Does anyone know about the book?

Selling books isn’t easy. It never has been, and it never will be. So when the goal is to sell, the sales process must begin the minute you make the decision your book will be publicly available—long before you have even begun to make the work that will comprise the book itself. If I want to do a book about my birding photography, the second I make this decision, I begin to alert my audience that I am planning to produce a bird book. This could be a year out from when the book hits the Blurb bookstore, giving ample time for people to begin to ponder if they might have an interest in acquiring a copy. This allows me to promote my future book over the entire period required to make the actual images. I can bring my audience along with me as I make the work so they feel they are part of the overall experience. When the book finally arrives, I have an audience lying in wait.

Do you have an audience for your work?

When I ask this question, the most common response is, “I’m on Facebook.” Or, “I have an Instagram account.” This is not what I’m referring to when I say the word audience. Historically, social media followers are more akin to window watchers than actual buyers, so when I refer to audience, I mean people who are true followers of your work and willing to engage with their pocketbooks. In my experience, the single best book sales tool is the email newsletter. Email recipients have much higher engagement rates and have proven far more financially willing. A study by McKinsey & Company found that email marketing was up to 40 times more effective than social media. And for those of you who don’t have a newsletter or a mailing list, that’s okay. Start today. And remember, if your book won’t be done until 2025, you have all of 2024 to build your newsletter and email marketing strategy. Selling books is a marathon, not a sprint.

Have you ever sold a book before?

Several years ago, my brother talked me into signing up for a 30k trail race on the Texas-Mexico border. My brother does Ironman triathlons, and running is a significant part of his life. I don’t run, but for some reason, I said yes and signed up. Five miles into the race, I knew I was in big trouble. Running is HARD. Well, it turns out, so is selling books, and I don’t mean just for you and me, but for everyone. Many of the books you see at your local bookstore don’t sell. The average book published today is selling less than 300 copies over its lifetime in US retail channels. Blockbusters are the unicorns. But, so what? If you haven’t sold a book before, that’s okay, too. Just know that selling takes a solid sales plan. The same as if you were selling a lawnmower or a self-publishing action figure. If this is your first time, set realistic expectations, take your time, and enjoy the process.

What is your audience willing to pay?

As we discussed above, you have announced your intention well in advance of your book hitting the bookstore, and you have begun to build an audience of true fans. Perfect, now you can ask those true fans what they are willing to pay for your masterpiece. As a photographer, traditional ideology says I should attempt to build and sell a photo book, but photo books are expensive. I might be able to shame my family into buying a few copies, but my audience might not have the funds. Through my email newsletter, I can query my readers to better understand their limits, which in turn will guide me to build the right object for the right audience at the right price point. Perhaps, instead of a $75 photo book, I create a $25 trade book that shows the photography but also includes the behind-the-scenes imagery of how the project was created.

Answering these questions and making a long-term plan will allow for a much more enjoyable publishing experience and might also lead to improved sales. One successful photographer explained to me, “My books are my children.” I think this is a solid analogy. Children are often what we are most proud of and protective of, but children take time and nurturing to reach their full potential.

So, what does all this mean? Intelligent, successful book publishing takes practice, patience, and a solid plan. Keeping to realistic goals while taking baby steps is key. And perhaps more than anything else, enjoy the process. Your positivity about the work and your sales plan will hopefully translate to your readers, who will see a confident, enthusiastic author with a story they can’t live without.

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Dan Milnor is a professional photographer and Blurb’s creative ambassador. He shares his photography and bookmaking expertise here every single month. Are you ready to turn your photography into a photo book? Join us at Blurb.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: How to Sell Your Book appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Most modern adventures come with strings attached. A list of chores along the way, content to be created, or pressure to achieve, and my expedition was no different, which led me to my first lesson learned. Take the time to be in the now. Much of what we do today is designed to be consumed by someone else. This is the price of admission for storytellers like me. I tell stories for you, so you are part of my journey, whether you know it or not, but it is so easy to allow the idea of an audience to consume the journey itself. Don’t allow this to happen because before you know it, the trip is over, and the memories of your experience fade quickly when you fail to take the time to embrace and understand your surroundings.

The next lesson learned was that when it comes to photographic equipment, less is more. At the same time, the kit should also be best suited to the environment you’re shooting in. Historically, I am a fixed lens photographer. I’ve shunned zoom lenses for most of my career, but when I found myself in a Zodiac inflatable and unable to move my body elsewhere, I realized my lens choice for the trip was suboptimal at best. All around me, experienced photographers worked with their zooms, while I constantly felt I didn’t have the right focal length. This was especially painful when you considered what was required to get to Antarctica. (The 100-400mm zoom range is perfect for this region.)

Next, pick a style of work that best tells your story and focus solely on that technique. I, on the other hand, attempted to do 12 different things. Twelve different kinds of work. I used my mobile phone to make still photographs and 9:16 and 16:9 videos. I used two Fuji mirrorless cameras to make both stills and motion content. And I used a third Nikon mirrorless to make black-and-white still photographs and motion. Finally, I used an action camera to round out my footage. This is not only ridiculous, but it also simply doesn’t work. There isn’t a photographer on Earth who can do more than one thing at a time and expect to do that one thing to the best of their ability. I knew this going in, but I didn’t realize how unsustainable it was until the expedition had begun. Each day was a fire drill of reaching for too many cameras to do too many things. I was still able to do good work, but I wonder how much better my take would have been had I simply focused on one methodology. (Good doesn’t equal great.)

Another lesson learned was to ask questions and talk with fellow expedition members. My natural state is that of an introvert, so it is very easy for me to disappear into my photography while avoiding human contact. But on a ship in Antarctica, this is a limiting and somewhat silly move. Many of the folks who travel to Antarctica are science and nature-driven people. Many of these travelers were slightly older, highly accomplished, and talented in myriad ways. I met a cybersecurity expert who worked for the U.S. government, a birder with 6000+ birds on his life list, and a politician from South Asia, among many others. There were naturalists, ornithologists, geologists, and divers who specialized in diving under the ice. Meeting and learning from these people were a huge part of the experience.

The last lesson learned was something I knew all too well, but the trip reinforced the importance. Write! Pen and paper, keypad, whatever works for you. Just make sure you do it.

We think we will remember the details but that is perhaps not what the human brain does best, which is where the pen and paper come in. Make notes, take notes, stream of consciousness, overheard conversation, simple observations, etc. It’s all valid and all good, especially when you decide to make a book to sum up your adventure. Books have a narrative and words can be a foundational piece of the book workflow.

As the ship returned to the edge of South America, someone asked me, “If allowed to turn right around and return to Antarctica, would you?” My immediate answer was “100% yes!” Many see a trip like this as a once-in-a-lifetime experience. I won’t go that far because, for some reason, I feel like I will return to Antarctica. I found the experience haunting in the most powerful of ways and knowing what I know now, I’m curious what I could produce if given the chance to return.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Lessons from an Expedition appeared first on Blurb Blog.

If I use my mental time machine, I can transport myself back to 1988 when I was a fledgling photojournalism student. To say that I was green is a major understatement. Photojournalism was not my original life plan. Not even close. My original plan was to study geology, but due to an unforeseen loss of my student transcripts, Plan A quickly became Plan B. I found myself at a small community college, which was the home of one of the best journalism programs in the United States.  

For some reason I can’t remember, I had started to carry a camera around, documenting the random and mundane aspects of my freshman life. One day, while sitting in the cafeteria with my friends, I placed a series of small, 4×6 prints on the table to show off.

As my friends ignored my efforts, a faculty member walked by, leaned over, and asked, “Who took these?” Thinking I had done something wrong, I said, “Not me.” After several uncomfortable moments, I fessed up to making the pictures. The faculty member looked at me and asked, “You want a scholarship to be a photographer?” The rest, as they say, is history.

I didn’t know it at the time, but that fateful moment would not only change the entire direction of my life but was also the moment I began my editing education. Journalism doesn’t suffer fools, and photojournalism is the same. Newswriting requires training and is hyper-structured, specific, and formulaic, built to deliver a concise message to the masses. News photography, or photojournalism, often requires the same level of training and refinement, forcing the photographer to encapsulate an entire story in a single image. So, when it came to learning how to edit under high-stress, high-pressure situations, my introduction to photojournalism was the perfect crash course.

Historically, photographers aren’t known as master editors of their work, which is why professional, full-time photo editors have been a staple part of the industry for so many years. As a news photographer, I would return from an assignment and a photo editor would be waiting for me. Every single assignment had to pass inspection. My slides or negatives would sit on the light table until the editor would pick up their loupe and begin the great culling.

This was incredibly stressful and didn’t always end well. Working in tandem, however, was an incredible education because the distance the editor had from the experience of making the images, made it possible for them to study the relevance of the photographs without any emotional attachment.

How to self-edit your photos

As you can see, I was fortunate to learn my editing skills from dedicated professionals, but I also realize that most people were not afforded this opportunity, so what advice can I share for those who are just starting?

First, let’s begin with my favorite cliches.

Less is more.

Nobody wants to see 500 images of your vacation. They don’t even want to see 100. Truthfully, they only want to see four or five images of your vacation, at most. What were the absolute best, most poignant moments? Start there.

One scene, one photograph.

That’s it, nothing more. If you made 20 images posing in front of the Eiffel Tower, nobody needs to see more than one of those. So, study all 20 slowly and in detail to determine the absolute best image. Study the light, study the background, and study the subtle differences in facial expression to determine the image that holds the most emotional and visual value.

You are only as good as your weakest image.

For those of you working on stories, or attempting to make themes with your photographs, remember that you are only as good as your weakest image. I told you I love cliches. But it’s true. If you choose 10 images from your project and nine are solid but the tenth just doesn’t hold up, most viewers will focus on that one subpar image. Just because you like an image doesn’t mean it fits with or adds to the theme. You must be ruthless.

Start with a number.

One easy exercise to get started is to assign a specific number of images as a target for your final edit. Let’s just say 25. I’m using this number because, on a recent trip, I made 2,676 images over 10 days and edited that number down to 30. 

After you assign this number, and after the potentially challenging time of getting to 25, ask yourself which ones comprise the 10 best.  How about the single best image? I don’t want to hear, “This is impossible,” because it’s not. It’s just editing.

What’s your cover?

And seeing as this is a story written for Blurb, we need to talk books. One last challenge. You’ve made it to your top 25, and then down to your 10 best, and you’ve even determined what you consider to be the best single image.

Now, ask yourself, what is the best image for the cover of your book? Hint, it might not be the same image as your single best. Editing for a cover means you need to find an image that is both visually stunning and informational. Remember, photo books have a narrative, which means that cover image must be an integral part of the story and must capture the attention of a passing potential reader.

Remember those massive puzzles we used to complete as children? That is precisely what editing your photography is like. Find the edge pieces, see your story slowly begin to take shape, and then build from the edges. It doesn’t come easy, but that’s okay, nothing good ever does.

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Pro photog Dan Milnor is Blurb’s creative evangelist. He helps us all learn how to up-level our photography. And if you’re ready to turn your photography into a photo book, join us at Blurb.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: How to Self-Edit appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Not everything is meant for public consumption. This might seem counter to the general trend of modern society, where every moment of every day is shared and shared passionately. But when it comes to producing our best, most genuine work, sharing in real-time is not always the best solution. Sharing as you go can have a negative impact. 

When we create for others, we add a performance element to our output, and we often fill our heads with the thoughts of others more than our own, independent, unique thoughts and beliefs.  Having an audience in mind while creating means you are often thinking more about “them” than you are about “you.” Figuring out who we are as artists, photographers, or bookmakers is one of the most important things we can do as creatives because discovering what makes us unique is what gives value to our work. Start by asking yourself, who is the true you? 

One of the best ways of determining who you are is to play. Yes, that’s right, just play. No strings, no attachments, no goals, no audience, and no analytics. Believe it or not, this might take some practice. Breaking out of the pattern of performance can be scary to some, and for others, it might be the first time they have ever done something simply for themselves. 

When we are left to our own creative devices, we begin to undo the thoughts of others while introducing ourselves to our way of creating. This could mean making a new kind of picture, switching from people to landscape or vice versa, or it could mean editing our work differently. Perhaps we shift from a linear edit to a more conceptual take because we are no longer wondering what people will think. Maybe we shift from making portfolio-style books to more narrative-based publications with personal history as the main ingredient? Who you are when you play is revealing. 

Albert Einstein once said, “Play is the highest form of research.” While my brain is no match for Mr. Einstein’s, on this point, I am in total agreement. If making something just for you—or taking the time to play—is new, then relax and start small. First, permit yourself to play. No judgment, no mood boards, no target audience in mind. Next, celebrate your mistakes. There is no right or wrong way to play. Also, give yourself a time limit. Take 10 minutes to create. Write, draw, photograph, edit, design, etc. Just flow and see where the experiment takes you. 

If you want to go one step further, print your results. Nothing fancy is required. For me, playing when you’re bookmaking results in what I call “the 10-minute book.” I take a random body of work, import the images into Blurb BookWright, and then design for exactly 10 minutes. Sometimes, I allow BookWright to autofill the pages so I can then adjust, or I start from scratch and design quickly and without restrictions. After 10 minutes, I upload and hit print.  Often, after receiving my book, I will have almost no memory of what I did until I see my efforts on the printed page. Sometimes, I am baffled by what I created, while other times, I am intrigued as to why I made a specific editing decision or choice of typeface. What emerges from these experiments is who I truly am without outside influence. Little by little, I learn from these experiments and then incorporate the knowledge into future projects so that I make things that truly belong to me.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Put Play into Practice appeared first on Blurb Blog.

I’ve been hearing this question quite frequently over the past few days after making a post about my latest Blurb journal creation, a 120-page, softcover notebook filled with imagery and artwork from a trip to Albania. I made this journal for myself, as I do with all my journals, never thinking it would have any appeal to a wider audience. But after fielding this question again and again, I’m beginning to wonder. 

I’ve been a journal keeper since childhood but recommitted to daily journaling in 1993 after finding a book about Peter Beard in the Phoenix public library. Until that day, I had never heard of Peter Beard, nor did I know about his skill as a diary maker. I opened The Adventures and Misadventures of Peter Beard in Africa, and my view of the world and the importance of journaling crystallized. 

Beard was one of the most fantastical journal keepers the world has ever seen, and his notebooks are detailed recordings balanced with incredible artwork. My books are simpler and based around the written word with additional artwork added in during the Blurb design process and after the fact, once I’ve received the book. I add to my journals with pen, ink, acrylic, tape, and other art supplies. 

Journal as gateway into bookmaking

I often describe journals as the gateway product for future bookmaking. Many of us place a high level of importance on our books. Consequently, we can also get bogged down or distracted by the idea of making the perfect book. 

After 30 years of being around photography books, I’m not sure I found a perfect one yet, but the bogging down part, yes, I’ve seen that plenty of times. 

The journal doesn’t have to be perfect because the journal, most of the time, is made for one person and one person only. This means that whatever happens in that book stays in that book and stays with the person who designed it. 

Make mistakes, try new things, experiment, and take huge bookmaking risks all without the possibility of being exposed as an imperfect bookmaker. Do this enough times and you begin to realize the enormous benefit of making notebooks and journals. 

The rules of journal-making

When it comes to my journals and notebooks, there is only one rule: There are no rules. 

Whatever is placed on those pages is subject to my glue, ink, paint, or scissors. Nothing is sacred, not even my beloved photography. If an image has a dark area, then that area is perfect for the white gel pen. If an image is complex, I can outline all the edges of shapes and subjects within the frame. And there are plenty of blank pages for whatever thoughts I have percolating around in my head. (Like why I’m obsessed with the Toyota Yaris?) 

How to make one 

If you haven’t yet made your first Blurb journal, you will find them under notebooks and journals on the site. If you’re already in BookWright, they have their own tab there too. 

A huge bonus of creating a notebook or journal is that there is only a single paper choice, so in essence, there is no choice. One less chance to get bogged down. 

And the cover, for me, is softcover all the way—which keeps the price down. 

Finally, I’m a fan of making journals of at least one hundred pages. This page count makes the journal feel more significant but also assures I’ll be carrying it and working on it for months at a time. If I get through four of these notebooks in a year, I feel like I’ve been journaling the way I need to be journaling. 

Journals are fun, and they are personal. There is no judgment, no pressure and they are impossible to get wrong. Not many things in life fall under this description, so take the time to enjoy the process and the opportunity to make something so close to home, even if the work inside comes from the other side of the planet.  

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Dan Milnor is a professional photographer and Blurb’s creative evangelist. He helps us all feel free to make books. And he consistently impresses us with his journals—even if he frustrates us by not selling them!

Ready to make one? Join us at Blurb.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Creative Journals appeared first on Blurb Blog.

People get bogged down in megapixels and frames-per-second, but the camera size is far more important in my mind. Do you want to carry it or not? A large camera that gets left at home might not be the best idea if photography is something you want to practice.

My new camera is tiny. It literally fits in the palm of my hand, which might make someone think it’s not a serious camera, but it is. The file size is only 26 megapixels, but that works just fine for me. The autofocus is solid, the viewfinder works in all kinds of light, and the camera does many things I’ll never need or want it for. The best part is it’s always with me because it’s so small and light.

Snapshots still matter

One of the things I love most about this camera is that it works wonderfully for snapshot photography. The snapshot has a long history in photography but is also a style of image that’s the subject of ridicule among serious photographers. 

I see the snapshot in a very different light. 

I think snapshots are just as important as any other kind of image. I’ll explain why, but first, let me define “snapshot.”

Snapshots offer freedom

Oxford Languages says a snapshot is “an informal photograph taken quickly, typically with a small, handheld camera.” Well, there you have it: a small, handheld camera. But let’s revisit the first part of this definition. “An informal photograph…” 

Sometimes, as consumers and professional photographers, we get too serious about being serious. Sometimes, we try to make everything more significant than it really is. 

If you’re a professional surviving off your talents as an image-maker, it’s very easy to fall prey to only making work that contributes to or defines you as a photographer. Take it from me—someone with 30 years of professional photography experience—this is incredibly stifling.

Snapshots represent photographic freedom. These images are the postcards of our lives. They aren’t meant to define anything or anyone but rather to simply record the endless moments that form the tapestry of human existence.

Snapshot photography is everywhere, and it exists in good light, bad light, out-of-focus fuzziness, and accidental gems. There is no right or wrong with a snapshot. There is no rule to follow or procedure to employ. Snapshots are personal sketches.

A little snapshot story

Several weeks ago, my wife and I dug out an ancient slide projector and looked through tray after tray of images that her 86-year-old uncle had captured. Even though he was the family’s visual historian, he was a snapshot photographer. 

There wasn’t a single overly sophisticated image in the lot, but guess what? The images were incredible, not to mention hilarious, and functioned perfectly as the highlight reel of their family. Within 10 minutes of seeing the first image, both my wife and her uncle were laughing and crying.

Don’t mobile phones take snapshots? Umm, no.

You could easily argue that the mobile phone is the ultimate tool for snapshot photography, and it surely does function well in this role. Still, I would argue there is something different about a snapshot made with a phone versus one made with a camera that requires the user to hold it to their face while looking through a viewfinder. 

This isn’t about better or worse. This is about something different. 

The narrow, tunnel-like feel of the viewfinder works to eliminate distraction. With a camera, there are no text messages, phone calls, or social media apps. There is only what lives inside that viewfinder. 

But whatever tool you choose, just remember that making snapshots is the key element. Just snap away, no judgment. Your snapshots, your life.

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Dan Milnor, professional photographer and Blurb creative evangelist, is all about sharing his photography and bookmaking expertise. Are you ready to turn your photography into a photo book? Join us at Blurb.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Snapshot Photography Tips appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Because photography tools have become so accessible and ubiquitous, it means we also have a lot of newcomers to the photography scene. If you’re new to the idea of making pictures and want to learn how to take better shots, here are eight tips and tricks that could come in handy as you explore your world.

Dan Milnor’s top advice

1. Get close

The famous war photographer Robert Capa said, “If your photographs aren’t good enough, you aren’t close enough.” Anytime you think you have the image of your dreams, take one step closer and see how it looks. 

2. Less is more

When it comes to photography equipment, it’s easy to go down the path of thinking you need the latest and greatest. You don’t. In fact, all you need is something you’re willing to carry, which for many of us means our mobile phone. I’ve had workshop students shoot entire classes with only their phones and their images were not only stellar, they looked fantastic in the books they created during class.

3. Think about light

I believe that light is the single most important element when it comes to the foundation of strong photography. Try to shoot when the light is optimal. Early morning, late afternoon, and even at night when the darkness adds to the mood.

Want to learn more? Here’s a guide to photography lighting techniques.

4. Be patient

It’s easy to always be in a hurry these days, but being patient can pay off in major ways when it adds to the drama in your images. If you see a potential image, don’t be afraid to wait for the setting to become just right.

5. Stay curious

Curiosity is arguably the most important trait a photographer can have. Curiosity leads to visual investigation, which tends to lead to great photographs.

6. Edit your photography

Don’t post everything you shoot. Edit photographs and showcase only your best. This way, when people see your name in the feed, they know to stop and pay attention because what you post is always at a high level.

7. Make prints and books

Putting your work in print forces you to apply critical thought to your work. Print forces us to ask, “What are the absolute best images I have?” and “What image would work best as the cover of my book?”

Answer some of those questions in our guide to choosing images for your printed book

8. Try what scares you

If you are someone who prefers to make pictures of buildings and landscapes, force yourself to photograph people. Start with a friend, then eventually move on to people in your circles. Portraiture is a great skill to have.

Ultimately, enjoy the process. Photography means different things to different people, and whatever it means to you is precisely right. A hobby or a job or even a hobby you hope becomes a job. Start small, start close to home, and enjoy every minute. 

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Dan Milnor is a professional photographer and Blurb’s creative evangelist. He helps creators learn to shoot and self-publish. So if you’re ready to turn your photography into a photo book, join us at Blurb.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Top Photography Advice appeared first on Blurb Blog.

To begin at the beginning, I first heard the word blog in the late 1990s at an invitation-only creative festival in Laguna Beach, California. I almost didn’t warrant an invite. I was new to California, relatively new to photography, and most importantly, a total nobody. But I had one friend on the list, and he convinced the festival director that I was harmless and wouldn’t eat much. 

Halfway through the first day, during a presentation by a 15-year-old web designer who was so popular he was no longer accepting new clients, I heard the word blog. “What’s a blog?” I wondered to myself.

I leaned over to the person next to me and asked, “Hey buddy, what’s a blog?” Unbeknownst to me, the person I asked was the founder of what would arguably become the most popular blogging platform in history. He looked at me with patience and pity, motioned at the paper journal I was using to take notes, and said, “A blog is just like your notebook, only in digital form.” That moment completely changed my life. I left the event, walked home, and made my first keystrokes on my blog later that day.   

Shortly after the initial blogging break-in period, I began to investigate the world of my fellow bloggers. What I found was amazing. Having come from the journalism world—all structured and proper—what I found in the blogging world was like the Wild West. There was a high level of skill and talent but wrapped in a level of creativity, passion, individuality, and entrepreneurship that I had not encountered before. Looking back on this period now, I realize these pioneering people were some of the first online community builders long before social media and its influence became the norm for billions of people.

One of the ways bloggers built a following and kept in touch with their readers was via the email newsletter. You might think the world has changed, and in numerous ways, it has, but when it comes to the email newsletter (something many folks believe is an outdated mechanism), this antiquated gem is as relevant today as it was back then. In fact, I would argue when it comes to building an audience—a real audience—and selling books, there is no better tool available than the email newsletter. Here’s why.

First, a reader must subscribe or opt-in to receive a newsletter. This means there is no confusion when it comes to what someone is signing up for. They provide their email address, which becomes part of the subscriber list. In essence, subscribers are giving you permission to populate their inboxes. Most people consider their email a semi-sacred place where anything unwanted is immediately filtered out, but by subscribing, they are saying, “Please send me something on a regular basis.” This shows a high level of commitment.

Another important aspect of why email newsletters are so valuable is that in the era of 15-second videos and imagery consumed in a fraction-of-a-second thumb swipe, an email newsletter feels like a conversation. In-depth, personal, and exclusive, the newsletter has become a digital relationship with those most interested in knowing us and our work. Some of the best email newsletters I subscribe to will often take 15 minutes or more to consume, longer if they provide links to outside references.

In addition, email newsletter subscribers are more likely to be real humans. Studies on social networks show up to 80 percent of the traffic is bot traffic, meaning non-human entities complete most transactions. With an email newsletter subscriber, you can verify who they are and why they are interested in your work. Once you have the email address, you can begin to correspond, letting the subscriber know you look forward to building your relationship over time.

Newsletter subscribers also have a much higher click-through rate than social media followers. Email subscribers are more than ten times more likely to engage with your work than social media followers. Not to mention, email subscribers typically spend three hours a day checking work email and two hours a day checking personal email, which means they are spending more than ten times the amount of time on email as on social media.

When it comes to our beloved books, email newsletter subscribers are far more likely to engage with their pocketbooks when compared to followers on social media, especially when they receive exclusive content via the newsletter. It is also possible to engage with your subscribers to better understand their budget and what they are interested in. Do they want a large, collectible coffee table-style photography book or something smaller, cheaper, and more behind the scenes?

Finally, another beauty of the email newsletter is that the newsletter is not beholden to someone else’s algorithm or advertising campaign. You don’t have to worry about someone determining whether your email will be seen or not seen, and you don’t have to worry that random advertising will take over.

The email newsletter is a critical part of crafting an online ecosystem. You can build a community of value by creating your audience one person and one email address at a time. One email per month is all that’s required. Building a creative community takes time, so if this seems daunting, don’t worry about it. Start slow, start small, and focus on the story you want to tell. Be honest, humorous if possible, and then get ready to sell some books.

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Dan Milnor is Blurb’s creative evangelist, helping creators learn to self-publish and self-promote. If you’re ready to build a high-quality book to print and distribute, head to Blurb today.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: The Power of the Email Newsletter appeared first on Blurb Blog.

When I ask photographers about our platform, I often hear, “I already know everything about Blurb.” I love hearing this because it tells me that creators in the industry are wildly accepting our brand. But upon asking follow-up questions, plenty about Blurb remains a mystery. From paper types to trim sizes and book formats, Blurb offers a bevy of options that fly under the radar. 

Blurb’s trade book option

During this last talk, I asked how many people had already used Blurb. More than half of the audience raised their hand. Then I asked how many people wanted to sell their publications. Everyone who had already used Blurb raised their hands, and so did those who had yet to try the platform. Finally, I asked who had ever used Blurb’s trade book option. Not one person raised their hand. This is both frustrating and wonderful because the Blurb trade book is priced to sell and is arguably the most strategic product we make, so I knew when I began to unravel the full Blurb offering, the faces before me would start to light up. 

Before selling books

Making books and selling books are two separate adventures, but they are connected in more ways than you think. Selling books requires a plan, one that starts long before you hold your book in hand. 

A book is like a relationship, a marriage even, and requires planning, thoughtfulness, and an extended time frame. There is a series of questions you must ask before beginning a project you want to sell. 

• What is my goal? 
• Am I selling to people I already know, or am I selling to strangers? 
• What does my audience want? 
• What price point best fits my audience? 
• And what combination of book ingredients fits that price point? 

From there, you begin to work backward to create something that is the answer to all these questions.

Starting with a goal

I will often start a project with a sales goal. I created my first-ever magazine intending to sell one hundred copies. This might seem like a meager goal, but I didn’t see it this way. Again, this was my first-ever magazine project, and I didn’t yet have an easily identifiable audience. 

The few audience members I did know were Leica camera enthusiasts, which helped me determine my magazine’s subject matter. If I built something with a specific audience in mind, I would have a much higher chance of selling through my print run. I was also a somewhat unknown commodity then, so asking my audience to pay eighty or one hundred dollars for a publication was too much. A magazine priced at less than twenty dollars was a perfect fit. Much to my surprise, my run of one hundred copies sold out quickly, allowing me to move on to my next project. 

Finding your audience

Nowadays, I prefer to sell books to people I know. This is far easier than selling books to strangers. Why? Because those whom I have a relationship with know my story, my ideology, and my process. This means we have more than a superficial connection. 

If I have fifteen hundred people who subscribe to my newsletter, and I announce I’m selling two hundred copies of a publication, I don’t need to even venture into the public domain to find my audience. I can also correspond with my audience to predetermine their interest. Do they want a photography book or a behind-the-scenes tell-all? Do they want a fancy coffee table book or a small, informal, how-to style publication? And I can find out what budget best fits their budget. 

My ego might tell me to make a two-hundred-dollar, archival, hardcover masterpiece, but my audience only has twenty dollars to spare. Build to fit people, build to fit. And know this, when someone buys your book, they are not only buying your printed efforts, but they are also buying a small part of you. 

In the age of sharing, share only what makes you happy but know it does make a difference in sales. Set realistic expectations, take it slow, and make the best book possible. This might mean hiring a designer or a copy editor to ensure your public offering is top-notch. And remember this, a book is often about more than just sales. A book is a testament to your efforts and a calling card of the highest pedigree. Books resonate like nothing else, even in the Digital Age. 

***

Blurb is a self-publishing platform that makes it easy to design, print, sell, and distribute your self-published books and magazines. Learn more about self-publishing and marketing.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Making a Book to Sell appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Outside help comes in many forms, but let’s back up a minute and think about why knowing what is good and what is not is so critical to growth as an artist. I firmly believe that every generation of creativity only produces a small number of people who truly change the playing field of their chosen industry. In my case, photography. 

Every decade or so, someone comes along that makes the rest of us stop and stare. Their work forces us to rethink everything we already know and everything we can only dream about. Knowing who these people are and their achievements allow us to gain context. When we understand this context—and where we fit into it—we can better understand the quality of our own work.

When I work on a project long enough to convince myself it has relevance, I start looking for someone to validate or undermine my beliefs. This is where things start to get real, and where the idea of a critique begins to take shape. 

