Essential Reading

When we put together American Photo's annual Editor's Choice Awards feature—now in its eighth year—we always seem to be adding or subdividing categories, as the photo marketplace finds new ways to innovate. This year the luxury of Web space has allowed us to include separate sections for tripods and camera bags. And now, so as not to leave out the best of the many items that defy categorization, we've just put up our Imaging Essentials category.

Imaging Essentials is where we mix it up. Among the items you'll find are flatbed scanners, color calibration systems, and even film. There's also a separate, special feature on the best new inkjet printing papers, researched and written by paper authority Theano Nikitas. And speaking of authority, Imaging Essentials has plenty: Its contributors also include Jonathan Barkey, Pete Kolonia, Jack Howard, and Marvin Good.

So check it out, and listen to American Photo Editor in Chief David Schonauer on why we do all this:
“There are two important reasons we put together our Editor’s Choice feature each year. First, it provides our readers with a complete buying guide to the latest photographic products. Second, it’s a way for us to gauge where photography is taking the art and business of photography. This work is essential to our core mission of the magazine, which is to explore the state of the art in photography and to showcase the creativity of the world’s best photographers. In photography, as in few other forms of communication, creativity and high technology are intertwined; they lead each other down the merry path toward the future of the medium.” -- Russell Hart