Book Publishing

Book publishing has become very important as an output for photographers. It gives a fully encapsulating output for a project. Books are becoming desirable objects.

Recommended Books


·      Simon Grennan’s ‘How To Be A Start Photographer’
·      Ang, T (2000) Picture editing Focal Press
·      Thomas, G (2003) Beyond the Lens, The AOP
·      Jenks, C (Ed.) (1995) Visual Culture Routledge

Discuss chosen book;
Paul Trevor ‘like you’ve never been away’

3 Things You Like

  •  Feel of the outer cover
  • Title of each image underneath
  •  Mixture of double page, and single page image

3 Things You Dislike

  •        The spine is stiff, hard to turn the pages
  •       Pages are too thick, for the amount of pages

Who is the Publisher?

  •       The Bluecoat Press
  •       Liverpool Based
  •       Owner established Liverpool’s photography gallery
  •       Specializing in photojournalism

Photographer – Paul Trevor
·      http://paultrevor.com

Factors in getting work published

  •        Project is interesting
  •        Publisher is going to make money


Be aware of the current books being published; see what publishers are looking for. Gets your work out in the public, increases your status.

What do you need?

  • The right kind of project
  •  Find how you will publish
  •  Money!


Self-publishing, print in blocks of around 200-250 to sell first.

  • Get your work right
  • Strength of vision
  •  Some sort of purpose
  •  Have something to say, it has to be worth saying
  •  Keep people interested
  •  Fresh, unusual, distinctive, and possibly even original
  • Have a coherence and make sense as a whole


 My Work


My final major project is about consumerism and the beauty industry.

I will be photographing the waste of beauty products and the performance behind beauty advertisements and campaigns.

I am covering this topic because I have a personal interest in, and something I want to further explore. I want to be able to understand how we are affected by consumerism and the need to buy things.

Finding a Publisher
·      Redeye
·      Search online

What make a publisher right for your work?

  •        Is it a large commercial publisher or a small independent?
  •        Does it publish the kind of projects you are interested in?
  •        Research pays big dividends
  •        Get a sense of where you might fit in
  •        Try and be self critical


Submit your proposal

  •        It needs to be clear, concise and professional
  •        Get advice on what are the expectations
  •        Include a CV, press cuttings if appropriate and some samples 
  •        Follow it up with the publisher 

Approach Routes

  •        Large commercial publishers
  •        Independent publishers
  •        Working with the galleries
  •        Self publishing, keep control of the work
  •        Zines, a type of self publishing 

Research

  •        Do you feel an affinity with the work of the photographers already represented?
  •        What are the publisher’s ambitions?
  •        Would you add something to the publisher?
  •        What can they do for you?
  •        Can the publisher do what you want it to do?
  •           Why would they want to publish your work?

·      It knows/thinks it can sell your work
·      You are already a ‘star’ photographer
·      You compliment what they have to offer
·      Its passionate about your work


Most artists are invited to have their work published.
·      An already established relationship
·      Track record
·      Recommendations from a gallery
·      Recommendation form an artist already represented

How to approach

  •        Direct approach – tell, demand, engage
  •        Indirect – you need o meet somebody who knows someone else

 Self-Publishing

  •       You’ll have total freedom
  •       You have to cover total cost
  •       But keep most of the revenue


What you need to do

  •      Make the best project
  •       Get feedback and advice on your edit
  •       If you ant do a design, get a good designer
  •       Deicide – will you go to print, digital or both?
  •       Consider using a subsidy publisher
  •      Make it easy to find you and your book
  •    How to get your work seen

·      Printing
·      Exhibiting
·      Website
·      Social media
·      Promote your work


Output

  •       Book printing UK
  •       Newspaper Club
  •       Issuu (digital book)
  •       Blurb


Funding

  •       Researching sources
  •       Making a case for your project
  •       Making applications
  •       Awaiting assessment
  •       Hearing outcome
  •       Working with funders if the application is successful


Before applying it’s important to establish;· 

  •      What the potential funder is investing in funding?
  •       What kinds of activity will it fund?
  •       What approaches with the potential funder expect?
  •       What kinds of funding does it offer?
  •       Are you eligible for the funding?
  •       Whether you can complete your project within the time period?
  •       Whether you have the financial and management skills, and can prove it?

4 main sources of financial support

  •        Public funding
  •        Grant-making trusts
  •        Commercial sponsorship
  •        Crowd funding websites


Public Funding

  •        Individual artists
  •        Projects
  •        Organizations
  •        Research and development
  •        Arts education initiatives


Grant-making trusts

  •        Education
  •        Health
  •        Social causes
  •        Development and housing
  •        Arts culture and amenities
  •        Religious activities
  •        Environment and animals
  •        Civil society
  •        Law and advocacy
  •     Private companies
  •        To advertise their name or brand
  •        To improve their public image
  •        The make new contacts
  •        The reach a new client base
  •        The give a good local image


Crowdfunding

  •       Kickstarter
  •       Indiegogo
  •       Peoplefund.it
  •       Crowdfunder
  •       Sponsume

Funding Proposals

  •        Introduction
  •        About you
  •        About the project
  •        About the process
  •        How will you go about making the work
  •        Who else will benefit from the grant·
  •        How will it improve our practice
  •        Budget
  •        Moving on/legacy of the project
  •        Good practice