For some, a critique can be a somewhat traumatic experience, knowing the person doing the critique may or may not like the work. For others, the critique, even a harsh resetting of reality, is the only way to move forward.

For those of you who have never subjected your work to a critique, just know that most critiques land somewhere in the middle. There tends to be a sweetness of the getting-to-know-you period, followed by the saltiness of the this-part-could-be-better stage. You might think the salty side would be crushing, but the opposite is true because a critique, in great part, is about trust.

When choosing someone to critique your work, look for someone with real credentials. There is a reason why our industry has full-time picture editors, full-time book designers, and full-time curators, gallerists, and agents. These people spend their entire life immersed in their chosen field. Day after day, they cull from the great herd of creatives. They know the legends and can spot the up-and-comers, and they certainly know their context, which is why their eyes on your work can be so important. When you sit with them, an inherent level of trust is involved, meaning you can trust their opinion based on their experience and expertise.

Several times a year, at least in the photography industry, portfolio reviews are held at various locations across the country. Typically for a small fee, an attendee can have their work critiqued by a range of industry professionals. I look at which location fits my needs, but I also study the list of reviewers and their credentials. And I look for both professionals working in my industry as well as those outside my field. Showing photography to a designer, illustrator, or art museum curator can lead to fresh takes on my work.

But a critique does far more than just analyze the quality of the work. A critique forces us to edit our work, and I mean truly edit. When you sit with a reviewer, you will have limited time, so if you arrive with 200 pictures in your portfolio, things will not go well. You must edit your work down to only the most significant pieces. Think 20–and realize that a printed portfolio will often resonate more than a laptop or iPad.  

A review also forces us to learn how to sequence our work. Which picture or illustration should we show first? What piece should go last? 

Finally, a critique also forces us to learn how to speak about our work. This is a hugely important aspect of being a professional creative that often gets overlooked in the feedback process.

Several times a year, I serve as a reviewer (the person giving the critique). Often, attendees will sit down in front of me and immediately open their printed portfolio or laptop and begin showing their work. I always stop them and ask who they are, why they are doing what they are doing, and why I am looking at their work. There needs to be a coherent answer. Think of this as your elevator pitch. 

There is a major difference between: “Thank you for asking, I am currently working part-time at a university fundraising department, but my goal is to be a full-time photographer by this time next year, and I’m showing you this work because I’ve worked on this project for 18 months and need to know if I’m missing any major pieces of the story.” And: “Not really sure why I’m here, but it seemed like a cool thing to do.”

Getting your work critiqued is about having your efforts studied by someone who isn’t in love with the work. The reviewer wasn’t there when you made the pictures, designs, or illustrations. Their job is to simply put a critical eye on the work while providing feedback. 

Some reviewers will love your work, and others will not. Be prepared for tough love. If someone sees something in your work but knows there is still work to be done, their job is to tell you this straight up. As a friend once said to me before looking at a body of my work, “I’m not your friend right now. I’m your editor. When this is over, I will go back to being your friend.” 

Take notes, ask questions, thank your reviewer, and leave them with your contact information. Critiques have led to the discovery of many of the world’s best creatives. With hard work and a little luck, you might be next.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: The Critique appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Weddings are synonymous with wedding albums. Large, leather-bound, and costly could accurately describe these publications. Historical and traditional would also fit. Based on my style of work, these behemoths felt too classic, too slow, and not contemporary enough. So, I began to build books that felt more me: magazine-esque, softcover, with editorial layouts and type treatment. 

Instead of the largest trim size, I went in the other direction, making smaller 5×8 or 6×9 softcover diaries with maximum page counts. Clients could get dozens of these photo books for the price of one old-style album. So instead of just the couple having a printed keepsake, anyone at the wedding could buy a copy. And they did!

The look and feel of these smaller, book-style versus album-style publications were on point with my look and feel as a photographer. Clients often thought that the photographer’s role was to simply show up and shoot, but for me, there was much more to it than that. I would control as much as I possibly could to put myself in the best position. If I could control the time of the ceremony so that we had the best light, I would. If I could cut the group shot time in half, I would.

I also made it expressly clear to the clients that just showing up to shoot was not what they were hiring me for. They were also hiring me to edit and sequence the photography and design the books. 

Most wedding clients don’t spend their days editing photography, sequencing photography, or thinking about page design. Photographers do. My feeling was if I left the edit in the hands of the client, they would immediately be overwhelmed by the volume of images and the task of effectively telling the visual story of the day. That was my job. And I needed to have my work represented in the best way possible so that I would continue to find clients.

After leaving the wedding world, I continued my photographic journey for many more years. Designing books became an integral part of my business. Most jobs I completed ended in book form. Over 120 completed projects and books, in fact. 

Once clients realized I could produce something tangible, they just said, “Do it.” Having me produce the photography and the printed pieces came with a sense of relief from the client because, again, they may or may not have been confident in doing it themselves.

The books I designed for clients also became a solid additional revenue stream. Clients would often buy extra copies of my books and send them to their clients. All these publications were branded with my studio name and my contact information, so essentially, the clients were paying for my marketing. I walked into the offices of potential clients and saw my books sitting on their coffee tables, even before I had worked with them.

At the foundation of this story is the love and promise of print. Print lasts. It is almost confrontational because when you are holding and flipping through a book, you are giving one hundred percent of your undivided attention—something at a premium these days. Books also live on for the children and the children’s children, passing from hand to hand through the generations, reflecting a time and place, a rite of passage, or a ritual of human existence.

How you can market with client books

To make this strategy a part of both your business and your bookmaking, there are several things I can suggest. 

Build books into your shoots

Explain that in addition to whatever other image needs there are, your goal is for the shoot to end in book form. From there, make sure the client knows there is no extra work on their end. You will handle the edit, the sequence, and the design. Engaged clients, once they learn how seamless the bookmaking process is, will often want to get more involved. This is a good thing. 

Add books to your budget

Another helpful tip is to build the book design into the budget from the beginning. A client may balk if they see an additional fee at the end, but when they see a beautiful publication arrive post-shoot, without having to endure a perceived additional fee, it makes the experience more enjoyable. 

Brand your client book

Finally, brand it. It is, after all, your work—and your publication—even if the contents were based on professional collaboration. My experience is that clients will often express a sense of relief upon seeing the book or magazine. Clients are often so busy it may or may not be possible for them to accomplish the same thing, at least not in a condensed time frame.  

In a best-case scenario, the client sees the book design, loves it, and then asks for co-branded copies, sending those copies, and your work, on to their customers. 

***

Ready to build a book for your clients? Blurb can help with print-on-demand, pro-quality books. Learn more about what you can do with photo books now.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Designing Books for Clients appeared first on Blurb Blog.

***

I pulled into the parking space and turned off the car. Seconds later, there was a knock at my driver’s side window. After carefully opening the driver’s door, I noticed a man standing there with a fifty-dollar bill. He looked vaguely familiar, but I couldn’t quite place where I knew him from. 

“Can I help you?” I asked. 

“Here,” he said, handing me the money. “I want to make sure I get my copy of your book before you sell out,” he said. 

Suddenly, I remembered where I knew him from. I had been in the same location a year before, selling books and prints at an art fair. I was selling a small book of my work from Sicily, and this was the book the man was after. But the year before, I had sold through my print run, and he was left empty-handed. 

“You know, you could have purchased this book anytime during the year by simply going to the online bookstore and purchasing a copy,” I said. Adding, “You didn’t have to wait an entire year.” 

“Oh no, not like that,” he said. “Before I buy the book, I need to hear the story again.”

This moment had a monumental impact on my life as a bookmaker. It took me several minutes to fully understand what this man was referring to, but when I finally figured it out, it changed just about everything about how I make books. 

The “story” he was referring to was, in fact, several stories. The first story was that of the images themselves. How I made them, how I edited them, and what the project’s purpose was. The second was my story, not just as a photographer—but my entire life history. This man was buying my book, but more importantly, he was also buying a small part of me. 

I learned that day that fans of a certain body of work or project are also fans of much more than the work itself. They are fans of the process, the experience, the history, and a much broader story that helps add context to where an artist fits in the world. 

The more someone knows about the artist, their process, and their work, the more points of relatable engagement they have. Sharing these parts of the process make readers or collectors feel like they are more closely involved, almost as if they were with the artist while they made the work. 

Learning from this experience, I began to change the design of my books, including my portfolios. Before this encounter, my portfolios were bare bones, stripped-down vessels containing nothing more than single images per page and only the absolute best, most essential images that reflected my skill as an image-maker. After this encounter, my portfolios took on the look of small narratives, complete with bios, essays, dedications, and stories in addition to the images themselves. The new books didn’t just display my work. The new books took on my personality. 

Whether we want to believe it or not, creatives get jobs for numerous reasons, and not all these reasons speak directly to talent or the work itself. Many folks can make decent work with the long list of modern tools at our disposal. But why someone gets hired over someone else often boils down to far more than the work itself. How someone is dressed, how they speak about their work, or their knowledge of the history of their industry can often convince a client that they are the best person for the job. Clients think they are well-rounded, interesting, knowledgeable, and can have a conversation that goes far beyond f-stops and shutter speeds. 

Our books and portfolios must reflect who we are and not just what we do. This isn’t a burden. This is an opportunity to share what makes us who we are. Products of our environments and our varied histories are the quirks that make us as unique as our fingerprints. 

Somewhere out there, a client is looking for a person like you. When your book’s pages are slowly turned, what is revealed can feel like finding so much more than a book of pretty pictures. Turning those pages can feel like finding a long, lost friend. 

Blurb offered an online portfolio course where we will walk through the stages of portfolio design. We will cover defining parameters, choosing software, and how best to utilize your portfolio once completed. The class will also cover defining goals, editing, sequencing, collaboration, and designing with a specific client in mind. The class is open to bookmakers of all skill levels and will provide a foundation for how to highlight your best work. Replay Portfolio Building and Branding now.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: telling the story of your work appeared first on Blurb Blog.

The internet changed our planet in almost every conceivable way. The far reaches of the world are no longer quite as mysterious, and our ability to communicate has expanded exponentially. Technology brought us in contact with each other in ways only thought possible in science fiction movies. With these advances in communication comes the exciting ability to build a real connection with like-minded people—regardless of where they call home.

Websites, blogs, social networks, online forums, chat groups, and messenger apps create a spiderweb of accessible creative community-building tools. I’ve had a website and a blog since the early 2000s, and I also use things like Discord and YouTube to communicate with others interested in the same odd set of activities I enjoy. When I check my statistics or analytics, I see faces beaming in from all corners of the globe. I can say with authority that this is one of the most exciting aspects of modern life. You and I, together. 

I enjoy reading and conversation, so I choose community-building tools that help me tell longer, more in-depth stories. Others choose a faster-paced or more frenetic tool for their approach to engagement. Everyone has a range of tools at their disposal to construct a creative community of their liking.

Although modern communication tools are impressive and allow unrivaled access to engaging with one another through fiber optics and fingers typing on small sheets of polished glass, there isn’t anything quite like in-person, face-to-face connection. Sitting with or engaging with our creative community via meetups or photowalks requires far more undivided attention, forces us to read things like body language and facial expression, and has become almost confrontational compared to the ease of online interaction. Nevertheless, there is an undeniable level of excitement when we get together. We quickly see who among us are the introverts and who are the more gregarious extroverts. We learn who makes eye contact and who doesn’t. We learn who shakes hands or hugs. We relearn that being together is a language.

The first thing I do when I see an in-person opportunity emerging is to let my community know. I hit my Discord server and YouTube channel, mentioning where I’ll be and when. I also craft blog posts to explain why I’ll be at a certain location, for how long, and what my intended goal is. My community members are equal participants in the experience, and I want them to feel informed and ready to participate. Sometimes we will even discuss pre-meetup assignments or ideas, so we all come as prepared as possible. And, of course, we talk about bringing our books and zines for a bit of show and tell.

I teach several international workshops each year, covering locations like Albania and Peru. A significant portion of attending students come from my online creative community. We get to know each other via the ether of the digital world but then come together in person to build a stronger, more personal relationship. Being together in person allows me to better understand who someone is and how their personality and life experience connect to their photography and bookmaking. And when we finally part ways, those we’ve met in person tend to linger in our thoughts and memories.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Building a Creative Community appeared first on Blurb Blog.

What is Adobe Lightroom?

Lightroom is best at importing, saving, viewing, organizing, tagging, editing, and sharing digital images. The editing functions are extensive and include white balance, tone curve, lens correction, spot removal, and many other image manipulation options. Based on my informal surveys of Blurb audiences worldwide, Adobe Lightroom is the most popular organization and manipulation software available today. And for those with inquiring minds, the name Lightroom is in reference to darkroom, synonymous with the rooms used for processing light-sensitive materials during the analog era.

Why editing your images is subjective

Before we head further into Lightroom’s functionality, let me say that image manipulation is incredibly subjective. Modern software offers endless options for tweaking image files. But just because these options exist doesn’t mean you should utilize all of them. In my opinion, when it comes to editing and manipulating files, less is truly more. Intelligent software and intelligent editing are about one thing: efficiency. Being efficient in post-processing means spending less time on screen and more time in the field making new images. The primary goal of this article is simply to present a small set of manipulations that will clean up your digital files. 

Preparing images to use in a book

Since this is Blurb, we must talk about books. Preparing images is fun. Preparing images to use in a book is even more fun, and that’s why we’re here. Does the book add anything special to the image prep process? Does the paper type or paper thickness add to the complexity? Short answer: yes. But let me revisit the comment I made about subjectivity. When it comes to image preparation, there are certain things to keep in mind, but ultimately your vision is what counts. So, understanding the basics of image prep can help you realize this vision in a fun and efficient manner while increasing your chances of producing your perfect book. 

Calibrate your monitor

Before diving into Lightroom, there is one thing you must do before anything else: Calibrate your monitor. There are many excuses for avoiding the color management and calibration process, but none are valid. Calibrating your monitor is a simple yet critical part of the photo editing process. Otherwise, you won’t have an accurate assessment of what you’re seeing on your monitor. What you think is blue or green or red may or may not be. 

Lightroom basics

Lightroom consists of several modules including Library, Map, Book, Slideshow, Print, Web, and Develop. The Develop module is where the bulk of your image preparation will take place. It supports non-destructive batch editing of images and offers enhancing options like white balance, tone, sharpening, noise reduction, cropping, and image conversions. It also provides presets, prearranged sets of image profiles you can apply to your photographs. 

Basic menu

Once inside the Develop module, you will see a list of options on the right-hand side. Basic, Tone Curve, HSL, Color Grading, Detail, and more. Let’s start with Basic. As I mentioned before, the photo editing options, even within a single menu like Basic, are nearly limitless, but also remember my suggestion that less really is more. With this in mind, I will only focus on a few of the available options within Basic, beginning with white balance.

