self published book: Mohawk Valley

[erikg]

I've just done a blurb book on a long running project of mine on the Mohawk Valley region of New York State. All of the images shot with fuji 6x9s on Ilford and Kodak film. I enjoyed the blurb process all in all, and I'm pretty pleased with the print quality. Great to have this option. Here is the link: mohawk valley postcards

There is a virtual preview.. I'd love to get your feedback.

Thanks,

Erik

 

[winger]

Very cool! I grew up in Little Falls, pretty much in the middle of the Mohawk Valley. I'd have to see a printed book to really judge the photos, but they looked pretty representative of the area from the preview. I'm pretty sure I saw one shot of the railroad by LF (am I right?).

 

[Kevin Caulfield]

It looks quite good, Erik. I have a project I'm going to do on Blurb, so it is nice to see somebody else's end result.

 

[erikg]

LF... Little Falls, not Large Format? Yes, indeed, there are a number of pictures taken in and around Little Falls in the book. I like that town. I grew up in Schenectady and have mixed feelings about that city. Thanks for looking!

 

[winger]

LF... Little Falls, not Large Format?

Yeah, sorry - common abbreviation up there. Have you seen a printed copy, yet? I'm curious how they do with B&W. My brother and I call LF "the town that time forgot." It does have some good photo subjects. I thought about doing a project of shooting along route 5 through the area. I just don't get up there often enough anymore.

 

[John R.]

I checked it out Erik. My favorite shots were of the two tiny houses on the window sill, the train image and the cow image.

Entire book reminds me a lot of small towns in upstate NY near where I grew up in Saratoga Springs. In fact, that's where I picked up my first camera. I found an old Brownie my family had stored in a cabinet and then I grabbed my dad's shiney Argus C3. That's when it all happened ....... the rest is ...my life with cameras. Thanks for posting your link to the nice book of images. Brought back lot's of memories. Hope you sell many copies.

 

[erikg]

Thanks, folks. I have a printed copy and I'm happy with the black and white reproduction. I followed their instructions and converted my files over to the CMYK profile that they provide. The printers they use don't use profiles quite in the way that offset presses do, but it does seem to help get a consistent result. The printed page matches up pretty well with the images on screen. I was concerned with a color cast, but there is none to speak of. The paper and the binding all feel very good and it doesn't seem cheap at all. Is the image quality as good as can be done on press? No, but it doesn't cost $80,000 either. It is better than what we once found quite acceptable in photo books not so long ago, prior to the digital revolution in the printing industry. Think of the photo books of the 50's and 60's. Dreadful reproduction. This far exceeds that, and at a minimal investment for the artist. Great to have these tools at our disposal when we don't have disposable cash.
Little Falls is the town that time forgot, but I think the whole area has at least a touch of that quality. I think that is what drew me back.

Erik

 

[removed account4]

very nice job erik!

john

 

[erikg]

thanks john! you can see the real thing at the AS220 project space gallery right now.

 

[removed account4]

thanks john! you can see the real thing at the AS220 project space gallery right now.

that's on mathewson street ?
i am hoping to see abe morell on tuesday at risd ( fingers crossed! )
will the project space be open afterwards ?

thanks!
john

 

[Jeff Kubach]

I love your work. Excellant photos.

Jeff

 

[mhanc]

Nice photography and book. Certainly captures the area well and I really liked the text.

 

[erikg]

For John and the other locals: info about AS220
A copy of the book is on view there, this is the Mathewson St. space. I'm going to try to see abelardo morell speak at RISD on Tuesday as well.
Thank you all for your time and comments!

 

[pesphoto]

Thanks for the heads up about abelardo morell guys, think i will go as well.
Hope to get over to see the book at the gallery as well.

 

[pesphoto]

Just got in from seeing the book at AS220. Really nice, and bigger than i expected. Impressed by the photos as well as the blurb printing

 

[erikg]

thanks paul! that size is the largest blurb offers, i wanted the images big enough to see the small stuff, i tend to ask small details to carry a lot of weight, probably a bad habit from my view camera days. glad you had a chance to check it out.