dwight_magee Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 <p>I wouldn't hold my breath much as I am sure you wish I would. Actions speak louder than words my friend which is what started this string back in December 2007 when <a href="../photodb/user?user_id=414762">Jim Meisenbach</a> first raised the alarm bell that lead to the subsequent comments about your treatment towards your subscribers. If this site has made just one potential subscriber change their mind about investing their money in your magazine than it is worth it to continue the comments. To bad you didn't take advantage of my earlier offer for you to simply refund my money...I might have gone away then.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 <p>Dwight - have you changed your e-mail address since you subscribed? Is it still a telus.net e-mail address?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted August 21, 2009 Share Posted August 21, 2009 <p>Dwight - you need to check your e-mail. If the USPS did not send you an e-mail earlier tonight, then I don't have your correct e-mail address - the same e-mail address you used when you subscribed back in August 2007.<br> I sent you a notification earlier tonight that you will receive 1 of my 5 copies that I'm receiving tomorrow.<br> It will ship tomorrow afternoon and arrive by the end of this week. I've also sent you an e-mail to the same e-mail address you used to subscribe. If you have changed your e-mail address - then I can forward you the tracking information to a new one.<br> As you see, I am trying my best to make this right with you. As for your missing issues - as soon as I receive all of my copies of back issues later on this week -- I can discuss sending you your missing copies then.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 <p>Magazines have arrived!</p> <p><img src="http://www.focusmag.info/other/IMG_0479.jpg" alt="" width="640" height="480" /></p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_hardy1 Posted August 22, 2009 Share Posted August 22, 2009 <p>Looking forward to receiving the new issue. BTW, Rabbi Sinclair spoke very highly of you in an article I read recently David.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted August 28, 2009 Share Posted August 28, 2009 <p>The magazines are due arrive to the distributor on Monday along with the subscription list. If you need to double check that you are on the list, please e-mail me immediately. Monday is the absolute cut off date. david@focusmag.info. All magazines will be mailed out Tuesday or Wednesday, dependent upon the schedule and how many people can sort through close to this many subscribers.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
andy_biggs3 Posted August 30, 2009 Share Posted August 30, 2009 <p>My copy just arrived late on Friday, and yes you can believe that this is an issue that is actually shipping to subscribers such as myself. I look forward to reading it over the next few days.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnya Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 <p>Cannot wait to get my copy. I just got the latest issue of COLOR - the special edition - I was one of the winners of their first contest and got two full pages in the mentioned edition which just hit the newsstands - I must say that the quality of their printing leaves something to be desired. Comparing the first issues of COLOR to FOCUS, there is no comparison. FOCUS is slick, sharp, and of the highest quality I have ever seen in a magazine. COLOR needs to find a better printer or they wont be around for long. My photos are washed out and are too dark. No it is not the files I sent them because these same pictures have been published in other magazines and so it is not my photos but the way they got printed. The people at the COLOR magazine should check out FOCUS to find out what a good print should look like. So David, you got no competion as far as I can see. It is a shame because COLOR does publish a lot of good work and I do enjoy the magazine. I just wish they would improve their printing quality. </p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted September 1, 2009 Share Posted September 1, 2009 <p>Johny, I appreciate the compliment. FOCUS used to be printed with the same printer as COLOR until they decided to kick us to the curb because we wanted to publish Jock Sturges photos. The delay between Issue 12 and Issue 13 was due to this. We then found the current printer we're using and it's been a DREAM ever since. But, there are pros and cons of working with either printer. You work with COLOR's printer, you get a magazine printed FAST, like in 2-3 days. Prepress takes about a day or two and that's it. Upload your files on Monday get a magazine by Friday or Saturday. Of course, you suffer quality issues if you do that and while most magazines don't care about that, if you're a fine art photography magazine, it should be PRIORITY #1. But COLOR and B&W have subscribers and readers who don't care about the quality of the photographs. Or, like me in the beginning, they don't know any different. Prepress for Issue #18 took about 3-4 weeks, a bit longer than normal, but we HAD to ensure EVERY photograph was perfect. There were sometimes where we weren't sure of the tonal range of a photograph and could not print that signature (16 page segment) until we had found out if it was warm or neutral. The printing takes about 2-3 weeks and binding takes about a week. After that the magazines have to be shipped and sorted through at the distributor and THEN, THEN they are mailed to subscribers. The point from uploading photos and the magazine to the printer and getting the magazines mailed to subscribers can take up to two months. But, and I've tried to stress this as much as possible, in the end, the subscriber receives THE BEST magazine they've ever seen. I have absolutely no words to describe how proud I am of this issue. 