Many of us use the Auto White Balance setting while making our images. Although modern cameras are good, they aren’t always perfect, and one of the easiest and most important image enhancements is to correct our white balance to match what we see in the field. One way of correcting white balance is with the eyedropper tool. Once you click on the tool, you can move your cursor over the image until you find a neutral target. In this case, the white of the bird’s wing. The before image shows the white balance as slightly cold and blue and not accurate to what I witnessed in the field. The after image shows the warm glow and neutral white that reflects the beautiful morning light.

Tone and Presence menus

Next, let’s talk about the Tone and Presence editing options. The Tone menu allows for adjustments to exposure, contrast, highlights, shadows, whites, and blacks. Each photo will require specific ingredients, but this menu offers overall image control. Again, tread lightly and avoid making massive moves on the adjustment sliders. 

The Presence menu offers photo editing options to control texture and clarity as well as dehaze an image. Presence also controls both vibrance and saturation. One of the most common mistakes I see when preparing images for books is to overdo the saturation settings. An overly saturated image, enhanced beyond what paper can display, will simply not print the way you see it on the monitor. The color will clip and the image will appear muddy and dull. Most modern, digital cameras create files that are near perfect right out of the box, so again, slight tweaks to vibrance and saturation can be fine. 

Tone Curve menu

Next up, is the Tone Curve menu. The Tone Curve is a complex photo editing topic, but it is important to understand how it works. The Tone Curve is a visual representation of all the tones in your photograph, and it is represented by a diagonal line inside of a box. By dragging specific segments of the line, you can control the shadows, mid-tones, and highlights in your photo. Be gentle. The goal of the Tone Curve is to make your image pop. The most used technique is to create an S curve by dragging the lower third down and the upper third up. Doing so will often make your image pop by increasing contrast and saturation. If for any reason you wish to flatten an image or reduce the contrast and saturation, just create a reverse S curve. 

Detail menu

The next photo editing option I want to discuss is the Detail menu, which controls the sharpening of your images. Most modern cameras require very little extra sharpening. In short, over-sharpening will ruin your images, so be very careful when applying this feature. 

There are four different sliders in this one menu. 

• Amount allows you to manually set the amount of sharpening you desire. 
• Radius controls the sharpening of edges within the image. The default setting for Radius is 1.0, meaning Lightroom will apply sharpening to one pixel around the edge of an object. I rarely if ever move beyond the default setting. 
• Detail slider tells the software which edges to sharpen, from smaller edges to larger edges. This slider should be kept under 50. 
• And finally, the masking slider masks out the areas that should not be sharpened. This feature works best with simple images with one primary area of focus rather than visually complex images like the geese photograph you see here. 

Additional Lightroom menus

The HSL and Color Grading menus are important but also complex and require a fair amount of practice and experimentation. Lens Correction, Transform, Effects, and Calibration are other menu options that can be important. These menus offer things like removing chromatic aberration, adding vignettes, and adding grain, but if you are new to prepping images for print, leave these menu options for a later date.

Image presets

There is one more option worthy of discussion: image presets. On the left side of the Develop module, right under the Navigator tab, you will see the Preset tab. Your presets will vary depending on your version of Lightroom. A preset is a predetermined set of ingredients that will be applied to your image with just one click. These ingredients could include color, curve, grain, sharpening, contrast, and more. You simply select an image then hover your cursor over each preset option, and the resulting effect will be visible in both the small navigator window and in your primary image. 

Lightroom also allows for creating your own custom presets or importing presets created by other photographers. To create your own custom preset, make changes to an existing photograph. Once finished, click the + symbol in the header of the Preset panel and choose Create Preset. In the resulting pop-up window, you name the preset then check the boxes that reflect which settings you want to preserve. Then click Create. 

***

Adobe Lightroom is arguably the most robust photo editing and organization software ever created. With this incredible piece of engineering comes a learning curve. Like all other software, Lightroom requires a test drive or two. If you are new to using this platform, just relax and know that you have endless opportunities at your fingertips. Be patient, start slow, and practice. Making these basic adjustments will make your photo book look that much better and make you feel more in control of your photography workflow. 

Check out our blog post for tips on how to improve your images in Adobe Lightroom. Ready to try your hand at Adobe Lightroom? Let’s get started with Adobe Lightroom!

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Photo Editing in Adobe Lightroom appeared first on Blurb Blog.

However, times have changed, at least to some degree. I’ve been around long enough to be the one reviewing work instead of the one showing work. From personal experience, sometimes those stray images I see in someone else’s portfolio are more important than I first thought. Those images, in fact, can lead to the creative promised land. 

But first things first. Most of us creatives are known for one thing or another, and keeping that part of our lives in tip-top shape is important. It is important to do what works and do what you are good at, but most of us also have those quiet, internal conversations about who we imagine ourselves to be somewhere down the line. Sometimes we make things we can’t explain or for reasons that seem just beyond our grasp. 

So when I review professional portfolios now, and I see a stray image of some sort or an image that doesn’t quite fit with the rest of the portfolio, instead of saying, “That image doesn’t belong,” I simply ask, “Why is this here?” The more muddled the answer, the more intrigued I become. The best part of this experience is that the person often begins to fidget in their seat. They become slightly embarrassed and sometimes have trouble finding their words. I know now these are all good things. 

There will often be a period of awkward silence as the person tries to defend their inclusion of the image. And at some point, they will often say, “I can’t quite explain it, but I felt like I just had to have that image.” Again, I could easily say, “Take it out,” but I rarely do. I dig deeper about why the image had to be included, and what I find is that these images are often a visual foreshadowing of where the creative person will be a year, two years, or five years in the future. 

The bulk of the portfolio might show where someone is now, where their comfort zone lives and thrives, but the restlessness of most creatives needs an outlet, and that is where the stray comes into play. “This image represents who you might be next,” I explain. The typical response is one of both excitement and relief. Suddenly, the words are there, and the explanation and passion come flowing out with a simple opening of the door of possibility. 

The moral here is to keep pressing. Cover your bases and keep your foundational work strong while leaning forward. Always test, experiment, and tinker, and never shy away from failure. Also, remember that when someone looks at your work, they are also looking with keen eyes directly at you. 

Confidence leads to power, and power leads to control. Whatever you decide to do with your work, whatever you decide to show, own it. Always have the answer to “Why?” The reviewer may or may not respond, but you will ultimately hold the cards by representing yourself truthfully and with professionalism. 

***

Ready to photograph and publish your work? Start by choosing a format. 

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: exploring the images you can’t explain appeared first on Blurb Blog.

One morning I woke and began making my beloved coffee. Opening the window shades, I noticed a lone bird sitting atop the adobe wall surrounding a small patio off the primary bedroom. The bird, it appeared, was looking at me. With each of my movements, the bird’s head twitched from side to side as it tracked my every move. This went on for a very long time. “Huh,” I thought. “That’s odd.”

Later in the morning, I opened the patio door and there before me was the same bird, this time on the ground and this time talking to me as if we were related. “What?” I asked. “Is there something I can get you?” The bird jumped up into the branches of the lone tree surviving in the corner of our patio. Strange chirps and sounds emerged, and below the tree was a pile of small, gray twigs that hadn’t been there before. I crept closer and looked inside. There, working intensely on a new nest, was not one bird but two.

My wife and I quickly realized we had a new family on our hands. We named the birds “Paco and Juanita” and developed a routine that allowed us to live in tandem with our new friends. I initially misidentified the birds but was quickly corrected by a “birder” friend who seemed to know a lot about not just this species but all species—a skill I never knew my friend possessed. “How do you know all this?” I asked. “You don’t want to know,” he said. “I know you Milnor, and you’ll be down the birding rabbit hole in no time.” “Me?” “I don’t know anything about birds,” I said.

Over the course of the next few months, we developed a co-habitation routine with Paco and Juanita. If I placed my yoga mat too close to the nest, the birds would hop over and chirp at me until I moved. I would slowly rattle the door handle to alert them to my presence before entering the patio and I made sure to keep a small water bowl under the tree. Each morning, with me at the window and they on the fence, we studied one another. I talked, they squawked. And then one day, we had eggs. My wife, who at one point in our lives looked at me and said, “I don’t like things that fly,” was as excited as I’ve ever seen her. “Eggs! They have eggs! Get the camera!” she said.

Shortly after, what was two became four. The chicks were tiny, slimy, and if I’m being honest, ugly. We watched from our window, less than a foot away, as the chicks were fed, again and again, and we watched as they grew into future flying machines. Weeks later, while sitting in my office working on a Blurb project, I heard a strange noise. I opened the front door to find both parents standing in the walkway screaming at me with a sense of despair and urgency.. “What?” I asked as I bent down to bird level. Both birds hopped to my right squawking into a dark corner of the patio. I knew immediately. We had a baby bird down. Sure enough, while teaching them to fly from the tree in our front patio, junior had veered off course and into the picture window. There they were, stuck behind a sheet of plywood. Uncle Dan to the rescue. Very carefully, I removed the tiny creature and placed it in a safe space near the wall at the base of the tree. Then I watched and waited. Dazed but alive, the tiny bird found its footing and began to make its way up into the tree, the parents giving encouragement from the higher branches.

Before long, the birds were gone. My wife and I truly missed having them around. Every few weeks my wife asked, “I wonder if they will come back?” And much to our amazement, one year to the exact day, they did! They built a second nest in the same tree and had a second round of chicks. Our routine became even more intimate. I would sit on the patio, and they would slip under the fence, hop over to me and just stare. A mere inch from their nest and family, yet I was simply a nonthreatening part of the scenery.

But ultimately, the birds did far more for me than I could have imagined. Paco and Juanita opened my eyes to a world I had ignored my entire life. I began to incorporate birds into my daily routine, no matter where I went or what I was doing. Studying, watching, and identifying birds has become a theme in my life. When people ask me if I’m a birder, I reply, “No, I’m just paying attention for the first time.” I’m writing this story from a small hotel in Southern Albania where I’m teaching a photography workshop. Mountain Sparrows, Eurasian Magpies, Eurasian Blackbirds, Yellow Legged Gulls, and Barn Swallows are all around me. Prior to my relationship with Paco and Juanita, I would have never noticed.

So let me share a few things I’ve learned along the way.

1. I am a total birding novice, and that is perfectly okay. Dedicated birders are some of the most knowledgeable people I’ve met and many are more than happy to assist those new to the game, even with the most basic details or identification techniques. Reach out to your local birding group and say, “Hey, I’m new.”

2. Birding, photography, and books go hand in hand. Use trade books for behind-the-scenes details, keeping journal notes and tracking the process. Layflat books work wonderfully for the main photography or as a bird portfolio. 

3. Keep a list. Yes, keep a bird list but not as a means of competition. Rather, as a memory assist. You will be amazed at how many species live in your local area alone and trying to remember what you’ve seen is not as easy as you might imagine

4. Use a guidebook and the Bird Id app. A guidebook is great, and I love most things analog, but the Merlin Bird ID has been invaluable and is also a great tool in global conservation efforts.

5. Get good binoculars. My binoculars are 20 years old, but they are superb and even have built-in stabilization. I’ve jettisoned some of my camera gear, so I can always carry my binoculars.

6. Go now! Sadly, the world is losing species at an alarming rate, so if birds become a passion, make sure you focus on spending as much field time as possible.

Footnote: So far, my birding adventures have been limited to Texas, New Mexico, Arizona, Baja California, and Albania, but this summer I will be birding in New England and hope to undertake my first pelagic trip (that’s bird-speak for birdwatching tours by boat).

Feeling inspired to make your next photo book or trade book? Get started today.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: adventures of an amateur birder appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Love. What do you love? What is the last thing you think about before you fall asleep at night, and what is the first thing you think about when you wake? Finding a photography story or a subject that you love is the first step. Loving your project or story means you will find every way imaginable to continue on. Our modern lives are built for distraction. The web, social media, 24-hour news, and streaming services are all tailor-made to keep you from the depths of long-term documentary photography projects. But if you truly love the story you are attempting to tell, then you will find a way to continue and ultimately finish. Any distraction will be thwarted by the view of life through the viewfinder. 

Read. Reading is a free education. The local library is an Eldorado-scale goldmine of information and endless photography story opportunities. Also, when I say read, I mean book-length material. Too much online material is short form, and although this might work for an initial spark, it won’t help in the long-term when you are building out an in-depth photo essay. And for those of you who might say, “Well, I don’t have time to read,” just eliminate your television, social media, and internet use for one day and see what kind of time materializes. I think you might be surprised. 

Locate. You are going to stay close. Yes, close to home. In fact, your photography story might live inside your home, or your neighborhood, or at the furthest, your city. Exotic lands are enticing, but if you can find and complete a story close to home, you will be even better when you do decide to go aboard. Staying close to home means you can access your project even when you don’t have much time. A few minutes before work or during a lunch break. Or maybe you can utilize that wonderful light on the commute home. It doesn’t take much. It just takes repeating. 

Research. Once you have found your story, researching your photography project should be fun. What else has been done? By whom? And when? Just because someone else might have done a similar story doesn’t mean you shouldn’t add to the conversation. Research can also provide additional layers or angles you might not have considered. Research can also assist with determining what photographic technique best suits the story. 

Experience. Use other forms of art to find inspiration. They say the most complete use of the human brain ever discovered is both reading and playing music, so why not engage your other artistic senses to find inspiration? Painting, sculpture, music, writing, or any other art form can tickle your creative side in ways that nothing else can. Perhaps the light and dark of a Dutch classic will better inform how you see the fall of natural light across a scene. Or maybe a song from childhood will spark memories of a story you never thought to tell. 

Spend. Spend the time required to make the best work you possibly can. There is no substitute for time and access. We all have to work with the time we have, so again, staying close to home will help in this regard. Everyone has a camera these days, but there are still few real photographers among us. Spending time with the people you photograph builds trust, and trust leads to access, which is where real photographic depth lives. When you are granted real access into someone’s life, the project will take on a new dimension. This access comes with a responsibility, which is to tell that photography story to the best of your ability. With great time and access, your story becomes more than a set of photographs. It becomes a collaboration between professional photographer and subject, something that might just change your life. 

Detach. During his formative years, Albert Einstein took time off to do nothing, and during this period, he discovered several of the most important theories in human history. These days, being attached and connected seems, at times, like the only option. Unplug for a few hours or days, and see where your mind drifts. Sometimes eliminating what seems like endless options is the best way forward. 

Want to tell your own photography story? Make a professional-quality photo book today. For inspiration, ideas, and examples, check out the Blurb Blog.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Finding Story appeared first on Blurb Blog.

By this time, I had managed to go abroad. My photography portfolio contained stories from Cambodia and Guatemala and a few other far-flung locales, but it felt like I needed more. I also felt that where I was living, Phoenix, was a city that could never lead me to the photojournalism promised land.

Around this same time, I got the rare chance to show my portfolio to the photo editor of what I considered to be the dream magazine. This was the same magazine that all my peers wanted to work for, a publication that signified the best of the best when it came to long-form documentary photography. It was just him and me. He wore a suit and tie.

He slowly flipped through the pages of my portfolio. “Where are the local stories?” he asked. I had done local stories, but only when assigned, and I hadn’t seen these stories as something that would be of interest to a high-level photography editor. “Just about anyone can go to an exotic location and make pictures,” he said. “But telling stories locally is where I can see how talented you really are.”

