Evolution of a Book

The Evolution of a Book

The evolution of a book.  A couple of years ago I became part of a photographic mentor group headed by Jason Langer. I had taken a course with Jason and when he invited me to join the group I thought “why not?”  Little did I know that it would lead me to the book project that now consumes my life.  Jason is always after us to get our photographs off the computer – do an exhibition or a book and make something of our work.  So I embarked on the journey of creating a book about the Lords of the Isles in the Western Highlands of Scotland.  Through the guidance I get from Jason and the members of the group, I am now understanding the process of creating a professional publication and all that comes with the territory.  I have learned that I need not only photograph and write but to think about publishing and marketing. It is important for a photographer to promote his or herself – make as many contacts with galleries, publishers, editors, booksellers, etc. as possible – that’s all part of the process of getting your book noticed. It is not unusual to spend 3-4 years on a book and you must be ready to be in it for the whole process right from the beginning. Before the book is published you must have a network for distribution and publicity and have a strong network of people who would be interested and will help to spread the word via social media.  Learning to use social media more deliberately has also been a lesson well learned. One thing I have yet to add to my “to do” list is attend portfolio reviews – will plan on that for 2025 – so I can receive feedback about my work.  Since I already have the seeds of an idea for the next book this will provide an opportunity to get those photos out in public. So as you see, there is much to do when deciding you want to publish a photo book. It takes dedication and never wavering from your ultimate goal.