Views of Georgia shot exclusively on 4x5" Velvia

[Zndrson]

As has been pointed out, your Kickstarter page does not convey any level of color landscape expertise. You do not state the finished size of the book, which most people would want to know. Will the book have images on both sides of the pages, or just one side? Assuming you have photos on both sides of the 26 pages, in order to come up with 50 or so finished shots, you would possibly be shooting anywhere from 500 to 1,000 sheets of film. Then make allowances for bad exposures, boring shots, technical problems, and processing problems. Given that, I think your cost estimates are considerably off the mark.

Hi Dan,

Thanks for the feedback. After receiving similar feedback from other posters, I may break my rule about having images included on the page only be from Georgia, and include my other landscape work as well. Several pieces on my website are from Georgia, but up until this project I haven't devoted as much energy to local landscapes. That's part of the reason for this project in the first place, really.

As far as film costs, I've made the point to keep the page count in the book low in order to a. save money on book production and b. to have fewer, but higher quality images. I've factored in my own expected ratio of good vs poor quality results, and have asked for enough money to have a comfortable amount of film purchased. Can I be wrong? Of course. If I am, I'll have to re-allocate money to film purchasing. Fortunately, as I mentioned in an update on the Kickstarter page, CatLABS has offered to scan my film on their Imacon at no charge. That's a lot of money saved to be towards potential problem areas.

[Zndrson]

So you want us to fund something we do ourselves? Will you fund my project in return?

Good, we can call it even!

Hi Richard,

I've volunteered my personal time and offered money to other projects that do what I do. I've enjoyed a very open and supportive photographic community here in Atlanta, and even more so for those of us that still shoot film. Projects like mine, while certainly not grand in nature, may do nothing else except to show that people still shoot film and advertise the medium.

I'm sorry that you're offended by my posting my Kickstarter campaign involving Large Format Photography in the Kickstarter section of a Large Format photography forum, but there's nothing much I can do except maybe suggest you shouldn't surf the Kickstarter section of the forum?

[Zndrson]

As you can see, it is a tough crowd here. Good luck with your project. I have backed numerous photo and non photo projects. Most got funded, a few did not. I admire those who have the foresight and guts to proceed.

Hi Jim,

No worries :-). The criticism is welcome. Thanks for your kind words.

[Zndrson]

Why aren't you presenting this to Fuji as a project if you are going to use their film only?

Going to include the Atlanta White House in the book?

Hi Bob,

To be honest I hadn't considered that they would be interested in such a small project. Maybe it would be worth an e-mail?

As far as the white house, though I've been there and it is beautiful, I'm focusing on only natural landscapes in Georgia for this project. I'll be visiting places like Providence Canyon, Okefenokee Swamp, Cumberland Island, as well as local Atlanta areas like Davidson Arabia Preserve, Stone Mountain, and little parks in between.

[Bob Salomon]

Hi Bob,

To be honest I hadn't considered that they would be interested in such a small project. Maybe it would be worth an e-mail?

As far as the white house, though I've been there and it is beautiful, I'm focusing on only natural landscapes in Georgia for this project. I'll be visiting places like Providence Canyon, Okefenokee Swamp, Cumberland Island, as well as local Atlanta areas like Davidson Arabia Preserve, Stone Mountain, and little parks in between.

We sent an assistant pledge master, in his PJs, to the Okefenokeeto and tied him to a tree for overnight a long time ago. Like 50 years ago! But then we also sent Brother Joe, from Columbus, to Cincinnati with a dime in his pocket and only a piece of paper with a phone number on it in his wallet by Eastern Airlines after a fraternity party one night. Took some convincing of the ticket agent to let him fly "in his condition" but she let him after she was convinced that he was coming from his batchlor party and had to get to the wedding!

[Zndrson]

We sent an assistant pledge master, in his PJs, to the Okefenokeeto and tied him to a tree for overnight a long time ago. Like 50 years ago! But then we also sent Brother Joe, from Columbus, to Cincinnati with a dime in his pocket and only a piece of paper with a phone number on it in his wallet by Eastern Airlines after a fraternity party one night. Took some convincing of the ticket agent to let him fly "in his condition" but she let him after she was convinced that he was coming from his batchlor party and had to get to the wedding!

WOW.

Remind me never to go with you on a photo trip! :-)

[Bob Salomon]

WOW.

Remind me never to go with you on a photo trip! :-)

Could meet. I have a daughter a 3 grandkids in NE.

[Greg Miller]

In my response to Kirk I mentioned that I will be taking a trip beginning next Friday around the state in order to get a head start on the project and also serve as a test run in home developing the film. The images I make will be uploaded to Kickstarter as an update, and will cover the successes and failures experienced, as well as solutions.