My photography from the exotic locations didn’t make a dent on this man because not only had he seen it before, but he had also seen it done far better. He was responsible for a staff of dozens of the best documentary photographers in the world who specialized in telling stories from the far reaches of the globe. What the photo editor was attempting to illustrate to me was that working locally was not only the best way to find easily accessible stories (stories that didn’t require massive budgets and international airfare) but also the best way to find stories that would allow enough time for me to make real connections in my own community. Great photo essays require depth and often the only way to achieve this depth is through copious time and access. I left our meeting with new eyes regarding the community outside my front door.

I emerged into the Arizona desert with renewed focus and tenacity. I started a story on people who had dropped out of society and were living in remote camps in the wild. I started another project on the farm and ranch land being usurped by the rapid expansion of the city of Phoenix. And I also began working on the border.

What began to emerge in my photography was a sense of community. Not only did I feel like I had a better understanding of my state, but I also began to feel like I was a small part of something larger and my role and responsibility was that of visual historian. My job was simply to record for the now and for the when of an unknown future. I realized that global stories could be told from a hyper-local angle. Most international stories, things like climate change, immigration, conflict, energy, or global health could be explained and illustrated by a single human being living in the American Southwest. Was a water issue in Arizona that different from a water issue elsewhere? Now I live in New Mexico, and when asked where my favorite place to photograph is, my response is immediate: “Here, where I live.”

Ready to publish your book? Check out our professional services to get started!

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Embracing Local Photography appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. What makes photography during winter different from the other seasons? Well, other than knowing we might freeze our fingers and toes, let’s think about the reality of the natural world. Winter brings short days and weak light. Winter doesn’t offer the same long, easy days those other seasons do, so our duration of usable light is less during winter (unless you live Down Under). Winter photography requires specific clothing logistics, camera logistics, and planning to ensure we capture what we need in fewer daylight hours.

2. Does winter offer its own palette? Yes and no. In certain regions where the weather is consistent from season to season, there might not be much change when it comes to palette, but in places like New Mexico where I live, there is a distinctive shift in color or lack thereof. Sure, we still get plenty of sunlight here in the mountains, but we also get a fair amount of grey. Grey skies provide both risk and reward. The risk can come in the form of flat, dull images, while the reward can come in learning to take advantage of a more monotone scene by working with the nuance of middle grey.

3. Is there any specific technique that reminds you of winter? Easy, black and white photography. Now, I’ve primarily been a black and white photographer since I first picked up a camera, and even for me, winter still feels like the time for black and white. As I mentioned before, those flat scenes and grey skies are perfect for accentuating what is not in the image. In this case, color. It’s possible in winter to make color images that look nearly black and white.

4. How does winter impact the actual logistics of photography? There are several things we must consider when shooting during the winter. First, as I said before, there are shorter days and often what feels like less light to work with. This often requires higher ISOs, so knowing what your camera can handle is key. You also run the risk of having your gear fog up. If your cameras are inside in a heated house and you emerge to photograph, the temperature shift can cause your cameras to fog. Leaving your cameras outside to get “down to temperature” is key.

5. Any clothing or camera recommendations for shooting during winter? Think hands, feet, and head. Your body core can stay warm if you keep moving even if you lack that one extra layer, but your hands, feet, and head are essential to keep warm. I’ve found I can still have fun if I feel a bit chilled, but if my hands, feet, and head are freezing, I find winter photography to be a real challenge. We all have our favorite camera brand, but winter photography often comes with the need for gloves so whatever camera allows you to access your settings is key. I use a variety of different camera systems from Sony to Leica to Fuji and Hasselblad. But my favorite winter camera is the Fuji simply because the controls are so big and easy to access even when wearing my thickest gloves. And the Fuji rarely requires me to access menus which often require taking off my gloves.

6. Are there winter pitfalls to avoid? Try not to fall, which is something I’ve done more times than I can count. Shooting on pure snow is one way to fool your in-camera meter. When the meter sees reflected light off the snow it can force the camera to overcompensate thus resulting in dark imagery. Handheld light meters are your best friend in any situation like this. If you don’t have a handheld meter, then use your camera’s exposure compensation dial to open up your images. Now, in cases of extreme winter cold, for those of you working with analog materials, you should be aware of things like static electricity or even snapping your film if the conditions are frigid and you are using something like a motor drive to advance your film. Personally, I have not experienced this kind of cold, but I have heard of other photographers having these issues.

7. How does winter photography impact your bookmaking? Fewer daylight hours mean more time inside. More time inside means more time to make photo books, so winter is often a very productive time for my bookmaking. Short days aren’t all bad. I also think winter confines my internal color palette, at least to some degree. So, when I design during the winter, I often find myself designing simple, minimalist spreads often nearly void of color. This feels like my body and mind are merging with winter instead of fighting it.

8. Do you have any favorite winter locations? Tahiti. Just kidding. My best photography is made when I put myself in situations that offer a specific spacing of the objects in the frame. I am not a street photographer, nor do I enjoy the confines that street photography provides. I am also not a landscape photographer but for the exact opposite reason. I don’t enjoy the wide, wide vistas. My winter photography takes place in the middle spaces. My favorite middle spaces are found in places like the US/Mexico border. These places offer a spacing that fits my “middle distance” demands, and winter is the perfect time to work in these places because the daytime temperatures are often near perfect. Gone are the blazing midday temps of summer and in are the short, moody days of winter.

9. What about photographers who specialize in winter? I don’t know anyone who only works in winter. I’m sure there is someone out there, but I’m not familiar with them. But when I think about winter photography, a few names come to mind. As I write this, I’m sitting in my office looking at a photograph from the National Geographic photographer Gerd Ludwig. The image depicts a woman in mid-winter photographed through the ice-covered window of her car. She is smiling at the photographer but still looks cold. I also think of the quiet solitude of English photographer Michael Kenna. His minimalist, winter landscapes are totally unlike my own work, but this is partly why I love them so much. He makes me ponder the world in a new way. I also recently discovered the work of Emile Ducke who created a wonderful piece about the Road of Bones in Siberia and some of the imagery depicts a truly harsh and unforgiving cold. And finally, although there were images made in bright sunlight that might have been any season, I think Catherine Leutenegger’s book Kodak City which depicts the home of Eastman Kodak, Rochester New York, is spot on when creating the mood of what it feels like to be in this location. I once worked for Kodak, so flipping the pages of her book makes me feel as if I am back in the grey of a New York winter.

Ready to begin your next portfolio or professional photography project?

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Photographing in Winter appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. What makes a good photograph?

This is a question I receive on a regular basis but one that is somewhat tricky to answer. For me, a good photograph is one that evokes an emotional response, informs me of something I don’t know, or informs me of the artist’s personal vision. I see there being a right and wrong with what makes a great image, and technical aspects have little relevance. Does a picture make you feel?

2. What is the best way to make a bilingual publication?

I have two suggestions. First, think about creating a typography style that is unique to each language. This could mean the color of the text, the density, or even the typeface. This way each language has its own look, feel and consistency. Or, think about making two publications of the same size, shape, page count, etc. each for a specific language.

3. Should I use BookWright or Adobe Lightroom? ­­­

My advice is to test drive both pieces of software and gauge which feels most comfortable. They both offer advantages but feeling at home in a software can make the bookmaking experience all that more enjoyable. Adobe Lightroom is hyper-efficient allowing you to work your images and your book in the same piece of software, but BookWright offers more tools. I typically use BookWright, but remember I’ve made hundreds of publications using this software so it feels like home.

4. What is a field guide and how do you use it?

Put simply, a field guide is a publication you carry while working in the field that illustrates the work you have already completed on a given project. A field guide can be any size, page count, style. It is evidence of your skill and style and proves your commitment to a project or story.

5. How do I choose a trim size for my publication?

Work backwards from your goal. Is the goal to sell your publication? To people you know or people you don’t? What is your budget? Will you need to carry the publication or mail it? Or will it sit on your coffee table? Answering these questions will allow you to narrow your options. A large photo book might look great on a coffee table but be expensive to ship and cost more than your audience is willing to pay. Consider a trade book or magazine for a more accessible, cost-efficient format. Creating for your audience and your ultimate goal is key.

6. Should I use the Blurb Bookstore?

Making your book available for sale is a personal decision but using the Blurb Bookstore is effortless and free. The bookstore is also a global center for selling your book. Once a book lands in the store, it is viewable by an international audience. If you have a following for your work or an audience, the bookstore can be a wonderful way to sell your work. It also functions well for selling books to clients without having to do the shipping and receiving yourself.

7. Are there any general rules when it comes to typography?

Typography is a language all to itself. There are many rules and ideas that come to mind,  like type hierarchy, style, density, and size, but perhaps the best suggestion is to limit the number of typefaces within your book. Using more than two typefaces, three at the most, can be very confusing to the reader. Also, choose typography that fits the book’s content, the style of project, and feels relevant feel to the work being displayed.

8. What are the key elements of selling a book?

Wow, this could be an entire Q&A by itself. Selling requires a plan. First, gauging what your audience is interested in and determining how much they are willing to pay are key elements. A presale plan is also a smart move, especially when distributing your book via Amazon. Offering a presale discount is another option. And telling the story of you, your work and your book as you go can really bring people closer to the project, making it easier to sell. Finally, make the best work you possibly can.

9. Is it okay to make a book from film photography?

Of course. In fact, I have always felt that film translates to paper incredibly well and in some ways is far easier to prepare for print than digital photography. A simple mid-tone bump is often all that is required to make those film images shine.

10. Should a book project be broad or narrow?

I’m a fan of the narrow. The human attention span is getting shorter not longer, so whatever we as storytellers can do to make our projects more understandable is going to be key to their success. Working narrow also allows for depth on that specific topic. For example, a story relating to humanity might best be told by focusing on ONE single human being.

Ready to launch a new project? Choose a format and get started today?

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Big Decisions in Bookmaking appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. When you say “print” what types of things are you referring to exactly?

The range of print options is extensive and includes things like postcards, small, medium, and large photographic prints, wall art, magazines, books, journals, and Zines.

2. Is printing expensive? 

Yes and no. Printing can be expensive if you make massive prints or custom books. But for the most part, modern print is very affordable. One of my favorite publications costs me roughly $4, and I publish a quarterly zine, AG23, that costs about $10. Both are beautiful examples of creative design.

3. Why is printing our work so important?

Okay, this is where things get interesting. There are three reasons why print is important:

• Print is slow and forces us to apply critical thinking to our work. Because there is a cost associated with print, we tend to pay more attention to what makes the cut. We may or may not make these same decisions when working in the digital space.
• Print is also a bit confrontational, in a good way. It’s tactile and forces the viewer to put down their devices and pay attention.
• Finally, print lasts. Many of the modern print options are archival in nature so make prints or giving a book is a great way to make sure stories survives from generation to generation.

4. Will digital eventually replace print?

Perhaps, but remember a decade ago when we were told digital books would replace printed books? Well, all these years later print book sales are up, and digital book sales are leveling off. Personally, I still prefer real books to anything on a device.

5. What about using both print and digital?

This is what most of us are doing now and will do in the future. Print and digital are different. One is not necessarily better than the other, so embrace each of these options and base your usage on demands and desires.  If you need immediacy then nothing beats digital, but if you have the time, print can resonate in a unique way.

6. How has printing evolved?

Printing has become much more democratic, much more accessible, and far more affordable. Some refer to this time as the second Golden Age of print, and I would agree with this. Regardless of what project I’m working on, I have so many options, from a Layflat portfolio to a magazine, or a wall art print.

7. Do you have any favorite print options or formats?

I do. I love the Mohawk Layflat paper option for my portfolios or image-heavy photographic essays. I also love the magazine format for its size, premium paper, and cost per unit. And finally, I love the trade book format for my sines and collaboration projects.

8. What is the best way to get started printing?

Start small. Start inexpensive. Sometimes we put tremendous pressure on ourselves to make something great right from the very beginning. I think this can sometimes take the fun out of printing. Printing is a little like learning a new language in that it takes practice and experimentation. This is part of the process and happens to be a lot of fun. So, start with a small book, magazine, or print and just enjoy the experience.

9. Are there any downsides to printing?

Not really. There is a cost involved, and the time required to design or edit what you are printing, but the end result far outweighs any downside.

10. What is your current print project?

I have three print projects on the go. The first is a Layflat portfolio about the experiences I have had while traveling in our van. The second is an ongoing magazine series that covers the photographic essays I like to produce. And finally, I am involved in a sine collaboration that utilizes the Blurb trade book format.

The post Hit the Books: The Promise of Print appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. What is a Trade Book?

Trade Books are a beautiful, strategic, versatile format, designed to look and feel like books you’d find in a bookstore. You have a choice of materials and standard trim sizes (5×8, 6×9, and 8×10 inches), so you can find the perfect balance between cost and print quality. They are available in softcover and hardcover (with ImageWrap or dust jacket). You can also sell Trade Books in the Blurb Bookstore, on Amazon, and via Ingram distribution channels worldwide to reach a larger audience. 

2. How is a Trade Book different from a Photo Book?

Both formats allow for total creative control and for any design or content you have in mind, but the formats are physically quite different. First, the material choices—such as paper type. Trade Books offer color and black and white printing options for both Standard and Economy levels. The Standard color or black and white printing offers rich blacks and deep colors, good for any image, while the Economy option is most useful for things like text, illustration, or a low-fi look. Second, the price point. Trade Books are priced lower than Photo Books, which gives the author more freedom to set a competitive price if selling the book is critical. 

3. What would I use a Trade Book for?

This is where things get interesting. Trade Books are perfect for projects you intend to sell. Because they cost less than Photo Books, you can keep the price point of your publication low, allowing for greater markup and sales. A Trade Book can be the perfect “sidekick” publication or companion to a Photo Book. Perhaps you have behind-the-scenes material from your project that you don’t want to include in the main volume. And if you’ve ever thought of keeping a journal, Blurb Notebooks are produced in Trade Book format.

4. What material choices do I have?

The good news is that you have many choices. There are three cover types available for Trade Books: softcover, hardcover with ImageWrap, and hardcover with dust jacket. As for paper, you also have Standard and Economy options for both color and black and white printing. Regardless of your book content, there is a paper type suited to your needs and budget.

5. Which subjects work well with Trade Books?

A Trade Book can be used for almost any style of content, but I have seen a few categories stand out. Cookbooks, how-to books, children’s books, travel journals, zines, novels, poetry, and even portfolios or marketing materials. Again, with the range of materials available, you can make just about anything.

6. Are there advantages or disadvantages to selling Trade Books?

There are several factors that make Trade Books perfect for selling. First, the price point. Using Trade Book format, an author can print a beautiful yet affordable publication, which they can sell at an advantageous price point. Next, the standardized sizes of Trade Books allow them to be sold worldwide via Ingram. There really are no disadvantages. However, if your goal is to design a coffee-table-style photography book with high-end, archival paper, then a Blurb Photo Book is the way to go.

