I had a brush with Jane Goodall once...
20 years ago, fresh out of design school, I landed a job as “
Assistant Art Director” at a new science magazine - only to realize on my first day that there was no
actual Art Director. It was just me…I was the entire art department. And the first issue was due in 5 days, and nothing was designed out (typically laying out an issue takes weeks/months).
By the time the cover story (on Intelligent Design) crossed my desk, there was one afternoon to concept, design, and ship. Running on fumes, I grabbed a stock photo of a chimp (seemed like a decent visual for the subject), slapped on some type, and sent it off.
A month later, we got a letter from Jane Goodall. At first, I thought, “Damn, she noticed us!”. But instead of praise,
it was a polite but pointed lecture: studio chimp photos are forced and highly stressful for the animals…and a science magazine should know better. Don’t do it again.
Two decades later, every time I see a chimp photo, I chuckle about being scolded by Jane Goodall.
I had 3 hours, lady! But yeah...I get it.
The cover in question:
