There's nothing nicer than sitting outside a cafe or on a beach and just watching people go by. This idea is a magazine for those who are too busy/ shy/ agoraphobic/ shortsighted to do this.
A team of photographers would patrol your city, taking pictures of people who look particularly beautiful/ hip/ interesting/ at the cutting edge of street fashion, and getting them to sign model release forms. The magazine would then show one person per page, with biographical information/ marital status/ details of where the reader can buy that t-shirt, as appropriate.
-- hippo, Jul 28 2002

HotOrNot http:\\www.hotornot.com
There you can rate people, too... [Inspector Z, Oct 05 2004, last modified Oct 17 2004]

I thought that 'Peoplewatching' was hyphenated? Doesn't this already hapen in those mags like 'Hello!' and others of that ilk?
-- [ sctld ], Jul 28 2002


I thought this was going to be a magazine with two holes for the chronically shy to watch people without being watched.
-- FarmerJohn, Jul 28 2002


[ sctld ] - all the attractions of "Hello!", without the ghastly people which you see in that magazine. I envisage this being full of people the photographers just happened to see on the streets.
-- hippo, Jul 28 2002


Coffee table HotorNot. I dunno, the idea takes me back to the day when every mechanic's digest or outdoor enthusiast magazine had a “cheesecake” photo buried in the color pages.
-- reensure, Jul 28 2002


High school yearbooks?

I dunno I kinda like it. But it's a personal belief of mine that (excuse me while I become hypocritically preachy for a moment) fashion trends are silly and that people should dress as they like, that the world is overly excited by fashion and outward appearance, etc.

But on the other hand, this seems like a valuable sort of time capsule snapshot of the people and looks of various times. These would be cool to flip through about 10 years later, just to see how much trends have changed. On that note, one very trendy crois for you.
-- polartomato, Jul 29 2002


[polartomato] Don't worry, this magazine won't be concerned with fashion trends and will feature pictures of all sorts of people. It will, however, not feature any woman who wears jeans so low-slung as to make her thong underwear visible.
The archives of this magazine *would* be interesting - I hadn't thought of that.
-- hippo, Jul 29 2002


After time, the same people will crop up as they go through whatever routine they have...and perhaps become minor celebs in their own right.

I think this idea could actually work. Look at the amount of magazines that are sold on the back of celebrity gossip.

Somebody might catch your attention ... the next week the same person shows up again. It'll become a serial, you'll want to see what 'Sam X' is wearing this week or if 'Ashleigh Z' is looking good/bad.
-- Jinbish, Jul 29 2002


I like a magazine that pays homage to the uncommonly common people of the world. This mag should not devote itself to repeats unless there is some reason to, though. Photographers should look for originality, individuality, and various other characteristics. There can be commentary or none. I don't even think it's necessary to approach anyone for details of their lives. Just simple photos in public areas of people who seem photo-worthy. Print the magazine and let the public browse.

Croissant!
-- XSarenkaX, Jul 29 2002


hippo, I think the point about those jeans is that you're not supposed to have anything on underneath.
It's a bit uncharitable to leave certain people out of your magazine just because you think their jeans are silly. But I suppose that's what editorial control is all about.
-- sappho, Jul 29 2002


There's a lot of interesting looking people who walk the streets.
-- Japanese_Coffee, Jun 28 2003


I would *love* a magazine like this. It seems that Japan is the only country where it is acceptable to publish pictures of ordinary people. ("Street" Magazine, available in Japanese bookstores, is such a magazine: it consists entirely of full-page pictures of trendy, but ordinary, men and women from London, presented without comment.)

American magazines have plenty of people pictures, but they are highly stylized and not at all like people that you would see on the street when people-watching. ++ .
-- phundug, Jun 28 2003


Some guys in our office rate our interns as they arrive. It ranges from muffled snickers to photos of naked look-alikes forwarded among the "boys'-club"

Yes, it's sad
Yes, it's sexist, immature, etc.

Strangely, the only complaints have been from those that didn't score highly.
-- FloridaManatee, Jun 29 2003



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