The Photobook Thread

[bjorke]

Has anyone thought about the fact that Ms Swanson has to constantly push her book and workshops, even though it was published by a reputable publisher?

Famous authors still go on book tours. Famous actor still show up on talk shows. Part o the biz

 

[Pieter12]

Famous authors still go on book tours. Famous actor still show up on talk shows. Part o the biz

Usually when the book is first launched, not after three editions.

 

[bjorke]

Usually when the book is first launched, not after three editions.

Pretty sure that for her, the revenue from the book is secondary to its promotional value - every edition means she gets blog & reviewer interviews and reviews and references to her workshops. This is a well-worn track for business-book writers, who can get onto a lecture circuit and get corps to pay them $100k or more for a single appearance to the staff. Book ten or thiirty of those a year, you're starting to cover the printing costs! Seth Godin doesn't pay his bills with book sales. Nor do many other non-fic authors (or even novelists or poets -- a recent visit here by Ada Limon, a very respected poet who grew up nearby, allegedly included a six-figure honorarium for a 30-minute talk, most of it reading from a book)

 

[Pieter12]

Pretty sure that for her, the revenue from the book is secondary to its promotional value - every edition means she gets blog & reviewer interviews and reviews and references to her workshops. This is a well-worn track for business-book writers, who can get onto a lecture circuit and get corps to pay them $100k or more for a single appearance to the staff. Book ten or thiirty of those a year, you're starting to cover the printing costs! Seth Godin doesn't pay his bills with book sales. Nor do many other non-fic authors (or even novelists or poets -- a recent visit here by Ada Limon, a very respected poet who grew up nearby, allegedly included a six-figure honorarium for a 30-minute talk, most of it reading from a book)

6 figures for a poet! Quite impressive. Well, she is the Poet Laureate of the U.S.

I'm pretty sure Ms Swanson's book acts as a way to increase attendance for her workshops (plus she probably sells quite a few books at those events, too), and I will venture that she does a fair amount of consulting, too--where the real money is. I doubt any corporate entity would book her, but she is on the photo lecture/seminar/workshop circuit for sure. And now that the book is in its third edition, she might have a sweeter deal with the publisher. Also, authors often get to buy books from the publisher at deep discounts, then resell at book signings that are not held at a bookstore. Every bit counts.

 

[Peter Schrager]

Has anyone thought about the fact that Ms Swanson has to constantly push her book and workshops, even though it was published by a reputable publisher?

She probably makes more from the workshops
But I believe the book in the second printing

 

[Pieter12]

She probably makes more from the workshops
But I believe the book in the second printing

Don’t know what printing it is, but the cover says “third edition.”

 

[logan2z]

Just ordered a copy of Eugene Richards' In This Brief Life. I've been waiting for this one to come out for a while, will hopefully have it in hand early next week.

 

[snusmumriken]

It has arrived, and I’ve had a quick look through. It’s beautiful and utterly amazing. Thank you so much for making me aware of this guy.

The book itself is beautifully designed and printed. Only occasional photos are bled across pages, and they seem to have chosen photos where the composition actually works fine despite the seam. It’s a thick book, thick pages and 439 of them; but the binding seems well up the job … which is good because it’s going to get a lot of handling!

The text is a small fraction of the book. I don’t know any Italian, but I’m sure my phone will cope with translating it.

Further to this: I have used Google to translate the two interviews with Gardin, from Italian to English. I suspect copyright would forbid me to post the resulting pdf files here on the forum, but if anyone is interested, please just DM me. I found the interviews really interesting and insightful.

 

[Daniela]

Leafed through this beauty today and I'm still dreaming about it. So much beauty in so many ways...

Meeting Sofie by Budingen-Dyba

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Leafed through this beauty today and I'm still dreaming about it. So much beauty in so many ways...
View attachment 347180
Meeting Sofie by Budingen-Dyba

Beautiful ! Thanks for sharing.

I just read the description of the book on the website, and her stylistic choices really capture its essence wonderfully.

"The fairytale ambiance in the yard and farmhouse seemed to be completely separated from the whole modern world, as if located in a different dimension of time and space. From the very first moment Sofie seemed fascinating – her character, the peaceful, harmonious nature of Sofie, her way of interacting with the world around her, and the immediate connection between the two of them – and the little bubble she exists in seemed to have this dreamy, yearning sort of magic to it."

Whenever I see this type of portraiture, I'm reminded of Mary Ellen Mark, who, I believe, pioneered the "immersion into a child's life" style of documentary/portraiture of children who, for some reason or another, are in the margins. Her books Tiny, and the follow up, 30 years later, Streetwise Revisited, are stylistically miles away from this—Mark borrows from 70s street photography while von Büdingen-Dyba borrows from more modern portraitists such as Rineke Dijkstra—, but they stem from the same intent, and show the same warmth and compassion toward their subject.

 

[Sirius Glass]

Georgia O'Keeffee and Anse Adams, Natural Affinities covers the relationship between the two of them and how they influenced each other.

