Today is a particularly sad day for all of us at JPG and 8020 Media.

We've spent the last few months trying to make the business behind JPG sustain itself, and we've reached the end of the line. We all deeply believe in everything JPG represents, but just weren't able to raise the money needed to keep JPG alive in these extraordinary economic times. We sought out buyers, spoke with numerous potential investors, and pitched several last-ditch creative efforts, all without success. As a result, jpgmag.com will shut down on Monday, January 5, 2009.

If you don't believe your eyes, so can't I. Just received and e-mail from Laura Brunow Miner, Editor in Chief of the immensely popular jpgmag.com and with nearly 20,000 photographers contributing to it. While its a very shocking news to most of us, it seems that they left no stone unturned before being nailed down in this "extraordinary economic times"

Here are 5 advices she has to offer to you if you had ever been associated with jpgmag and liked it.

Download the PDFs of back issues, outtakes, and photo challenge selections. We'll always have the memories!
- Make note of your favorite photographers. You may want to flip through your favorites list and jot down names and URLs of some of the people you'd like to stay in touch with. You may even want to cut and paste your contacts page into a personal record.
- Catch up with your fellow members. Our roots are in this humble flickr forum and we recommend going back to find fellow members, discuss the situation, or participate in another great photo community.
- Keep in touch. This has always been much more than just a job to each of us, and we'll miss you guys! We'll be checking the account jpgletters@gmail.com in our free time going forward. We can't promise to reply to every email (since we'll be busy tuning up our resumes) but we'd love to hear from you.
- Stay posted. Although the magazine is ceasing publication, we'll be updating you on what's happening with your subscription early next week.

Why do all good things come to an end? I can not but ask. Good bye to you jpg.

Pic courtesy: jpgmag