Games, Diversions & Perl Culture

Chapter 3. TPJ Cover Art: From Camels to Spam

Alan Blount

TPJ #1: The Camel

Figure 3-1. The Fiesta 12″ stuffed camel

Date: Fri, 1 Dec 1995 23:28:16 -0500
From: Jon Orwant <[e-mail]>
To: [e-mail]
Subject: resume' stuffer

Wanna be Photo Editor for The Perl Journal? You'll get your name
listed in the masthead, plus $50/issue, plus expenses paid, plus
a free subscription.

I'd use your fun fotos for all cover pictures, and maybe for some
inside stuff too. F'rinstance, here's what I was thinking for the
premiere issue: a dorky looking camel (buy a stuffed camel and treat
it like a product shot), shot portrait-style, like Time's "Man of the
Year." (Sunglasses, cigarettes optional.) Think "WIRED".

I want striking, cool covers. You up for a little creativity?  WHAT
SAY YOU? Lemme put you on the payroll. You won't regret it. No sir.

As The Perl Journal ‘s Photo Editor, I photographed covers for 18 of the 20 standalone TPJ magazines. I’m not a professional photographer. I’ve done occasional portrait and catalog work—beginning when Jon and I worked together at the MIT Media Lab—but I’ve never tried to make a living at it. (I’m a software developer by day, and my language tastes tend toward Python.) Nevertheless, when Jon told me he was thinking of starting up a Perl magazine and asked me to take care of the covers, I figured, “Why not?” The collaborations Jon ...