Self Publishing Success/Fail Stories?

[MattKing]

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?

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/

 

[watchtowr]

Your anthology sounds great.

How about a gallery opening "event"?

The "cover charge/entry fee" could include the book, swag, a drink, maybe some live music.

The invite list can come from the gallery, local party promoters, the participating artists/writers in the book, and your network.

That's one idea i have for getting to 100 sales...in one night.

 

[Louis Nargi]

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

 

[watchtowr]

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

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.

 

[guangong]

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!

 

[slackercrurster]

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!

Well, I'm lucky. I seldom put more than a couple of pages of text in my books. I don't pretend to be a writer. No help with my text, so maybe some mistakes.

Some photo books put out by museums have 50+ people working on development. Everything I do is just me.

 

[slackercrurster]

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

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.

 

[slackercrurster]

Thanks for the comments so far. Pretty clear that several hundred books can be sold profitably.

If you do it print on demand, risk is limited. For bulk book orders, you may have stacks of books needing storage until sold.

Profit never enters the picture for me. If I like a project I do it as long as I have $ to do it in a way that is at least half-ass. Why half-ass and not do it right? No $$, no contacts, no fixer, no cooperation = half-ass and still try to make a masterpiece out of it. The defining characteristic of the skilled documentary photog is they produce under tough shooting conditions and time constraints.

And that is what I specialize in...making books under tough conditions and short time limits.

I made Construction Site Dream World in about 30 minutes of shooting. I made the 2 books on Manhattan's Marriage Bureau in 3 days, shooting 2 hours a day. I made Gay Bar in about 45 minutes of shooting in 3 or 4 gay bars. I kept getting thrown out...

IR Flash Candid - Transwoman & Friend from Gay Bar project.

As I've told you, I have outstanding candid skills I've developed over the last 49 years of shooting. But one of the keys to candid work is the ability to keep moving. In confined places you can only stay candid for so long. It is not like 'hit and run' street shooting. The biggest gay bar in L.A. bar would not let me in with my cam. You can only get soooo small with IR flash.

...don't you love how IR makes the veins pop? I had a beautiful one with a lady with monster pillowy breasts from another project...but lost it when changing cards in the dark.

 

[Louis Nargi]

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.

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 stores

 

[removed account4]

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.

hi watchtower
you make a great point !
but IDK anymore what the point of things is
it used to be one made photographs to display on the wall or show to one's friends
(physical prints stuff ) or stuff in a box but now its a different world ..
it used to be make a book and have 33000 copies in your garage and you sold 3 a year ..
now its all POD and its just "available"
while i understand your concern about selling it, is that the point now ?
i mean making a book takes IDK 30 mins these days ..
its drag and drop into a program and you just fiddle with stuff on the computer
until its the book you want .. its no longer hard proofs and soft proofs and endless revises
and the cover cloth and case doesn't look just right ... now its view online, click a mouse
and in a few days it arrives and usually the print quality is not like meridian press made it
and its not hand tipped on church paper but whatever it is they make it with ...
dont' get me wrong there is nothing quite like a collected work in a physical book
but i don't really think selling copies is the priority of people who are making books these days ..
then again, i could be totally off base and completely wrong... ( i usually am wrong )

 

[watchtowr]

It's about getting focused attention and having a relatively permanent record.
With some text and design, creating some context.
With distribution adapted to the reality that fewer people are buying books.
But they still want.
Experiences.

 

[Mike Crawford]

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/

Thanks Matt. Will do!

 

[Mike Crawford]

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.

The printers in Slovenia had several large factory rooms with machine after machine for all the many parts of book production. Was a fascinating process. The covers, shown below were done on a different printer, with lots of tests done so colours will be (hopefully) accurate after matt lamination. For the book, 16 separate sides tested and printed, each with four double page spreads; eight sheets in total. I knew each sheet could have colour levels of the CMYK inks adjusted. Didn't know it was possible to also adjust each DPS which is shown where the yellow lights are illuminated underneath the table. Hoping to get the bound books back mid September.

Nervously watching the Indiegogo campaign!

 

[Ian Grant]

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

 

[Mike Crawford]

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.

 

[Ian Grant]

That sounds very interesting. Good to remind people that self published photography books are not a new thing.

Mike, if I can find it I'll send a copy to you. I know the magazine itself sits on a shelf below my Houghton King horizontal enlarger, it's one of about half a dozen copies of Camera I kept. It was and still is and excellent article, from memory it addresses sales and distribution which are the more important part. I have 2 copies of a book by a Cornish photographer who basically ended up giving away copies of his I think self published book because he'd never thought of publicity and sales/distribution.

When Paul Graham published "The Great North Road" there were few publishers of monographs in the UK, and very few books like it published. The first John Davies book "Mist, Mountain, Water, Wind," wasn't well printed, "The Great North Road" was.

For non Brits the "The Great Nort Road" was once our major road from London to Edinburgh Scotland, the A1, it pre-dates motorways/autobahns and US freeways. A bit like a book about Route 66.

Ian

 

[jtk]

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.

 

[watchtowr]

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....

 

[removed account4]

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.

 

[watchtowr]

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.

The heavy tv watchers have gone to the internet and killed it.

For the 10 or so years they weren't around, it was a lot of fun.

A short attention span works to the benefit of those with a slightly longer attention span, be that of a few minutes, or a few millenia.

Adapting somewhat by including lots of photos and art in the books.

 

[sissysphoto]

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

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.

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.

 

[watchtowr]

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...

 

[sissysphoto]

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...

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.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

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?).

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.

 

[RalphLambrecht]

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

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.