7. Which other products utilize Trade Book format?

Great question. You can also make a notebook or journal as a Trade Book. The great thing about making a Blurb journal is that you can design it like you would a regular book, using your photography, writing, and illustrations. You can also mix and match the journal page styles with blank, lined, square or dot grid backgrounds.

8. Is there one paper type that you recommend for photography?

My only real suggestion for paper is for those of you interested in making a primarily visual Trade Book. If you want to make a book featuring your photography, illustrations, and designs, then I recommend using the Standard paper options as opposed to the Economy options.

9. What if I can’t decide between a Photo Book or Trade Book?  

Great bookmaking typically comes after experimentation. So, if you haven’t used either format before, I suggest you test both projects. They are very different book types, and one is not better than the other, only different. Plus, these formats work well as a team and complement each other nicely. Use both, use them together.

10. Do I have to design my Trade Book differently from my Photo Book?

No, you do not. Keep the same things in mind. Create a striking cover, mind your margins, choose the right paper, don’t forget your typography, and make sure whatever you create is readable. The only thing you might do differently is to add more pages. The cost-per-page with a Trade Book is very low, so don’t be shy about adding pages and making a thicker book.

Ready to make your own trade book? Start your project today.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: What’s in a Trade Book? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

01 What is the most important thing I can do to be recognized?

Great question and I’m glad it came first. The single most important thing you can do to get recognized is to learn to make original work. Original work means you have discovered how to make something that nobody else can make. This ability comes with inherent value and respect. Sometimes you walk into a gallery, see work on the wall and say, “I know who did that.” That’s what I’m talking about. Immediately identifiable work. It’s what the greats are after, always.

02 How long did it take you to find yourself creatively?

This answer is probably going to hurt, but it is the truth. Ten years. Ten years AFTER I graduated with a degree in photojournalism, so roughly fifteen years if you take into account my education. I was working those entire ten years but I was making other people’s images and doing their stories, not my own. On the surface, I might have looked successful, but inside I knew I hadn’t really determined who I was. So, I quit. I quit doing work for other people, only did my work for four years, and by the end of that time, I finally realized who I was.

03 How long does making original work take?

Everyone is different. Every generation there are a handful of creatives worldwide who are near geniuses. For some of these folks, it might come quickly. For the rest of us, it typically means hard work and lots of practice. Typically, the more time you spend on your craft, the quicker you will become better and more recognizable.

04 Are there shortcuts to finding who I am as a creative individual?

Not really. You can copy someone who happens to be hot at the moment, but that is a short-term plan and never works in the long run. Not only is copying someone not a respectable thing to do, but the people in the know realize immediately who you are copying. And the people who don’t know aren’t really the kind of clients you want to have in the long run anyway.

05 How do I best utilize social media?

Well, I know my views aren’t the norm. So, I would do what everyone tells you not to do. I would slow down. I would post when I have something relevant to say, and I would curate my offers to the highest degree. What you aim for with social media, which is nearly impossible, is undivided attention. If you are posting all day every day, you will never get this. So, post high level work when you have it. Be honest and be humorous if possible.

06 Is a website still relevant in 2022?

Yes, yes, and yes. A website YOURS, entirely yours. There is no marking, no advertising, no algorithm. It’s pure and solely what you want it to be. And sure, there will be clients who balk at having to visit a site, but these aren’t people you want to work with in the long run.

07 Are there any other “secrets” you can share?

For sure. This might sound like 1995, but one of the most important things you can do is to have an email newsletter. The data is there to support my feelings. A real, email database of people who have opted in to follow your work and career is a very powerful thing, and again, it is YOURS and does not belong to a third party. People who opt in for newsletters tend to really want to follow who you are and what you are doing, and at a depth that goes well beyond social media.

08 Are printed promotional pieces important in the Digital Age?

Believe it or not, print is still highly respected, especially the higher up the food chain you go—collectors, curators, institutions, etc. Print, when done well, is still a high-level calling card. Print shows you can encapsulate ideas, design your thoughts, and also shows you understand materials and budgets.

09 Do people still want to see print portfolios?

Yes and no. Each client will be different. Make sure your portfolio is user friendly and does not cost a fortune to ship. I tend to prefer smaller, more personal printed pieces I can send without expecting the object to be returned. Trade Books, Magazines, and printed postcard-type objects.

10 What happens if I don’t get recognized or known?

That’s okay. Most creatives, if you took a survey, would probably admit they aren’t as well-known as they would like. YOU JUST KEEP GOING. Do not get discouraged. Find a mentor. Talk, try new things, experiment, and take chances. Your creative life comes with a creative license. Take advantage!

Get more tips on creating a print portfolio and how to stand out as a creative.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: How Do I Get Recognized? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Today we live in a hybrid world, a wonderful hybrid world, of nearly endless possibilities. Want to shoot film? Sure, why not? Or maybe you are a pixel lover and someone who needs images right away. Then digital awaits. Or, if you are like me, you choose whatever methodology and technique fits your specific project and you use those tools, analog or digital, to accomplish the goal. There are many who look at this situation as “film vs digital” but I prefer to view it as “film AND digital.” Let’s take a look at some common questions on this topic.

1. Digital is the newer technology doesn’t that make it better overall?

No, digital isn’t necessarily better, only different. Digital does offer certain advantages which I will explain later, but I would look at the film vs digital question as more of a lifestyle choice. Film does not require the latest technology or camera system and doesn’t require software, firmware, or computer hardware unless the user wants to digitize their work. Digital photography does require software, firmware, hardware, and things like digital asset management for storing your images over time. Digital photography is also very much tied to screen time and heavy computer usage.

2. What are professional photographers using?  

For the most part, professional photographers are using digital, but there still remains a small percentage using film. However, it should be stated that most professionals are now working under conditions and requirements that demand the use of digital photography. Most photographers, however, regardless of whether or not they are using film, still love film and hold a special place for it in their hearts. Many of the best photographers working today began their careers with film.

3. What are the advantages of using film?

Permanence, tangibility, pace, and look. Film archives very well, something that often gets overlooked. Put a negative in a shoebox and a hundred years later, chances are, it’s still there and still in decent shape. Film can also be very tactile, especially when combining film photography with working in a traditional, wet darkroom. Film is hands on (holding your negatives, mixing chemistry). Film is also very slow compared to digital, and what may be considered limitations by some—only 36 exposures per roll, having to reload, not being able to see the images—are, in my mind, positive aspects of using film. These same limits actually make the photographer THINK before hitting the shutter release. And finally, the look of film is entirely different from digital images. Sure, you can pseudo-mimic film with digital files, but you can never quite replace the look of film.

4. What are the advantages of using digital?

Immediacy, flexibility, pace, and look. Digital is right here, right now. Immediacy of imagery is one key advantage. Also, digital photography is the great chameleon. One exposure can be color, black and white, or anything in between. Just import your digital photographs into your favorite imaging software and let the magic begin. Sure, you can scan film and do similar things, but you can’t do it in real time as you can with digital. Digital photography proceeds at a much quicker pace than analog photography, which requires delivering the film to a photo lab, or processing it yourself. And finally, digital also has its own look. Super sharp, grain-less, noiseless, with remarkable detail.

5. Isn’t it difficult to find film?

Well, there might not be a Kodak kiosk on every corner like there once was, but finding film isn’t that difficult. There are photography stores, like Freestyle in Los Angeles, that specialize in analog photography. There are numerous films available today, both black and white and color. The only challenge might be that the cost of film continues to go up. But it’s worth it!

6. What are the disadvantages of using film?

The cost of film continues to rise and availability will also, most likely, continue to become more challenging. In addition, if you need images right away, film is not going to work. There is also an energy and environmental angle to consider. Processing your film either requires driving to a photo lab or shipping your film to a photo lab, both of which take time, energy, and financial resources. You could also build your own darkroom, but many folks just don’t have the space or resources to manage this endeavor.

7. What are the disadvantages of using digital?

Some say that digital photography lacks the soul of film photography, but I just see this as a lifestyle difference and not something that really makes that much sense. If your client needs images minutes after capture, then the soul of the photography really doesn’t come into play. But digital photography is costly. The equipment is far more expensive, requires near continual upgrade, and also includes things like computers, software subscriptions, and archiving needs. Archiving digital files over several decades is incredibly expensive and time-consuming. Digital can also allow for all kinds of bad habits like overshooting and “chimping” (staring at the back of the camera while still in the field), and digital photography has also impacted our ability to edit well. Staring at thousands of tiny thumbnails on a laptop screen isn’t easy.

8. Does one medium work better for making books or magazines?

Again, one is not better than the other, only different. Each film is a unique combination of grain, texture, saturation, contrast, etc. The photographer, based on their needs, chooses a film to fit the project. Digital, on the other hand, can be any and all of these things. Perhaps they are not identical, but they are very close. Printing film and digital works the same, but the look is different. Personally, I prefer the look of film to digital, but I have also been using film a lot longer than I have been using digital. And like anything else involving print, the photographer should make plenty of tests.

9. What if I haven’t shot film in decades but I want to experiment. Any suggestions?

First off, welcome back. I think you will enjoy how differently your mind will work while using film. Second, ask around for a film camera. Chances are someone you know has an old film camera they are no longer using. If not, check used camera sources. You can get a wonderful camera for very little money. Next, check your local area for film processing and scanning. If you don’t have resources in your community, you can ship your film to places like Richard Photo or Photo Impact, both in Los Angeles. Then, just enjoy.

10. You mentioned in your opening paragraph the idea of a hybrid world of photography. What did you mean by that?

Great question. When I say “hybrid,” I mean using both film and digital technology together. For example, I still prefer to shoot film, but due to health reasons I can no longer work in the wet darkroom. So, I shoot film then send it to a lab where the film is processed and scanned at high resolution. The lab then puts the work on an FTP where I can retrieve it and download to my computer at home, wherever home may be. Then, my film images enter the same digital workflow I use when I’m shooting digital files. I have been doing this for roughly twenty years and it works incredibly well. I get to use my favorite, old cameras, and I get the look of film but I also get the workflow, control, and archive of my digital system.

Turn your photo collection into a beautiful book.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Film vs Digital Photography appeared first on Blurb Blog.

How to build your brand with Creative Market

In this webinar, we will cover:

• How to start building your brand as a creative entrepreneur
• Developing a logo and brand image that differentiates your business
• The various products you can buy, design, and sell through Creative Market
• Finding your audience and working with a budget

Top 10 questions from our audience

1. Do you have any words of advice for transitioning your passion from hobby to trade?

Yes, and this is a very important point: Something changes when your hobby transitions from something you do for fun to something you do for revenue. Now, some people enjoy the transition, while others find it a challenging environment. Be prepared to share control with your clients. You will learn things like how to compromise without giving up your ideals or talents. Negotiating, licensing, marketing, and billing all become central to something that you originally just did for fun. My advice is to move slowly and never lose track of the fact that the most important thing is making the best work humanly possible.

2. How do you get people to respect your work (and value it) when we live in such an instant world?

This is a great question with a simple answer: make great work. It seems easy, but it’s not. Unique work, which is another way of saying “work with value,” isn’t easy to create. We can fool ourselves by talking about advances in technology or our ability to market via the Internet and social media; however, unique work is what lasts over time and lays the foundation for a multi-decade career. When someone has the ability to make work that nobody else can make, this is what provides value to clients and anyone who exists in your circle.

3. If you had to describe one thing at the center of brand and where I should start in regard to turning my creativity into a profit, what would it be?

Tell your story. Discover what makes you different and uniquely you. Take your time and figure that out.

4. Now that we all have a direct connection to our audience, what are some ways we can take advantage of this reality?

Talk to them! Blogging, as well as email newsletters, are wonderful ways to connect. You can think about asking your audience to participate. Let them join in on the discussion about creative decisions you want to make. For example, let’s say you want to make and sell a t-shirt but aren’t sure which design to deploy. Why not ask? Sample your most loyal, and perhaps offer a discount to those who help out.

5. If you were a designer and a photographer, would you separate your brands?

If I were only a photographer and did two different genres of work, I would consider different brands. With design and photography, I would say “no.” Tell your entire story and be truthful about the diversity of your skills and interests. People are engaging with you as a human as well as with what you are selling.

6. How do I get professional results without spending too much money or resources?

Start small, start focused. Take your time and study your audience. It’s important to learn who they are and what they want. Then you can focus on your branding and market on a segment of that audience.

7. What is the best way for a photographer to kick-start their business?

This is an answer you might not want to hear. Photography isn’t something you can turn on overnight. You have to do photography long enough to be able to determine what you do well. Sure, you could go to Instagram and see what’s hot at the moment. If you copy that style, you might have a good year or two, but your career will be difficult to sustain. The people who are really changing the world with photography are the ones who are marching to their own drum—not those conforming to a trend or fad. Build a site and an audience. Take the jobs that highlight what you can do and say “no, thank you” to the rest. Keeping a part-time job is better than working full-time and doing shoots you don’t want to do.

8. How important is social media for branding and making an income?

It can vary from important to critical depending on your story, your audience, and your goals. I think social media plays a role for almost everyone, but how you use these platforms takes effort and strategy. You don’t want to overshare or spend your entire life looking at a screen.

9. Do you have any suggestions for getting started?

For assets, you can use things like photography stock agencies where you’ll find images to license, or you could search something like Creative Market. We also have another blog post with our favorite free (or nearly free) resources for designers.

10. If you had to use one word to describe branding, strategy, sales, and marketing, what would it be?

Authentic. Keep it real. People can smell phony or a sales pitch from a mile away, so don’t do it—let authenticity be your virtue.

The post Hit the Books webinar recap: how to build your brand appeared first on Blurb Blog.

November: Gifting Made Easy – Notebooks & Photo Books in BookWright

• Explore Blurb’s new custom notebooks and journals
• Discover inspirational ideas for making a notebook or photo book
• Get a quick introduction to BookWright, Blurb’s free bookmaking software
• Find out how to choose the right paper type and trim size

Watch the Webinar

Top 10 Questions from the Audience

1. Why do books make great gifts?

I think books make great gifts for several reasons. Books are inspirational, whether they’re literature based or image focused. They inspire us to learn, to remember, and to imagine. Books are also an inexpensive gift, comparatively speaking. They make great stocking stuffers. Small, light, easy, and customizable for each family member. Sure, you can go online and buy something mass produced or you can make an intensely personal book. Books are timeless, especially when they are about family which is the perfect subject matter for the holidays.

2. How do I find Notebooks in the Blurb software?

Easy! Download and launch BookWright, Blurb’s free book-making tool. On the left-hand side of the Bookwright window, you will see “New! Notebooks.” Click that button and you are on your way.

3. Can I use multiple types of page styles in a single Notebook or Journal?

Yes. This is one of the key elements of Blurb’s journal offering. Notebooks and Journals are completely customizable. You can combine options like blank pages and grids, or narrow-ruled mixed with wide-ruled, etc.

4. What are the Notebook size options?

Blurb offers 5×8, 6×9, and 8×10 notebook and journal options. These are all available as Softcover, Hardcover ImageWrap, and Hardcover Dust Jacket.

