Looking Back, Moving Forward

Looking Back, Moving Forward
Looking back, 2011 was a big year. Amongst the defining events this year were the Earthquake in Japan, Arab Spring, The Royal Wedding, Osama bin Laden's Death, Oprah's last show, the 10th Anniversary of 9/11, Occupy Wall Street, the passing of Steve Jobs. Events we closely followed and covered.

For The Society, we saw good things: A jam-packed Gala, our debut iPad app, a thriving Student community, exciting Speaker Series, and more. Industry-wide, we saw exciting magazine redesigns and launches; Exploration and wider roll-out of tablet apps; Stunning design, photography and illustration work (more on that in a moment). In addition, at the end of this year, our Executive Director, the indefatigable Emily Smith is leaving SPD. We will miss her sorely. Personally, I have been very lucky to work closely with Emily over the years, and I will miss her grace and dignity and wish her the best on her new endeavors.

illustration by Felix Sockwell

Speaking of stunning design, photography and illustration work -- and looking forward to the year ahead --our 47th annual competition in print and digital is underway. As you've seen here on SPD.org, co-chairs Luke Hayman, Richard Turley and Jeremy Leslie have been sharing industry-wide favorite magazines from all over the globe. Meanwhile digital co-chairs Joe Zeff and Scher Foord are charging up all their laptops, iPads, and Kindles gearing up for the motherlode of web and app submissions (beat the late entry fee by submitting by January 13th). Of note, we have three special categories this year: 
     - Coverage of the 10th anniversary of 9/11
     - "Exposed" for entries that feature, in ways SFW and NSFW, subjects in a more... 
       revealing way than the expected
     - And a category for small mags/the self-published, for issues with a 
       circulation under 20,000. 

Also, Pub 46 was just released in hardcover and on the iPad. Be on the lookout in the coming weeks for SPD 46 for iPad.

For me, it has been 15+ years since my first SPD Gala. Ever since SPD has held a special place in my heart. It's an honor and a privilege working for the Society. I have always found SPD to be an open community; Whether you're a photo editor or a designer, an illustrator or an student, a photographer or an editor, we encourage you to participate in this organization. Ultimately, it's your voice and work that SPD reflects.

Hope to see you at the Holiday Party on Wednesday!

Happy Holidays,

Josh Klenert
President, SPD
Creative Director, AOL Mobile
  • Casey Tierney

    I'd like to second that praise of Ms. Emily Smith. She has been hugely instrumental in keeping SPD exciting and thriving. THANK YOU, EMILY, for your years of tireless dedication to SPD!! We'll miss you!

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