While it’s still a youngster compared to Amateur Photographer, National Geographic magazine has been going since 1888, only nine months after the US National Geographic Society itself was founded. It’s odd, then, that a compilation of classic National Geographic covers has only just been published. The new book is called National Geographic: The Covers – Iconic Photographs, Unforgettable Stories, and we caught up with Bill Marr, current creative director, to find out why it’s taken so long.
‘Various compilations of photographs from the magazine have been published, but we decided to do a cover compilation in 2013, during the 125th anniversary celebrations,’ Bill explains from National Geographic’s head office in New York. ‘A lot has obviously changed since 1888. Until 1999, the magazine was subscription only, for example, so you…