Digital BW, The Print

Hi Michael,

Is this the magazine that has a bit of poetry, a bit of photography, 
a bit of commentary, etc, etc?

Thanks

Jules

--- In DigitalBlackandWhiteThePrint@yahoogroups.com, "Michael Gordon" 
<michael_gordon@...> wrote:
>
> I'm making this post to hopefully prevent other unsuspecting
> photographers from enduring the same trouble. You'll find a 
concurrent
> thread here http://tinyurl.com/z5py8. Please forgive the inclusion 
of
> trivial facts. I have included them because I expect David Spivak to
> refute my statements.
> 
> Shortly after making a submission to Focus in late April 2006, David
> Spivak left me an urgent voice mail asking me to call. We spoke on 
May
> 1, 2006, and he not only praised my work but stated how well I would
> fit into the next (at that time) issue, deadline soon approaching. 
He
> then proceeded to pitch his $1500 marketing package to me, and when 
I
> didn't bite on that, he tried to sell me on his online Focus 
Gallery.
> I didn't bite on that either, and suddenly Mr. Spivak no longer 
seemed
> interested in my photography or publishing it in his magazine. This
> concluded my call. He made no comment as to when my portfolio would 
be
> returned (for which I included $4.20 in Priority Mail postage).
> 
> I sent follow-up emails on May 9, May 26, June 7, and July 11 asking
> when he would return my portfolio. None of these emails bounced, and
> in fact, the June 7 and June 11 email recipients included EVERY 
email
> address listed on the Focus magazine website (info@, sales@,
> submissions@, feedback@, as well as dspivak@). Mr. Spivak nor ANY
> Focus agent has ever contacted me regarding these emails. On July 
12,
> 2006 in the p.m. (PST), I left Mr. Spivak a voice mail on his 
personal
> cell phone (clearly indicated by his own voice and message). My call
> went unreturned, so I called again today, July 13, and got him on 
the
> phone at 1030am PST. He claims to have never received any of my
> emails, nor did he comment on my voice mail. He appeared cleverly
> ignorant to who I even was. I requested that my portfolio be sent 
back
> immediately, to which he said he would only happen at Focus 
Magazine's
> convenience (I guess there's never been a convenient time to return 
my
> work over the last eight+ weeks). Like others who have had similar
> dealings with him, I was treated rudely, disrespectfully, and hung 
up on.
> 
> I have given Mr. Spivak more than ample opportunity and patience to
> deal properly, responsibly, and respectfully with this matter. He
> neglected to do so, and that's why I am making this story public. My
> time has been disrespectfully wasted in attempting to communicate 
with
> Mr. Spivak and retrieve my portfolio. I fully expect that it and my
> $4.20 in return postage is a loss.
> 
> Unfortunately very similar stories are held by David Aschkenas
> http://tinyurl.com/gyhda and Arlene Love http://tinyurl.com/gg3rr, 
and
> who knows how many others that have not made this public. I urge
> fellow photographers to NOT SEND any prints or money to Focus 
Magazine.
> 
> Michael Gordon
> www.mgordonphotography.com
>