Snapshot Galleria is a photographic collective and quarterly online zine that made the leap into printed form. The Snapshot Galleria zine is made digitally, then stapled and saddle-stitched.
Headed by Long Beach photographer Erwin Recinos, who has been creating his zine Metro Anonymous for the last two years, this is the first effort by the collective to transfer their digital content into printed form. Their table will feature both Snapshot Galleria and Recinos’ zines, plus a few secret zines that will see their debut at LBZF 16.
How do you create your zine content?
My zine content is created thru my photographic adventures for LATACO.com. A Los Angeles centric online magazine of anything and everything that this city has to offer. From art, music and, you guessed it, tacos.
Why do you make zines?
I create zines to show my perspective. My observation. It’s the best format with no buffer and filter.
In addition to zines, what are you passionate about?
Photography itself. I enjoy creating images and capture moments. I’m not looking for that perfect picture. I trying to develop a catalog of work that defines my aesthetic . A series of work that can stand on it’s own. Photography has been my outlet for creativity for over 15 years and I’ve just come into stride in the last 6. Definitely a learning process that I am happy with.
What is your favorite part of making zines?
Photography is a documentation of places, things and people you meet at a certain in your life. Seeing those moments together in printed form to share with others is definitely a gratifying process.
What is your biggest challenge in making zines?
The editing process. What makes the cut and what doesn’t. It’s a process that is learned with time and takes skill to tell that story cohesively. I don’t throw a bunch photos in the blender and make a smoothie. For me it’s process that is well though out and planned.
What do you like about your local zine community?
I have only been involved with this community that last two years as a creator. From that perspective it is challenging to find a niche and build a name for myself. As a consumer of zines it’s great right now. So many zinesters with different takes on what makes a good zine. There are sometimes too many to consume but once you find that artist or zine collective you end up being a fan. It’s a great time for zines right now.
What advice would you give to someone who wants to start making zines?
Just try it. I fell into doing zines by chance and it seems like I can’t stop thinking of making them. Write your ideas down on paper or put them in a random picker app on your phone. Do a drawing every month. Make that idea into a zine. See where it takes you.
Why are you tabling at Long Beach Zine Fest?
Debuting the Snapshot Galleria V2|01 zine to the patrons of Long Beach. I’m also creating three zines for this event that I want to keep under wraps. One I can definitely speak of is Metro Anonymous Vol. 3. I will also be debuting a lapel pin that I help create with a well-known graffiti artist. I have some great stuff in store for LBZinefest.
What else do you want people know about you or your zines?
This is my second year at LBZinefest and I look forward to talking and photographing folks at my booth. So please come by in your Sunday’s best so I can take your picture. Cheers!