5. Are there any other tips you suggest for notebook- or journal-making?

First and foremost, use your own visual content. I use photography, notes, drawings, and other visual ephemera. I drag and drop the content into the layout and then often end up writing over all of it. The “shapes” tool in Bookwright is a great feature. For example, I can create circles or triangles and then drag photographs into those shapes. I also tend to prefer thick journal books, so I normally make my journals over 100 pages.

6. What about photo books as gifts? 

For sure. I’ve been making photo book gifts since Blurb first arrived on the scene back in 2006. Photo Books are more expensive than Notebooks, but they serve a different purpose and are perfect for showing off visual content. So many of us spend copious amounts of time making images, and Photo Books are the single best way of displaying good photography. If we look at the history of humans and photography, we see a clean lineage of the book as a gift and the book as a family album. I really enjoy creating a book about each family member, so that over time, everyone gets a book.

7. Do Photo Books and Notebooks use the same materials?

No, photo books offer their own unique set of material options and the same is true for notebooks. One is not better than the other, so create what best suits your needs and budget.

8. Can I create a custom template for notebooks in Bookwright?

Sure. You create a custom template just like you would for any other book format. Name the template, save it to “my templates,” and you are good to go.

9. I tend to make books with Lightroom. Can I use Lightroom to make notebooks?

Currently, no. The best way to make a notebook or journal is with Bookwright.

10. Do you have any advice for using the notebook as a Journal?

Yes. Be creative, take chances, and use all the tools we used as kids. Scissors, glue, markers, paint, tape, etc. Write as if nobody will ever see what’s inside. I find journaling to be a very therapeutic endeavor.

Stay tuned for our next webinar in January 2019!

Custom Notebooks & Journals
Ready to make a completely custom notebook or journal? Choose from three sizes and mix and match blank, lined, square, or dot grid notebook pages. Get started today.

The post Hit the Books: Notebooks & Photo Books | Webinar Recap appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. What is typography? 

Typography is the art and technique of arranging type to make language or data legible, readable, and perhaps most importantly, beautiful or appealing. This involves using things like different typefaces, different type sizes, as well as the spacing between letters.

2. What is the difference between typeface and a font? 

A typeface is a family of fonts comprised of a set of individual fonts that all share similar characteristics. Each font of a typeface has a specific weight, size, slant, etc.

3. Why is type or typography so important to book-making? 

Typography is just one of the main ingredients in whatever creative meal you are making. Let’s take a Photo Book for example. Type is a huge part of a successful photography book. It might not be the main ingredient, but it is very important regardless and can make or break the viewer’s ability to completely understand your message.

4. If I am just starting out how many fonts or typefaces should I use when I’m designing my book?

Well, there is no hard and fast rule for typography, but my advice would be to start with two fonts. Three at the most for your entire book. What you don’t want is type soup, where there are too many fonts, or fonts that just don’t make sense for your work.

5. What do you mean type that doesn’t make sense? 

One of the mistakes I commonly see is someone designing an entire book using a typeface that doesn’t have any relation to their work, or the feel of their work. For example, I see a lot of books where the font used is whatever was at the top of the dropdown menu. For me, that’s not good enough. You must consider your typography with the same critical eye that you use to consider your photography or your page design. All of these pieces work together, and if your images are strong but your type is weak, or the wrong size, or the wrong density (color) then it won’t work to support the images. It will only detract.

6. Where can I find different fonts? 

There are websites that allow you to view fonts and download them under a varying set of agreements. Some are entirely free for whatever use you can dream up, while others suggest a small donation for the designer of the font. You can then choose your fonts, install them on your computer and use them for your book-making needs. Just make sure you follow the protocol for their usage.

7. How do I know if I’m using the right font? 

This is a great question, but one that requires a bit of thought on your end. When you choose a typeface, you need to determine if it offers the range of fonts you need or desire. Does it have a bold? A semi-bold? An italic? And equally important, does the font have the right feel. Is it a serious feel? Strong? Angry? Typefaces and fonts have character, and your job is to match the character of the type to the character of the rest of your book.

8. What is spacing and why should I care? 

Again, spacing is something that often gets overlooked by new book-makers, but it is a key part of things like legibility, so it must be considered if you are going to make your best book. Keep in mind that spacing means the distance between lines of text, like single spacing vs double spacing, but it also means the spacing between individual letters, to achieve the most pleasing and readable result.

9. What is the difference between serif and sans serif fonts? 

Serif fonts use small lines at the end of the characters while sans serif fonts eliminate these small lines. Popular serif fonts include Times Roman, Courier, and Palatino. Popular sans serif fonts include Helvetica, Arial, and Geneva. There is no real right and wrong here. It will all depend on your particular book and your style, but if you are stuck try mixing one serif font with one sans serif. Choose one as your primary font and the other as your secondary.

10. How do I know when I’ve got the right type? 

First of all, the overall look of what you produce has to feel right. I know that sounds arbitrary but it’s a large part of knowing when you are on the right path. Also, is the type legible? Are the sizes large or small enough to read correctly? If you are changing the density of a font, does it still look good? Does the color add or subtract to the overall feel? And why are you using that specific color? Does it come from one of your images, or is it a color that is specific to your project? And finally, can you justify the choices you have made?

11. Bonus Question: Can I take chances with my typography? 

Yes. One of the best Photo Books I’ve ever seen used a typeface, and a font, so small it was almost impossible to read, but it forced the viewer to really engage with the book by bringing it as close as possible. Also, I’m designing a book right now that will require the reader to use a magnifier to read any of the written copy. So, don’t be afraid to take some chances with typography. Print one copy, learn from it, and carry on.

Share your thoughts and comments on typography below. Or, put these tips into practice by making your own book.

The post Hit the Books: True to Type appeared first on Blurb Blog.

August: Book Layout & Design Ideas

• How your work dictates page design
• The recommended number of images per spread
• The key to balance and harmony in layout design
• The importance of consistency in image size and borders
• How to use typography
• How and when to use text, including captions and page numbers
• Which format, book size, and number of pages works best for your project
• Things to avoid

Watch the Webinar

Top 10 Questions from Our Audience

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of white or black backgrounds? 

I get this question a lot and it’s a good one. When I first started making books, I thought everything I made should have black backgrounds, but I had no real justification other than I thought the darker pages looked cool.

The background color will be dictated by the work itself and by the overall design. When I first started making books, I was photographing both long-term documentary projects and commercial portraiture. These are two very different subjects. When I started making books of portraits with black pages, something didn’t feel quite right. The pages felt heavier and more serious than I wanted. I realized very quickly that the feel of the portraiture was better suited to white backgrounds. The images were lighter, brighter, more upbeat in nature, and even humorous. The documentary work did feel right with the darker pages because the content was black and white and needed something heavier to match the mood.

2. If I’m making a book of photography do I always need captions?

The short answer: no. When you add captions, you are adding relevant information for the viewer to obtain, but you are also adding elements that compete with the actual imagery. I encounter a lot of people who say “Well, I know I have to do captions,” but the truth is you don’t. There are no “caption police” enforcing captions in Photo Books. But you can also get creative with how you add captions. For example, if you feel you truly need captions, you can always create an index at the back of the book. That way, those who want detailed information will have access, while those who want to just intake the visuals can have their peace.

3. Is it always better to make a larger book as opposed to making something small?

Great question! The answer is “no.” I’m often approached by photographers who ask “What is the largest book I can get, and what is the page limit?” Most of the time these situations don’t end well because the answer is 11×13 and either 240 pages or 440 pages depending on the paper type. Very few people have the work to support such a beast. And, because books of this size are expensive, people tend to not hit “print.” My advice is to start small, but also think about utilizing more than one trim size.

4. How do I create a strong book cover?

Ah, yes, the infamous cover. My advice: leave the cover for last. I will often have a cover idea in mind and might even mock it up first, but most of the time I end up changing the cover by the time the book is finished. My first idea usually isn’t good enough in the long run. Remember that visual information is ingested 60,000 times faster than written information. It’s good to mock up several different covers. Test them on friends or those you feel would be a good judge.

5. What are some basic guidelines for typography?

Don’t use default fonts and default font placement. Make sure you choose a font for specific reasons that enhance the work. Consider legibility when it comes to font size. As a general rule, limit your design to 2-3 font types for your entire publication. There are exceptions to all of these rules, but this will give you a good starting point.

6. What about using text and page numbers?

Personally, I rarely use page numbers, but most of the work I’m printing doesn’t really require it. However, if you are indexing or creating a book that people can enjoy front-to-back, back-to-front, or skipping from chapter to chapter, then page numbers would be critical.

As for text, think simple, concise, and as critical as the images themselves. One easy way to better understand the use of text is to look at other publications. One of the wonderful things about book design is that there are plenty of creative ways to break the rules. Each generation produces a few books that break all the rules. My example is “Cyclops” by Albert Watson.

7. Are there general rules to overall page design that might help me get started?

Yes! K.I.S.S. or “Keep it simple, stupid.” This was a rule I was taught in photography school. Keep it simple. Instead of creating a spread with eight images per page, try starting with one image per page. Think about consistency. If you are using a white border on your images, stay with that look and feel for the entire book. If your layout has a full-page image on the right and copy on the left, try to utilize versions of that one spread for the entire book. Again, there are so many ways to break these rules. If you are just starting out and having trouble, limit your options and work within those boundaries.

8. How many images per spread should I use?

There is no right or wrong answer to this, only what you need to get your story or message across. I will say, however, that books with really busy layouts are almost impossible to consume. Just because you’ve shot a motor drive sequence of an elephant while on safari doesn’t mean the viewer needs to see every single image. Cliché alert…less is more. If your images are good, let them breathe. Give them space. Let the viewer consume them one at a time.

9. Could the rules of composition be applied to book design?

This is a great question and I believe the answer is “absolutely.” Looking at a designed spread is very much like looking at a photograph. Does it feel right? Does it feel balanced? If it’s off-balance, does that add or subtract from the overall feel? Are your spreads consistent and do they ease the viewer’s interaction with the work? It’s all a natural progression: you start your book process by editing, sequencing, then designing.

10. I’m struggling with portrait orientation books with images from the 3:2 ratio. How do I work this out?

Everyone struggles with this! My favorite publications are portrait orientation, but the vast majority of images I make are landscape orientation. How do the two blend together? First, look at magazines. Go to a local newsstand and see how professional magazine designers handle this situation. Find ideas you like and morph them into your own creations. Choosing portrait formats will help you with things like image size, borders, running images across the gutter, and utilizing bleeds. It’s the ultimate puzzle challenge.

Stay tuned for our next webinar on October 23^rd!

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Book Layout & Design Ideas | Webinar Recap appeared first on Blurb Blog.

An Overview of Portrait Photography

• What makes a portrait a portrait?
• The difference between “making” and “taking” a portrait
• An understanding of light, timing, and composition as basic components
• Photography etiquette: how best to approach strangers and ask for permission
• What lenses work best for portrait photography
• The psychology of portraiture between different subjects
• Some lessons from portrait masters

Watch the Webinar

Top 10 Questions from Our Audience

1. What is a portrait?

Well, there are a variety of different types of portraits, but in general, a portrait is “an artistic expression of a person where the face and its expression are predominant.”

2. Who are the portrait masters?

There have been MANY through history but just to name a few: Yousuf Karsh, Annie Leibowitz, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, and George Hurrell. And maybe you?

3. What are the basic ingredients of a portrait?

Simply put, they are often the same basic ingredients of any great photograph. Let’s focus on three critical ingredients: light, timing, and composition. The foundation of most great images is light, so finding what lighting style is your lighting style is important. Timing with portraits is really where you capture the nuance of who it is you are photographing. Finally, the composition is where you put your fingerprints on your images. How you see the world will dictate your composition. This can take a long time to determine but stay patient and practice.

4. What about equipment? What is the best lens to use?

The best lens is the one you have with you, but I’m a fan of a few basic ingredients. First, I like prime lenses as opposed to zooms. Primes tend to be smaller and faster. The faster lenses, those with wider apertures, allow for a shallow depth of field that helps isolate the subject. I’m also a fan of 50mm and longer for portraits, with the classic portrait lens being something like the 85mm. Try to keep it as small as possible. Shooting portraits with a massive zoom lens can be off-putting for certain folks.

5. How do I photograph people I don’t know?

Great question, and it’s one that I get on a weekly basis. You really have to get over the fear of talking to people you don’t know. So, practice is key. Also, using the right terminology is key. Asking to “take a photograph” is very different than asking “to make a portrait.” Taking seems negative while making seems positive. Explain what it is you are doing and why you are doing it. You MUST be able to talk about your project and provide a concise explanation of what you are doing. Finally, ask them to collaborate and be a part of what you are doing. So many people are just looking for quick social media fodder and many people don’t want to be part of that. So when you explain you are looking for more depth and real collaboration, oftentimes, people are willing to help out.

6. What about portraits of kids?

I think children’s portraiture is a wonderful genre of photography and one that I spent many years doing. I would start with children you know—whether that is your own kids or relatives. Photographing kids is great for several reasons: Kids are real. They don’t know they have a good side and a bad side. They will laugh, cry, fall down, get crazy—all in a ten-minute range. Plus, keeping up with them means you have to have your act together as a photographer. Kids are great practice for full-size humans.

7. What about external lighting for portraits?

I’m a fan of going small and light, so most of the time I don’t use external light. One thing that is wonderful to carry, and it’s small, is a reflector. White on one side, silver or gold on the other. These little things pack up, are super light, and can dramatically impact the quality of light.

8. What if you get assigned to photograph a person who doesn’t want to be photographed?

You talk to the person and you be honest. I would often start by describing the absurdity of what we are about to embark on. Two strangers, one with cameras, aiming at the other while asking them to “act natural.” This isn’t natural at all. I also tell people it’s about collaboration and that the image is going out in the world and you both want the image to look great. These moments are a chance for the person to act, just for a second, and that’s all you need.

9. What makes modern portraiture different from the portraiture of the past?

Technique comes and goes, changes, but most of what is being done today has been done before—at least to a degree. What changes are the cameras, lights, and the eyes of those who are considered portrait masters? Many of these masters start by creating unique lighting looks. Although what they are doing is derivative to some degree, they are adding their own visual fingerprints to the conversation.

10. What is an environmental portrait?

This is a portrait that takes a person’s environment into account in addition to what they physically look like. Imagine an environmental portrait of a cowboy in comparison to that of a ballerina. TOTALLY different environments.

Turn photos of your favorite people into a beautiful photo book. Get started by choosing the best book-making tool for your project.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Portrait Photography appeared first on Blurb Blog.

01
How do I prepare my gear?

I’ll just say this, be ready. Remember, most of the time you will be driving, so have your gear ready and waiting. When you see something you have to slow down, get out, and shoot, so having to unload, unpack, or assemble means you are going to miss critical moments. I keep one camera and lens outside of whatever bag or case I’m using, but I also keep it covered and in the shade. I try to keep it as low in the vehicle as possible. Heat rises, so why risk baking your favorite lens? Those reflective windshield covers work perfectly to hide gear and keep it cool.