 

[logan2z]

I received my copy of Eugene Richards' In This Brief Life yesterday. I've only had a chance to flip through it once so far, but if you're a fan of great documentary photography then I'm pretty confident you'll enjoy it.

If I get a chance later I'll post a few photos of some spreads.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

I received my copy of Eugene Richards' In This Brief Life yesterday. I've only had a chance to flip through it once so far, but if you're a fan of great documentary photography then I'm pretty confident you'll enjoy it.

If I get a chance later I'll post a few photos of some spreads.

Haven't received mine yet. Looking forward to it.

 

[MTGseattle]

My 2 "B" stock Fan Ho books are really nice. I don't think I will hesitate if that option ever shows up at other publishers.

I also placed an order for 2 titles through Subjectively Objective.

Lewis Ableidinger – Driving Through Flyover Country (Pre-Order) – Subjectively Objective

subjectivelyobjective.com

Everything Is Narrative – Subjectively Objective

subjectivelyobjective.com

The Lewis Abledinger has some images from my former home state, And the "Everything is Narrative" is a compilation and there are just some really nice images in it. Imo.

I almost pulled the trigger on Kyle Macdougal's book since he's one of the handful of "youtube" photgraphers whose content is enjoyable to me. Every image in his book looks like it was taken on the same day though. For whatever reason, I find that a bit unsettling. I applaud the guy for getting a book published, and I enjoy many of the images I just don't love it as a whole. It may be because it's color imagery. (shoulder shrug)

 

[Pieter12]

Found a good deal on Irving Penn’s Small Trades. It will have to wait until next month, though. Hope it’s still availabl.

 

[logan2z]

I almost pulled the trigger on Kyle Macdougal's book since he's one of the handful of "youtube" photgraphers whose content is enjoyable to me. Every image in his book looks like it was taken on the same day though. For whatever reason, I find that a bit unsettling. I applaud the guy for getting a book published, and I enjoy many of the images I just don't love it as a whole. It may be because it's color imagery. (shoulder shrug)

I enjoy Kyle McDougall's YouTube channel as well - his low-key delivery is a nice respite from many of the other photography-oriented YouTube channels I've come across But I'm with you on his book. I found the images a bit monotonous and I'm not a huge fan of color in general or that washed out Portra look in particular. If I'm in the mood for pictures of that sort of subject matter, I'll pull a Stephen Shore or William Eggleston book off the shelf.

 

[Alex Benjamin]

I enjoy Kyle McDougall's YouTube channel as well - his low-key delivery is a nice respite from many of the other photography-oriented YouTube channels I've come across But I'm with you on his book. I found the images a bit monotonous and I'm not a huge fan of color in general or that washed out Portra look in particular. If I'm in the mood for pictures of that sort of subject matter, I'll pull a Stephen Shore or William Eggleston book off the shelf.

I'm with you.

On this type of landscape-oriented theme, I highly recommend American Geography: Photographs of Land Use from 1840 to the present.

American Geography: Photographs of Land Use from 1840 to the Present — Radius Books

Drawing primarily from the vast permanent collection of photography at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art, American Geography charts a visual history of land use in the United States. Edited by Sandra S. Phillips and Sally Martin Katz Texts by Beverly Dahlen, Hilary Green, Layli Long Soldier

www.radiusbooks.org

 

[MTGseattle]

Is it back in stock? I waffled on that title a while back, and then I thought it sold out. I'll visit the Radius site I guess.

 

[MTGseattle]

Yup. I missed it. Phooey.

 

[PenLens]

That book is supposed to be exceptionally well printed. Unfortunately, I've never seen a copy.

On checking www.addall.com, I see there are quite a few secondhand copies available: https://www.addall.com/SuperRare/Us...UK&store=EbayFR&store=LRB&store=ZVAB&via=used

 

[logan2z]

Yup. I missed it. Phooey.

Every time I hear that title I think it refers to Matt Black's book:

Matt Black: American Geography

 

[Alex Benjamin]

Every time I hear that title I think it refers to Matt Black's book:

Matt Black: American Geography

They get along real well on the "American" section of my bookshelf

 

[logan2z]

They get along real well on the "American" section of my bookshelf

View attachment 347572

You know, I hemmed and hawed about buying 'Looking In' when it was still available and didn't pull the trigger. By the time I decided to get it it was OOP and a small fortune. One of my many photobook regrets

 

[Alex Benjamin]

You know, I hemmed and hawed about buying 'Looking In' when it was still available and didn't pull the trigger. By the time I decided to get it it was OOP and a small fortune. One of my many photobook regrets

I'm not sure I would have bought it if I hadn't been at the "Looking In" exhibition at the Met Museum (in 2009, I believe). I'm happy to have it, but I must admit I don't open it often enough. Tons of information.

 

[bjorke]

Speaking of large black books by Magnum shooters, I think Trent Parke's MONUMENT is due for a second printing just about now