The problem that I see is that the Kickstarter campaign has already started , and the clock is ticking. By the time you take your trip, hopefully have awesome light, process the film, edit, and scan, you will have 10 days left. In that time, there could very well be people who visit your page, decide they don't see the detail that they need and move on. Any time you are asking for funding, it's best to have all the material you need to make the best case possible. Changing the campaign material part-way through would just turn me off as a potential investor. It basically says you are not ready, and you may alienate people who have already invested but don't like the nee material. If you are asking people to invest their hard earned money, they will want to have confidence that you can actually deliver. Not showing color images day one, and stating you need to learn how to develop are not confidence builders. And if you are asking people to fund this book (and for others to purchase a copy later), you have a responsibility to deliver a high quality book. You want to be really proud of this book and should also want to be able to use this book to help you get future assignments.

As an option, you may want to consider funding in phases. Get funding just for film and processing. When you have all the photos that you need to produce the book, use those to get funding for production.

And I think the most important question Kirk asked was "why you"? I wish you well, I really do, and I like the photos on your web site. But why you and not someone who specializes in color landscapes? Why not someone who has years of experience exposing and scanning color slides? Why not someone who already knows the state well enough they don't have to go exploring. Why not someone else who already as a track record of successfully producing a book?

[Zndrson]

The problem that I see is that the Kickstarter campaign has already started , and the clock is ticking. By the time you take your trip, hopefully have awesome light, process the film, edit, and scan, you will have 10 days left. In that time, there could very well be people who visit your page, decide they don't see the detail that they need and move on. Any time you are asking for funding, it's best to have all the material you need to make the best case possible. Changing the campaign material part-way through would just turn me off as a potential investor. It basically says you are not ready, and you may alienate people who have already invested but don't like the nee material. If you are asking people to invest their hard earned money, they will want to have confidence that you can actually deliver. Not showing color images day one, and stating you need to learn how to develop are not confidence builders. And if you are asking people to fund this book (and for others to purchase a copy later), you have a responsibility to deliver a high quality book. You want to be really proud of this book and should also want to be able to use this book to help you get future assignments.

As an option, you may want to consider funding in phases. Get funding just for film and processing. When you have all the photos that you need to produce the book, use those to get funding for production.

And I think the most important question Kirk asked was "why you"? I wish you well, I really do, and I like the photos on your web site. But why you and not someone who specializes in color landscapes? Why not someone who has years of experience exposing and scanning color slides? Why not someone who already knows the state well enough they don't have to go exploring. Why not someone else who already as a track record of successfully producing a book?

Greg,

I appreciate the depth of your feedback. Truly. And I enjoy the back and forth this thread has created.

I suppose the worst that could happen is that the project does not get funded. The beauty of Kickstarter is that if the full amount is not reached, then those that did pledge are not charged and we all live to fight another day. Personally, if the Kickstarter is not funded, it will still be completed, but on a much smaller scale and without the finality of a hard back book.

If the Kickstarter is funded, I truly believe I will have the means necessary to deliver a great final product. If I fail miserable in my home development, I'll have the film developed elsewhere. This is not a large concern to me because I'll do what is necessary to make sure this is a viable process. I do not take lightly the donations of others, and will absolutely come through with the rewards that I'm offering.

Ultimately, it comes down to the viewers and if they think my video/story/personality is worth investing in. It remains to be seen if enough people think I can pull this project off. The scale of this project is no accident and was designed to be executable with my experience level in book design and production. There's a reason why I've not taken this further. I'm using this project as a stepping stone and learning experience. Those that do contribute get a piece of what they've contributed to in return. I do not feel I am owed anything. I have no belief that my skill is so great that I deserve the money I'm asking for. Quite the opposite.

Lastly, I'm having trouble with the "Why you" question. I'm unsure if this is a question that you believe I should answer in the video for the sake of potential backers, or a more literal "Why you". The latter question I do not understand in the least.

If people did not do work they believed in because there are other people that could do it, then we wouldn't see new work. There's always someone better. No matter where you are in your career there's someone with more experience, better images, and a better head on their shoulders. I refuse to even consider not doing this project simply because there are other photographers out there that have more experience shooting landscapes.

Perhaps I'm missing the point of the question.

[Greg Miller]

The "why you" question should be addressed on your Quickstarter page. If that question is answered effectively, I believe you will receive much more backing by investors. If I am an investor looking for projects to back, I'm looking for projects that demonstrate why that person(s) is the right person to be doing the project. As an investor, I want to be interested in the project, have confidence that it will be completed, and will be a good end product. Given your subject matter, there could very well be somebody with an existing body of work that could put together a better product with no risk. So to attract investors, you need to demonstrate why you are the best gut to do this product.

Sorry if i am coming across negatively. That isn't my intent. I'm hoping this feedback will help you be as prepared as possible to maximize the funding that you get. I've had to get funding for projects, and I've gone through the process of convincing investors to invest their money. The first they they always ask for is proof that I can pull it off. The second thing they ask for is why they should invest in me vs. someone else. They wouldn't want to invest in you and then find out someone has already, or will, come out with a better product (and it's way easier to fill a book with great images is to have spent the last 30 (or 5 years) years making them as opposed to dedicating 3 months to going out and getting them). Kickstarter investors don't have a great ability to ask the question "why you". They expect you to expect the question and provide the answer already. You don't have to answer the question, but then you should expect to not get as much in funding. The keys to funding are having a great concept, proof that you can pull it off, and a reason why you are the best person to do the project.