400 line screen vs. 137 linescreen with COLOR, lots of duotones, a gloss laminated cover... I mean the magazine just looks gorgeous and everyone who is a subscriber, when they get their copies, will hopefully feel the same.<br> This goes to the question - are you willing to wait for something a little bit longer that gives you much higher quality than anything else? I certainly hope many of you are, because when Issue #18 arrives in your mailbox, you will certainly enjoy it.<br> Magazines arrive today for mailing. They should be mailed Thursday or Friday or Monday at the absolute latest.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
a_baan Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 <p>Totally agree with Johny. Not only do B&W and Color have a poor image quality. They also lack service as Focus does. I have tried subscriptions at all three magazines. Focus made a complete mess, never received one issue. B&W sends some and some not. Color I stopped immediately after not receiving any issues in the beginning, It is a shame that you publishers seem to make a mess of international orders. Being a pubisher myself I simply do not understand. You get an order, put it in a database, print labels and off you go. Nothing to it, so it seems.......</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted September 2, 2009 Share Posted September 2, 2009 <p>Odd how my posts keep disappearing. Anyway, I already spoke to you about it through E-Mail this morning. We've attempted, once for the only issue you subscribed in time to receive to send you a magazine. If it did not successfully deliver, I was not notified.<br> Speaking of unsuccessful deliveries, Dwight, the USPS tried THREE times today to deliver you your magazine.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight_magee Posted September 5, 2009 Share Posted September 5, 2009 <p>I have been out of town for the last two weeks and David was true to his recent word that a copy had been sent to me, and what a copy it is. Very nice indeed.The craftsmanship is there which truly does put Focus magazine in a class of it's own.<br> Having said that David, we still have a ways to go. I have been a three year subscriber now for two years and have only received two issues...so David how do you propose to drop the sabers and solve this rather thorny issue between us?</p> <p>Dwight</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted September 8, 2009 Share Posted September 8, 2009 <p>Dwight - I can't remember which two copies you're missing. Please remember Issue #14 was newsstand only. So if you received #15, #16 and #17, you're caught up. If you did not receive each of those copies, please let me know which ones you did not receive and I'll ship them out to you this week. Hopefully they'll take a little less time clearing customs as the one I just sent you did. Almost a week! The post office did not offer me "guaranteed" express to your address, but offered me just international express... I dunno... it's frustrating that one single copy of a magazine would just sit in customs for a week. I could've walked there and hand delivered it to you and it taken less time. Let me know which copies you don't have and I'll send them out -- but be prepared for a wait. Thankfully, the post office offers some kind of tracking system when you ship it online.<br> Anyway, as for everyone else:<br> The distributor is sending the magazines out in three batches this week: Batch 1 is for international, batch 2 and 3 are for domestic. Batch 1 was sent out today and 2 and 3 will be sent out Weds. and Thurs. So by Thursday afternoon, ALL subscriptions will have been sent out.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight_magee Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 <p>Lets try this again shall we. For some reason the site is not letting me save this reply. David I have only received issues 16 & 18 which means I haven't received 15 and 17.<br> David I do have to ask the bigger question though. When I purchased the buy two, get three year subscription two years ago I was under the impression that FOCUS magazine was published every month. This would mean a 36 issue subscription. Given the intermittent published frequency of the magazine how many issues should we expect to receive for a three year subscription.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
