Creating terra firma was the desire to try and do something new and original in the form of printed matter. To work with photographers/ artists and designers to curate their work with a strong vision in mind, alongside presenting my own imagery. As I had not yet built any following, I decided to use the creativity of friends as the foundation for the magazine. Issue 01 was mostly about individuals who were not practicing “photographers”, but instead studying to be teachers or doctors, these were mostly my friends. They were each given a camera for a few weeks, a few rolls of film and a short brief. I then spent time scanning and editing their work, most of them not seeing the end result until it was printed and bound in the final piece! So many magazines seem to be featuring the same sort of work and I was finding that very dull and unexciting. The theme, very appropriately for issue 02, was the concept of originality...
Presenting issue 01 of terra firma magazine, January 2015
See more about terra firma magazine at terrafirmamag.com
Issue 02 of terra firma magazine CCTV camera, May 2015
We all know how hard it is to make original work, it feels almost an unachievable task, but to have that consideration in mind when creating work, then perhaps it will inspire you to think more individually. It is also presented in a new format for each issue, 01 being A4 with 108 pages, 02 being A5 with 240 pages, 03 being A5 with 140 pages, as well as a limited edition issue which came in a recycled hand stamped box, alongside an A1 poster, an A6 interview journal and 5 beautifully printed matte postcards, these were limited to just 50 copies which sold out quickly on kickstarter!
I wanted to create something that was more than just a magazine, with more of a physical feel, so if you threw it at someone, it would hurt. Something to create an impact… It has been a very enjoyable experience working with many different creatives, viewing their work, learning about their projects and processes. I feel I have built great new relationships, which would never have been possible without terra firma
Image by Cartier Ali Adan for issue 02 of terra firma magazine
