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Thread: Self published books

  1. #1

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    Self published books

    Has anyone here ever self published their own book of photography? If so, can you give me the details, i.e. how many pages did you make the book, how big was the book, how many copies did you print, etc.? Do you sell it through your own website, to friends or does there exist some kind of independent photography book site, kind of like photo-eye, except for independent publishers?

  2. #2
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
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    Re: Self published books

    CHACO BODY 1991, about the Anasazi ruins at Chaco Canyon NM, with poet VB Price, designed by ArtSpace (Bill Peterson), financed by portfolio sales (the Albuquerque Museum, UNM, the University of Arizona and 2 private), 86 pages, 24 images, 5 poems, duotone, 8 1/2"x 10 !/2". 1000 hardcover, 3000 soft cover, distributed the first 5 years by the University of New Mexico Press. Thereafter we took the remaining copies back and marketed them through my exhibits, website and later events. It became a traveling exhibit that toured the SW, a 30+ time performance piece with the poet, and a local PBS special that aired nationally a few times. I have like 300 left. Enormously successful on many levels (it is mentioned in modern histories of New Mexico), it was an unbelievable amount of work and I vowed never to do it again.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  3. #3

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    Re: Self published books

    Quote Originally Posted by Kirk Gittings View Post
    CHACO BODY 1991, about the Anasazi ruins at Chaco Canyon NM, with poet VB Price, designed by ArtSpace (Bill Peterson), financed by portfolio sales (the Albuquerque Museum, UNM, the University of Arizona and 2 private), 86 pages, 24 images, 5 poems, duotone, 8 1/2"x 10 !/2". 1000 hardcover, 3000 soft cover, distributed the first 5 years by the University of New Mexico Press. Thereafter we took the remaining copies back and marketed them through my exhibits, website and later events. It became a traveling exhibit that toured the SW, a 30+ time performance piece with the poet, and a local PBS special that aired nationally a few times. I have like 300 left. Enormously successful on many levels (it is mentioned in modern histories of New Mexico), it was an unbelievable amount of work and I vowed never to do it again.
    So basically you paid for your own book to be printed and published? I wonder how many other photographers self publish their own books? What percentage of the market is independent books vs. book publishing companies as seen here on PhotoEye (http://www.photoeye.com/templates/Pu...ase_home.cfm)?

  4. #4
    Kirk Gittings's Avatar
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    Re: Self published books

    So basically you paid for your own book to be printed and published?
    -I said financed by portfolio sales (the Albuquerque Museum, UNM, the University of Arizona and 2 private). Yes, I sold portfolios of my work specifically to raise funds to publish the book. And I forgot, I presold a limited edition print with signed book also.


    I couldn't tell you what the percentages are. I know a few people who have done it successfully, Tillman Crane's Touchstones etc., and many more who flushed money down the drain. By the way your link to Photo Eye doesn't work. So I have no idea what the point there was.
    Thanks,
    Kirk

    at age 73:
    "The woods are lovely, dark and deep,
    But I have promises to keep,
    And miles to go before I sleep,
    And miles to go before I sleep"

  5. #5
    tim atherton's Avatar
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    Re: Self published books

    Quote Originally Posted by FocusMag View Post
    So basically you paid for your own book to be printed and published? I wonder how many other photographers self publish their own books? What percentage of the market is independent books vs. book publishing companies as seen here on PhotoEye (http://www.photoeye.com/templates/Pu...ase_home.cfm)?Wouldn't a photographer paying for the printing of his/her own book to be published be called vanity press?

    like Lee Friedlander you mean? Or Stephen Shore Or Ralph Gibson? Or John Gossage? Tilman Crane? Michael Smith? Alec Soth?

    "Vanity Press" is really a (somewhat derogatory) term that comes from the world of writers (and poets).

    By contrast, there's a fairly long and honourable tradition of artists (Ed Ruscha in the 60's, but actually going quite a ways back before that) and photographers self publishing - especially in small editions.

    If you subscribe to the Photoeye magazine, there's been a several part series on self publishing recently - the current issue focuses on Hiroshi Watanabe

    Some have only published their own work. Others have expanded their own person imprint to publish work of a few others (usually in order to help cover the costs of their own books).

    Oft times, a major grant or prize will be used as the main source of funding to publish a project - I know that's how Frieldander got kick started with some of his early books.

    And of course they often end up being very valuable - an early one of Friedlanders books can sell for at least three or four thousand dollars. And copy of the first self-published version of Soth's Sleeping by the Mississippi book goes for close to the same I think
    You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn

    www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog

  6. #6
    tim atherton's Avatar
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    Re: Self published books

    Quote Originally Posted by FocusMag View Post
    So basically you paid for your own book to be printed and published?
    There's also a fairly healthy tradition of photographers who consider the photo-book to be the most important or best way in which photographs are presented - more so than the gallery wall and the "fine print" (in some ways going back to at least American Photographs - and probably much earlier - through to John Gossage and Martin Parr and Gerry Badger)

    So self-publishing in that context makes even more sense (when you consider many photographers can equally spend a small fortune putting together framed prints to show on walls for two or three exhibitions - few of which will show, say, 100 prints)
    You'd be amazed how small the demand is for pictures of trees... - Fred Astaire to Audrey Hepburn

    www.photo-muse.blogspot.com blog

  7. #7
    Founder QT Luong's Avatar
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    Re: Self published books

    Here's another data point: http://www.luminous-landscape.com/essays/ghana.shtml

    Note that he says that even if he sells out the 3,000 copies, not even the trip expenses will be covered. And this from a photographer who has already published a bunch of books, is able to do the design himself, and running a publishing company.

  8. #8

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    Re: Self published books

    But, frankly, that is such an unappealing book on several levels (the cover to start with)... you have to allow for quality playing a role too.

    (ducks)

  9. #9

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    Re: Self published books

    Just for the fun of it: I made my own DIY photo book with one of these labs that offer free layout software and print your book afterwards in the exact number of copies you want to. You may laugh, but I just printed 30 hardcover copies to accompany one of my exhibitions. They were all sold. I have not made any money out of it, but was proud enough that anybody could want to buy a book with my pictures. It was a nice experience that I might try again.

  10. #10
    Abuser of God's Sunlight
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    Re: Self published books

    A couple of years ago at the Photo NY show there was a panel discussion about this. Several people who had self published discussed their experiences.

    I got a few of things out of it. First, it's a lot of work to get the book done. And second, it's an extraordinary amount of work to sell it. Those who distributed the books themselves (I think all but one) cautioned about printing too many. They all said selling the first 500 or so was pretty straightforward. Friends, friends of friends, family, contacts in the photo world, anyone who's ever bought work from you, etc. ... that's all the low hanging fruit. After them, it gets tough!

    My friend Anne has driven cartons of her book all over Europe and the U.S., visiting bookstores, making consignment arrangements. She carts it to fairs like Fotofest and Arles. She spends weekends on her knees packing books into boxes for UPS to fill orders.

    If you go this route, just know what you're getting into!

    I liked Stephen Shore's recent approach. He made a series of eight or so Apple iPhoto books, in editions of 20. They were great! Small, modest, decently printed and beautifully bound. Simple, simple design. Each one its own series. Total cost probably in the neighborhood of $50 a book ... much more than a commercial press, but something you can do for a small edition artist's book. There are lots of other digital press options for this also.

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