Deon
Active Member
- Joined
- Jun 6, 2024
- Messages
- 46
I have been published and I have self published dozens of photo books. Years prior to my first book being published, I had made multiple book proposals to several publishers, all being turned down… Don’t take it personally being turned down is how it works most of the time. But, this is how we learn and just because one publisher did not like an idea, doesn’t mean all publishers will turn you down for the same idea. Research is crucial and so is having a buttoned down elevator speech with a marketing plan, along with being prepared to field all the off the wall (wtf?) questions a publisher will throw at you.
My first book NEVADA was printed in house (USA) by Graphic Art Center Publishing Company of Portland, Oregon in 2001. I had pitched a couple of titles to this company prior to the NEVADA book, which was also turned down the year before. Out of the blue a call from GAC sales team wanting me to make that song and dance for my NEVADA book one more time. Success! A signed contract to create NEVADA, to be on press in 18 months. But, a couple of months later a call from GAC, explaining a press cancelation, can you have the book ready in two months to fill that vacant spot? Of course you always say YES! My problem was, I had never been to Las Vegas, ever… I was waiting to photograph Las Vegas last, as it is a place that is ever changing and I wanted to have as up to date images as possible for the book. Also, I’m really not a fan of places like Las Vegas (the only place someone tried to steal my cameras off my person). Las Vegas is a very difficult place to photograph as everywhere and I truly mean everywhere requires a permit. Fortunately for me, my wife was a print ad producer at that time.
Caesar's Palace - Hasselblad Flaxbody w-100mm CFi lens - Fuji Provia film
Fun Fact, in Las Vegas the casinos own to the center of the street. You are always on private property and subsequently you need permission for any kind of recording. The City was relatively easy to permit (Fremont Street). The casinos were hit and miss some bent over backwards granting permission as well as comping everything (what fun!), others said stay away… We flew to Vegas spending a week shooting everything from sun up well into the night to finish out the book. It was exhausting, but mission accomplished. 10,400 books printed on schedule delivered to bookshops across the west coast, with a book launch party in Reno scheduled for September 7th 2001, four days later 9/11 happens and every book seller returns every single copy. Not one book sold for over a year. Once they started to sell again Graphic Art Books files for bankruptcy assets being picked up by Ingram Content Group. Only 3,600 books had sold by the time Ingram took over Graphic Art Center. They claimed it was a title that could not be sold. I asked to purchase a few thousand copies, but they quoted prices per copy that I could beat on Amazon. 6,000 copies were destroyed by Ingram Content Group. I lost over $10,000 in the process (film, processing, travel). If GAC had stayed solvent selling the entire press run I would have broken even, zero profit. But that was not the point, books open doors and create commissions, that more than pay back my efforts.
Immigrant Road - Hasselblad Flexbody w/ 180mm CFi lens - Fuji Velvia film
Once you’re published (not self published) the publishing world seems to know. I started to receive requests for image rights and commissions and publishers looking for content. In other words once you pass go things get a little easier. More recently I’ve been creating self published books for specific clients. The client pays upfront costs, I keep extra copies to give away as samples or sell. Now, I’m making one off, hand made, self created art books. Very different, very slow, loads of fun…
- EPSON Perfection V700/V750
My first book NEVADA was printed in house (USA) by Graphic Art Center Publishing Company of Portland, Oregon in 2001. I had pitched a couple of titles to this company prior to the NEVADA book, which was also turned down the year before. Out of the blue a call from GAC sales team wanting me to make that song and dance for my NEVADA book one more time. Success! A signed contract to create NEVADA, to be on press in 18 months. But, a couple of months later a call from GAC, explaining a press cancelation, can you have the book ready in two months to fill that vacant spot? Of course you always say YES! My problem was, I had never been to Las Vegas, ever… I was waiting to photograph Las Vegas last, as it is a place that is ever changing and I wanted to have as up to date images as possible for the book. Also, I’m really not a fan of places like Las Vegas (the only place someone tried to steal my cameras off my person). Las Vegas is a very difficult place to photograph as everywhere and I truly mean everywhere requires a permit. Fortunately for me, my wife was a print ad producer at that time.
- Epson PerfectionV700
Caesar's Palace - Hasselblad Flaxbody w-100mm CFi lens - Fuji Provia film
Fun Fact, in Las Vegas the casinos own to the center of the street. You are always on private property and subsequently you need permission for any kind of recording. The City was relatively easy to permit (Fremont Street). The casinos were hit and miss some bent over backwards granting permission as well as comping everything (what fun!), others said stay away… We flew to Vegas spending a week shooting everything from sun up well into the night to finish out the book. It was exhausting, but mission accomplished. 10,400 books printed on schedule delivered to bookshops across the west coast, with a book launch party in Reno scheduled for September 7th 2001, four days later 9/11 happens and every book seller returns every single copy. Not one book sold for over a year. Once they started to sell again Graphic Art Books files for bankruptcy assets being picked up by Ingram Content Group. Only 3,600 books had sold by the time Ingram took over Graphic Art Center. They claimed it was a title that could not be sold. I asked to purchase a few thousand copies, but they quoted prices per copy that I could beat on Amazon. 6,000 copies were destroyed by Ingram Content Group. I lost over $10,000 in the process (film, processing, travel). If GAC had stayed solvent selling the entire press run I would have broken even, zero profit. But that was not the point, books open doors and create commissions, that more than pay back my efforts.
- Epson/ PerfectionV700/
Immigrant Road - Hasselblad Flexbody w/ 180mm CFi lens - Fuji Velvia film
Once you’re published (not self published) the publishing world seems to know. I started to receive requests for image rights and commissions and publishers looking for content. In other words once you pass go things get a little easier. More recently I’ve been creating self published books for specific clients. The client pays upfront costs, I keep extra copies to give away as samples or sell. Now, I’m making one off, hand made, self created art books. Very different, very slow, loads of fun…