include interviews and other textual content, but focus on pure photography. The purpose of a BLUR book is to create an inspirational, high-quality photo archive that can take a special place on your book shelf and become a more serious collectors’ edition than a magazine publication ever could. All printed editions are, of course, available digitally as well. The worldwide distribution methods of these physical copies are still being considered by the BLUR team, but will probably be available via print on-demand services such as Blurb.com or MagCloud.com. Please follow our journal for updates on when the printed editions will be available for purchase.