david_spivak2 Posted September 14, 2009 Share Posted September 14, 2009 <p>Dwight -- I cannot send you out 15. I don't have enough copies. I can send you a copy of 14, which I'm pretty sure you never received.<br> We were trying to continue to print 6x a year in 2007, but it wasn't possible to the increased expense from the new printer. We've never published 12x a year, nor said we did. There isn't a market for it to be honest. I'd love to publiish weekly if I could -- but that's not possible.<br> I've been given an offer from two distributors I'm considering that would make switching back to 6x a year more profitable for me -- but I have to make sure the advertising is there to support it. We're finding that out this issue.<br> A subscription for FOCUS because of our infrequency isn't the time, it's the number of copies. So you subscribed with Issue #13, your first issue was supposed to be #15, your subscription would expire with #27.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
thomas_hardy1 Posted September 17, 2009 Share Posted September 17, 2009 <p>Wondering if I will receive my copy as I am a subscriber. Are there any more to be sent out?</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
johnya Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 <p>Ok so I just received my copy of the latest issue - WOW - turning each page is like taking another bite of a juicy Porterhouse steak - makes your mouth water. I have only looked at a few pages - over and over - I want to make the experience last so I am going sloooooow. The quality of the paper, the sharpness of each photo, the vivid colors as well as the monochrome tonality, are all superb. As I mentioned to David before, it has the look and feel of a $15 magazine. YOU David did it again. Ok, I have been impatient in the past, as many are, but only because I want to see good artwork of which there is very little out there on the newstand.<br> <br />I think David made the right choice by waiting instead of putting out an inferior product like most mass produced publications are. Too many times, corners are cut and compremises are made for the BUCK.... ART cannot be rushed. I would rather see only two issues per year, if they are of this quality, then see more issues that are of poorer quality. <br> Now I will go back to enjoying a few more pages of my magazine .....</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
russ_lewis Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 <p>David,<br> Bravo! I just got my copy. It's a splendid production. You've restored my confidence in Focus. Keep up the good work.<br> Best regards,<br> Russ Lewis</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight_magee Posted September 20, 2009 Share Posted September 20, 2009 <p>Yes I would agree with the others the more I read of the current issue the more I like it. I must say well done David. In terms of your offer, yes please send me issue 14 & 17.</p> <p>Thank you....Dwight</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dbltap4 Posted September 24, 2009 Author Share Posted September 24, 2009 <p>Got mine yesterday. USPS tried to shred it, but didn't get past the envelope!<br>Excellent reproductions, as usual. <br>David, you asked me to compare "Lemon Eye" in your publication with the one in "Color". I did.<br>Please try to maintain the high standards you have set for yourself. I am sure that it can be mind-boggeling in this economy. Also, an impressive amount of advertising, another daunting challenge.<br>JIM M.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy_valleau Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 <p>I too finally got my Yellow issue. It's pretty. It should be: so far it's cost me $44. Now if I could just get David to send out the two back issues I paid $32 for, over 2 months ago... no response to emails; no response to phone calls... I'm 63... and know how fish smells. Something's serious wrong here...</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy_valleau Posted December 7, 2009 Share Posted December 7, 2009 <p>Followup: I got an email from PayPal, only a few hours after posting this, that my issues have been shipped. (Either this forum has some weight, or my threat in my last email to start talking to his advertisers did.) In any case: setting the public record straight here.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tracy_valleau Posted January 2, 2010 Share Posted January 2, 2010 <p>Well, it's a month later, and the magazines have not yet arrived, despite supposedly being shipped 2-3 day Priority Mail.<br> Honestly, I think this guy is running a scam.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dwight_magee Posted February 21, 2010 Share Posted February 21, 2010 <p>David,<br> Five months later and I still haven' t received those two issues nor any others that have been published. Comments please.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mary_casares Posted February 22, 2010 Share Posted February 22, 2010 <p>In October 2009 I subscribed to Focus Magazine for a two year subscription. It would have began with issue 18. I paid over the internet through PAY PAL, the money was taken out of my account. I have not received an issue yet. I have sent Mr Davis S Spivak countless emails and left messages on Facebook. I have even rang his cell phone and left him a message. He has ignored everything and we are now in February 2010.<br> Completely UNACCEPTABLE.</p> Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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