MAKING A PHOTO BOOK

by Jim Hafft

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TOPICS

• WHY MAKE A PHOTO BOOK

• WHAT YOU NEED

Step 1 - MOTIVE

Step 2 – WHAT TYPE

Step 3 – THEMES AND CONTENT

Step 4 – IMAGE SELECTION

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TOPICS

Step 5 – IMAGE ORDER/TELLING A STORY

Step 6 - LAYOUT

Step 7 – INCLUDE TEXT OR NOT

Step 8 – THE COVER SHOTS

Step 9 – CONVERT TO eBOOK?

Step 10 – PICK A PUBLISHER

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WHY MAKE A PHOTO BOOK

• LOOKS GOOD IN PRINT• COMPLETELY CUSTOMIZABLE• GREAT GIFTS • OLD FAMILY PHOTOS, VACATIONS• DOCUMENT PHOTO WORKSHOP• SPECIAL PROJECT – FOR RETAIL• HETTA’S DOOR OPENER BOOKS• MAKES YOU A BETTER

PHOTOGRAPHER

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ALL YOU NEED- PHOTOGRAPHS & A COMPUTER

YOUR PHOTOS SHOULD BE:• INTERESTING• WELL CRAFTED• USUALLY jpg WITH sRGB PROFILE • PRINTABLE SIZE AND RESOLUTION• ENOUGH FOR A 20 OR 30 PAGE BOOK

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DESIGNING THE BOOK

STEP 1 – MOTIVE• WHY - will affect how you progress

and the layout

• WILL YOU– exhibit in a show, sell it, submit it in a contest, share with family & friends, gift it

• WHICH SOFTWARE PROGRAM TO USE - try out a few, use the one that works best for you

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Step 2 – What Type of Book

• INFLUENCED BY – purpose of book, theme and budget.

• Hardback or softback• Size• Think about the type of photos

you’ll use• Large layout on fewer pages or• Pocketsize collection of work

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Step 3 - Themes & Content

• The best books have a cohesive content

• Not just a selection of “best” photographs

• Need structure & coherence – – Specific motive or subject matter– specific time frame – shot a day for

year– Will force you to work more

carefully

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Step 4 – IMAGE SELECTION

• Need to have a rhythm & completeness that tells the whole story

• Using just the “best” shots may leave out a lot of the background from the book.

• Be selective & critical, but remember the purpose of your book.

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Step 5 – IMAGE ORDERTELLING A STORY

• CONSIDER THE FLOW OF THE “NARRATIVE”

• BOOK SHOULD TELL A STORY• CONSTRUCT A BALANCE – not all

landscapes at beginning, then all macros, then portrait

• USE A COLOR PROFILE (if available) & SOFT PROOF

• IF ONE SHOT COMPLIMENTS ANOTHER PUT THEM ON OPPOSITE PAGES

• IT’S YOUR BOOK TO DESIGN

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Step 6 - LAYOUT

• THERE ARE A LOT OF OPTIONS• TAKE YOUR TIME, EXPERIMENT

WITH DIFFERENT LAYOUTS BEFORE DECIDING

• IMAGES “FULL-BLEED” OR HAVE A BORDER– IF FULL-BLEED, NO WHITE BORDERS

• DECIDE ON YOUR 2-PAGE LAYOUT• KEEP IT SIMPLE & BE CONSISTENT

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Step 7 – INCLUDE TEXT OR NOT

• CAPTIONS ARE NOT COMPULSORY• USE THEM IF YOU THINK THEY WILL

ADD SOMETHING THAT THE PHOTO DOESN’T OFFER

• INCORPORATE CAPTIONS WITHIN THE LAYOUT, DON’T JUST STICK THEM ANYWHERE

• SHOULD BE DISCRETE & UNDERSTATED• USE A FONT THAT SUITS THE STYLE OF

THE BOOK

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Step 8 – THE COVER SHOT

• FIRST POINT OF CONTACT FOR THE READER

• ENGAGING IMAGE THAT LEADS READER INTO THE BOOK

• HIGH QUALITY• GREAT TO HAVE AN IMAGE THAT

MOST FULLY REPRESENTS THEME OF BOOK

• BACK COVER SHOT ALSO IMPORTANT

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Step 9 – CONVERT TO ebook?

• REACH MORE PEOPLE

• WHEN SELLING, AN AFFORDABLE ALTERNATIVE TO A HARD COPY.

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PICK A BOOK PUBLISHER• There are many (http://photo-book-

review.toptenreviews.com/)

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PRICE COMPARISONS

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PAPER SELECTION

• CHOOSE A HIGH GRADE OF PAPER• NOT ALL PUBLISHERS GIVE YOU A CHOICE

OF PAPER• THE BETTER THE PAPER, THE BETTER THE

QUALITY• CHOOSE THE FINISH YOU LIKE (matte,

luster, satin, glossy), IF AVAILABLE

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MISCELLANEOUS

• NOT SURE OF A PUBLISHER’S QUALITY, MAKE A SMALL BOOK

• SIZES 3.5” x 2.75” TO 8” x 8” AVAILABLE• PUBLISHER CALLED MAGCLOUD.COM• OZ’S BOOK• YOU CAN PUBLISH MAGAZINES,

CALENDARS, NOTEBOOKS, PLANNERS, FLYERS, PAMPHLETS, DIGESTS

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• I STRONGLY ENCOURAGE YOU TO COLLATE YOUR WORK INTO A PHOTOBOOK. IT WILL DOCUMENT THE WORK THAT YOU ARE UNDERTAKING AND MARK SIGNIFICANT POINTS IN YOUR PHOTOGRAPHIC JOURNEY.

GIVE IT A TRY!