MattKing
Moderator
Its okay to announce exhibitions that you are involved in.
They fit in well in this sub-forum: https://www.photrio.com/forum/forums/book-magazine-gallery-reviews-shows-contests.37/
Its okay to announce exhibitions that you are involved in.Currently crowdfunding before publication and an exhibition in London next month. Anyone know if it's OK to make a general post on Photrio to promote it or is that too much like self publicity?
I self published in july 2017 a book for sale. I did all the work furnished My own ISBN number. Its a hard cover book with a dust jacket 80 pages with 58 total photographs and some text. The book sells for 39.95 which i tried to price it right for a book of this size. So far I have not done to bad for a person who is doing his own promotion. I had 500 made
Awaiting delivery of a self published book on opera by a very prominent opera critic and don’t think i’ll be disappointed. While I have two books that I intend to “ print on demand” ( with illustrations but not photo books), the main fault I have found with some “ on demand” books” is not much attention paid to proofreading...misspelling, poor syntax and grammar, sloppy punctuation... often to the point of distraction.
I am going to print on demand because I have no idea how the market will respond.
Self published a book some years ago. Printed 1,000, sold slightly over 500. Didn’t promote and still made a little money.
One of my late best friends was a very well established photographer/writer with many books under his belt. Several times he published his photos not as books but as portfolios...8,10 or 12 photos in a large stiff paper envelope along with a descriptive sheet.
So many references and ideas on this thread that’ll keep me busy for some time. Great thread!
Have just spent a long day on press yesterday for a self published photobook I'm producing of a collaborative project involving 56 photographers from 14 countries. And a large collection of outdated and discarded photographic paper!
https://www.indiegogo.com/projects/obsolete-discontinued#/
it was a fascinating day learning what can be done on press with offset litho and a good print operator.
Currently crowdfunding before publication and an exhibition in London next month. Anyone know if it's OK to make a general post on Photrio to promote it or is that too much like self publicity?
It makes my Epson printer look a bit small!
View attachment 207022
Thanks for the comments so far. Pretty clear that several hundred books can be sold profitably.
I sold 52 books, not given any away. The book has been out one year thats 1 a weak sold by my promotion efforts. Could I have work harder to sell, YES B+N and other big storesDefine "not done too bad".
It's easy to make the book, the problem is selling it.
In my opinion, historical distribution channels and methods are essentially worthless.
Define "not done too bad".
It's easy to make the book, the problem is selling it.
In my opinion, historical distribution channels and methods are essentially worthless.
Thanks Matt. Will do!Its okay to announce exhibitions that you are involved in.
They fit in well in this sub-forum: https://www.photrio.com/forum/forums/book-magazine-gallery-reviews-shows-contests.37/
What a monster! You should post some output pages. I like the machines that spit out a finished bound book. Interesting book you are working on.
That sounds very interesting. Good to remind people that self published photography books are not a new thing.There was a very good article in Camera magazine (UK) quite a few years ago by Paul Graham on self publishing. It describes how he published and distributed his book "The Great North Road, ( which was a success). I still have the magazine but I'm sure I scanned the article for someone here a few years ago, it's still all relevant informant.
Ian
That sounds very interesting. Good to remind people that self published photography books are not a new thing.
I've wondered why photographers want their work in books.
Years ago I thought photo books were the goal-of-goals, but for many years I've simply done print exchanges, every couple of months. If 10 participants I'm sure 9 photo-oriented people will look closely at my contribution and respond perceptively...and I'll get their 9 contributions. For me that's motivating and rewarding.
These are letter-sized prints. I always send mine in polyester "side-lock" sleeves, which are the most archival and protective and, importantly, are perfectly clear. If the viewer wants, thanks to the side-lock feature, he can remove and replace the print for maximum-critical no-sleeve viewing without the damage that comes from sliding prints in and out of soft vinyl sleeves. Polyester sleeves are arguably stiff enough to allow the print to lean on something, to be viewed upright. Better than a coffee table, IMO.
Books are predicated on sequences, print exchange contributions aren't. However the recipients can think back on my work over the years and, perhaps, see how my work is shifting and evolving.
The sequences can tell a linear story, if so desired.
Linear thinking and books seem to be going out of fashion, after a several century run....
part of the thing with doing anything "outside the norm" is that 90% write you off and maybe 10% ( probably less ) think its great.
most people don't want to think and need to be spoon fed everything... it surprises me that linear storytelling is out of style..
maybe its because most people have an attention span of 3 seconds now so they don't care if anything is in some order
seeing they've already moved to the next installment.
My old friend Frank Petronio, who has ditched me as a friend because we don't share the same political views, has self published a couple of books. Before he went off the deep alt right end he wrote a nice piece for me on self publishing for my blog. You can read it here. It's a bit dated but the bones are still valid. I have self published a few books with Blurb and found it quite easy. The quality has gotten substantially better in the last several years.
Rather than the old photo albums of our youth, Blurb books are a better alternative. You can so some really nice layout and the image quality is great. There are several companies who do this so check it out for yourself.
Eric
ps: Frank use to be a member here but got banned as he has been from just about every forum he has joined. To bad really as he really knows his stuff.[/QUOTE
I read about this Petrinio fellow. What was his screen name on here? Are you sure that instead of "going alt right" that perhaps only your perspective might have changed while looking at a fixed point as you went left? It's a very common situation these days.My old friend Frank Petronio, who has ditched me as a friend because we don't share the same political views, has self published a couple of books. Before he went off the deep alt right end he wrote a nice piece for me on self publishing for my blog. You can read it here. It's a bit dated but the bones are still valid. I have self published a few books with Blurb and found it quite easy. The quality has gotten substantially better in the last several years.
Rather than the old photo albums of our youth, Blurb books are a better alternative. You can so some really nice layout and the image quality is great. There are several companies who do this so check it out for yourself.
Eric
ps: Frank use to be a member here but got banned as he has been from just about every forum he has joined. To bad really as he really knows his stuff.
That was prolific. I'm not so well versed. I suggest that quite a great very many good people took umbrage at being called deplorable. That won't be quickly forgotten. A sleeping giant has finally been awakened, none too soon. As for the owners of quality photographic discussion forums, I do hope they survive. It can't be easy these days.The diatribte, deplatforming/banning and name-calling of those with set "A" of the two primary polarized views allowed within the Overton Window has increased.
And with a killed internet, promotion (of photos, books, etc.) needs to become more IRL based...
stay away from it.'ego-publishing is an expensive and frustrating experience. If you can't find a publisher, you won't find customers either.Not too many new posts on this.
Has anyone recently self published a book (or books) of their works?
Seems like selling 100 to 500 copies of an edition is a reasonable goal.
Anyone here achieve this? (& how?).
through 'printing on demand' you can limit your risk.I can recommend'www.WirmachenDruck.de. They are a high-quality outfit and you can print one or 10,000 books with them.I did three books with them for myself. They do books from 48-300 pages soft or hard-cover in B&W or color.Like many on forums, I too have 'published' a few books of my work, but the amount has only been small = to give to friends and family.
My only other attempt at publishing a book, was a book of stories and poetry for a group I belonged to. We got 200 printed thinking that was a good starting number. I think we managed between us to sell / give about 50 books in total. We have sold just a few more at readings etc.
The only advice I can give you, is to do a LOT of research up front to determine EXACTLY how many you think that you WILL be able to sell as a minimum.
Good luck.
Terry S
UK
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?
We use cookies and similar technologies for the following purposes:
Do you accept cookies and these technologies?