02
Do you have any specific road trip gear?

I sure do. A road trip is different to a long-term documentary project, where I would be focusing on something specific for an extended period of time. Road trips are about the unexpected. My favorite road trip gear combination is a Polaroid camera, and/or any other instant film camera, and a journal. Instant film is, well, instant, and with a glue stick in hand, you can glue those babies into your journal, and create a real-time book of your adventures. You can then scan or photograph those pages and create a Blurb version of the same book. I’ve done this many times, and find the journal to be one of the most personal aspects of any good road trip.

Road trips are about the unexpected.

03
How do you turn your photos into a cohesive book of photography?

Think about a theme, or several themes. This could be something straightforward like “sunrise” or “landscapes,” but I would choose something slightly different like “red objects” or “the ugliest truck stop t-shirt.” Strange is good. You can also choose a single word and play off of that—something like “reflective,” ”transition,” or “geologic.” I typically have at least two themes going at all times, in addition to the main theme of “Hey, I’m on a road trip so I’m photographing everything.” Combining all these themes can help you tell the entire story of your journey.

04
What about portraits?

If I never see another selfie, it will be too soon. Forget the selfie. Real photographers aim their cameras at other people. I’ve always found the portrait to be the difference between people who claim to be photographers and those who truly are. Portraits are an essential part of any good road trip. The cop who pulls you over. The park ranger. The gas station attendant. The truck stop massage therapist. Whoever. It doesn’t matter.

Break the ice early in the trip by photographing your road trip travel companions. Photography is like any athletic endeavor; the more you practice the better you will be.

Watch our webinar about portrait photography.

05
How do I photograph people I don’t know?

Embrace the stranger. Talk to people. Do it right and they will take you off the road, into their lives, and beyond.

One of the tricky things about photography today is that every single person has a phone in their hand and is incessantly shooting every single aspect of their day. For someone who might live along a popular road trip route, this could get very tiring. So, you have to talk to people and explain who you are, what you are doing, and that photography is not just a hobby, but something you take very seriously. How you carry yourself, how you explain yourself, how you pose people, speak to them, and explain your process is critical to portrait success. Once people realize they are part of your process, and not just a quick victory, there is often more of a willingness to let you engage. This willingness can also lead to the wonderful “If you think I’M interesting, you should go photograph my brother!”

06
I feel like I see so much road trip photography, so how do I avoid the clichés?

Great question. Does the world need another image of someone in a VW van posing in lotus alongside a famous Southwest artery? Short answer? No. Even though the idea of a road trip might seem like it should cover the cliché mainstays of roadside attractions and heavenly landscapes, what makes a road trip interesting is you, and the more personal you are the better off you are going to be.

It seems that many photographers today are shooting for the idea of who they are supposed to be, not who they truly are, which is why so much of the photography we see today is so sterile, predictable, and homogenized. I want to see the imperfect, the personal, and the mysterious. It doesn’t matter if it’s slightly out of focus, or the exposure is off by 1/3 of a stop. I don’t want to see retouching or perfectly crafted images. I want to see soul. Question yourself and dig deep into the “why” you are doing what you do. I want to see your fingerprints on those maps and those images.

07
I have such limited time, so how can I make something interesting?

I hear this a lot. “I want to go on a road trip, but I only have two days.” Well, two-days is totally fine. Do yourself a favor and slow down. Literally.

Why not take a one mile stretch of road and just focus on what happens in that one, small space? Spend the entire 48 hours shooting. You would be surprised what happens on the right stretch of road. And this is the total opposite of most road trips, where people are covering huge sections of the country at high speed. Once, I did an entire project on the intersection of two roads. I visited the same exact intersection repeatedly until I had a body of images. I chose an intersection in a city, but you could easily do this at a rural location. You could even set up a backdrop and make portraits of passing drivers. Just a thought.

08
Should I edit and share as I go?

In my personal opinion, no. My philosophy on this matter is definitely in the minority, but I believe you can’t do two things at once and expect to do both of them to the best of your ability. This comes back to the personal aspect of the road trip, and how important it is. If you are shooting and sharing as you go, you are shooting for the audience and not for yourself. To do truly great photography you must be connected at a deep level, beyond the obvious, beyond the cliché, beyond the popular. I think personal photography needs to be marinated. Slow cooked if you will.

Just slow down, think and connect. Share when you have something cohesive to say, something personal.

09
What about turning your road trip photography into a travel book?

This entire post was always about the book at the end of your trip! I’ll give you a personal example.

The last real road trip I undertook was a 4,000-kilometer trek through the wilds of Western Australia. Ten days. Two friends from Perth and myself in a Hyundai diesel SUV. I had two gear-based themes going. One was mobile phone photography in color, the other was black and white photography with a 6×6 Hasselblad.

I knew I wanted a book that encompassed the flavor of the entire trip, but I also knew this would be a semi-difficult book to make because we saw so much, and covered so much ground, that the edit alone would take some time. So, to take the pressure off, I first created a book titled “No Reception” about the mobile phone photography. I gave myself thirty minutes to make the book, total. Yep, that’s it. I made myself NOT take it too seriously, and this landed a book on my doorstep less than ten days later.

This meant that I felt more relaxed about making the overall book, which I titled “Meat and Candy” after the two things my friends seemed to eat every single day. I found this funny and fascinating and knew it was the kind of personal detail that would make the book very much mine. I chose a format (7×7) that fit the aspect ratio of my negatives and was also inexpensive, but looked great. And to make the book feel serious, I used the Proline Uncoated paper. This book was never meant for public consumption, but I love it because it brings me right back to those moments in one of my all-time favorite places.

10
Are there any great road trip books out there?

Yes, for sure. One of the most famous photobooks of all time, “The Americans” by Robert Frank, was about a trip across the United States. One of my personal favorites is “Voyages” by Raymond Depardón. Lee Friedlander also has some great road trip imagery. And don’t forget to watch things like Smokey and the Bandit or Cannonball Run, to get really fired up beforehand. Good luck, be safe.

Travel Photo Books
Ready to make a travel book? Get started with one of our high-on-design templates or create your own custom layout.

The post Hit the Books: How to Take Photographs on the Road appeared first on Blurb Blog.

July: Pro Photography – An Inside Look

• Career paths in photography and photojournalism
• Insights from first-time self-publishing experiences
• Past projects; what worked and what didn’t
• What print work can do for a photographer
• The different benefits of analog film and digital
• How to develop a plan and specifications for an offset project
• What it takes to launch your own book

Watch the Webinar

Top 10 Questions from the Audience

1. Should I be trying to cultivate a social media presence and following for myself, for a particular photography project, or both? And if so, any advice on how to do so?

Let’s just be frank about this. There are a lot of people who have the cart before the horse. Those who use social media to promote sub-par work do nothing but water down photography in general. So: make the absolute best work you can make regardless of how long it takes to complete. That way, no matter what happens, you can be proud of what you’ve made and potentially create something that can live on long after the noise of social media has faded. Using social along the way is fine. If you are working on a particular long-term photography project, then a social specific account can be helpful.

2. What does studying photography do for you in 2018?

Studying photography in a full-time, four-year program, for example, is about far more than photography. It will allow you to understand photo-history, and more importantly, what has been done previously. Photography school teaches you to talk about your work (something that gets overlooked) and what it’s like to be critiqued. Hearing someone say “I don’t like your work” is something you will hear over and over. The school environment can truly help you navigate this experience. Then, yes, you also learn technique, materials, choices, etc.

3. I’d love to hear about marketing and sales: the business end of how you [Milnor and Kaufman] earn a living through photography. Youth sports, high school sports, photojournalism – where do I start?

Start with the most original work you can possibly make. Original work has value because, if it’s truly original, no one else has it. Your marketing should be as unique as your fingerprint: immediately recognizable. This starts with brand, logo, letterhead, website, etc. Your marketing should cover a range of bases from print to digital, and refreshed frequently. Personal work is absolutely key. As for the topics you photograph, that is up to you; however, I’m not a real fan of the “jack of all trades” mentality. I prefer to work on one topic and then get as highly refined as possible within that genre, so when a client asks for “the best portrait photographer in the area,” there is only one name that comes to mind — yours!

4. What are the ingredients that make a great image? And how often does true “great” actually happen?

Light, timing, and composition. In that order, but again, these are my most important ingredients. After you have practiced photography for several years, you will form your own set but I’m guessing they will overlap with mine.

5. How can a documentary photographer/photojournalist use a self-published book to bring in more work? Is it effective to use a Blurb book as a supplement to a website and/or Instagram account?

In short: heck yes! Think marketing collateral, then think portfolio, then think photo-essay, and finally think photography book. There are endless possibilities but the key element here (which separates print from things like Instagram and online) is that print typically comes with a far, far higher level of curation and thought. When someone looks at your IG feed they are typically looking at hundreds of images at a time. There is simply no way they can consume or even comprehend that much work. Print is like a finely-tuned machine, showing *only* the best work the way it was intended to be seen. Also, print lasts a heck of a lot longer than a thumb swipe.

6. Technique, Passion, or Creativity? Which comes first?

First and foremost, you need the desire or passion to fully commit. Then comes learning the technique, which is far, far easier than most people imagine. But the real test comes when you are no longer concerned about technique and are left with only how you see the world. You have to practice more than you can possibly imagine. Otherwise, you won’t fully explore the depths of your creativity.

7. If you are doing a “serious” book, what parts of the equation (editing, sequencing, designing, etc) would you consider sourcing and why?

Being that I am a photographer and have spent my entire adult life making pictures, I am fairly secure in my editing and sequencing abilities. Sometimes, however, we fall in love with the wrong image. So if something is of critical importance, I would consider getting a second opinion from someone I really trust. In terms of designing, I don’t have a design background so this is an arena where I need help. Working with a designer can allow your work to reach its true potential.

8. Why have you used analog photography for your entire career?

I designed my entire photographic style based on using film. To keep things consistent, I’ve continued using these materials. I also think that film is efficient in its own way, which means less computer time. I embrace the limitations of film and use them to my advantage.

9. Why is print such a part of your life/career?

Print requires undivided attention to detail, which is very different from posting something on Instagram—a space where you can take it down and put something else up. Print requires a level of commitment that is very different from the changeability of websites. It is a language spoken by the highest level of the industry. Getting a book deal is still considered to be one of the definitive statements of being a professional.

10. Can you give me a good example of how you failed, but how it might have worked out in the end? 

You are going to fail, you are going to fail often, and if you aren’t failing on a regular basis, you aren’t trying hard enough. For some reason, failure nowadays is mostly hidden. This is something I’ve never understood. Failure should be celebrated rather than denied. From failure rises the flame of the breakthrough! Sure, something didn’t work but ask yourself: why didn’t it work, and how can I fix it? It’s another way of describing the learning process. I think I failed my first Spanish test, but that prompted me to fly to Central America and study the language full-time. That’s the inspirational part of failure. Embrace it.

Additional Photography and Print Resources:

• Print on Demand vs Offset
• Large Order Services
• Bookmaking Tools
• Photography Tips

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor and Andrew Kaufman: Pro Photography — Webinar Recap appeared first on Blurb Blog.

01
How do you distinguish between being an amateur or professional photographer?

For me this is a simple question with a simple answer. I see a professional photographer as someone who makes their livelihood by supplying images to clients. In other words, photography is your full-time gig. Personally, when I walked away from making my living from photography, back in 2010, I stopped calling myself a photographer. The title “photographer” is sacred ground for me. “Professional” comes with responsibility. Training, knowledge of the history of the industry, mastery of a variety of techniques, and enough practice to be able to create unique imagery. However the interesting thing about working as a photographer today is that the lines between professional and amateur have been blurred. What you create or explore in your personal life can be hugely impactful in your professional life.

02
Can you elaborate on what you mean by this?

What I mean is that, in my humble opinion, in 2018 you have to be much more than just a photographer if you are going to survive and have a long-lasting career, as opposed to being around for a year or two. As a photographer, you get hired for a variety of reasons, many of which have little or nothing to do with your actual photography. Are you intelligent, funny, interesting, or well-versed in life outside of photography? Are you interesting enough to spend day after day with? On set? With a client? In my opinion, you better be. There is so much more to life than making images, even if this is what you do full-time, and clients need more. Especially those you envision working with for years, even decades.

03
As a professional, do you still make personal work?

Yes, yes, and yes. Personal work, in many ways, can be key to your professional success. Even at the peak of my photography career, I was spending at least half of my time creating personal work.

04
Why is personal work important?

Personal work is the best reflection of who you are as an artist. In addition, personal work is often the best work photographers create, even if they have a successful commercial career. To put it another way, I am a collector of both books and prints, and of the forty-two images I have on my walls at home, a grand total of six were made while on assignment. All of these artists are full-time working pros, but it’s mostly the work they do on their own that ends up on the wall.

05
How do clients see this work?

First of all, clients LOVE to see personal work. At least the good clients do. They want to see what you create when left to your own devices. Often their commercial needs can be inspired by what you create on your own. The best clients become two-way relationships and collaborations, where you are more than someone hired to push the button. The best relationships are based on trust, so when something goes wrong on a shoot (and usually something does go wrong) the client can turn to you and think “I know this person is truly creative, smart, passionate, and will find a solution.”

06
Are there any other reasons why personal work can influence your professional work or life?

Personal work allows for a level of creative risk you can’t often take on a commissioned assignment. So, you take chances with personal work, you break some eggs, but if you work hard and get a bit lucky, those personal moments can lead to breakthroughs.

07
How can I best utilize personal work to get professional work?

Good question. I have several suggestions. I learned many years ago that when someone was hiring me, or buying a book or print, they were in fact buying a small part of ME, not just my work. People are drawn to a photographer for all sorts of reasons that may go far beyond the actual images. So behind-the-scenes images and personal photographs can give people a better understanding of who you are as a human being. They work great for things like social media because it lessens the impact of attempting to sell yourself full-time, something that gets old for even the most dedicated photographers.

I also love using personal work as part of a professional portfolio, even if you are showing commercial work to commercial clients. Again, as someone hiring a photographer, I want to know as much about them as possible. I don’t review portfolios much anymore, but when I do I’m always intrigued by those fringe images. I find that often times those images are clues to where that artist will be five or ten years down the road.

08
Will clients hire someone for their personal work?

Yes, and this is a running joke in the professional industry. I was hired based on my documentary work but then assigned to do portraits in a studio. And this happened many times. It’s funny how this works, but it’s been this way from the beginning. Again, clients can be impressed with all kinds of work, and they are looking for a specific skill set that translates to their needs.

09
What is the best-case scenario with this personal/professional perspective?

I’m glad you asked that because there is nothing I loathe more than watching creative people being held back by the confines of being a professional. The goal, in my mind, is to be hired full-time to create your own work. This comes with responsibility. You must educate yourself on what has been done, and how you as a modern artist are complimenting what history has already shown us. You also need to work hard enough to learn how to make unique work, work that is your fingerprint as an artist.

A quick story. I once attended a lecture given by an assistant to Helmet Newton. Also in attendance was Helmet’s wife. She stood up and said this, “When Helmet first started he was given an assignment to make five photographs for a client, and they gave him a list of what they wanted. So, he did the assignment. But the next time, he snuck one of his own photographs into the five. And this continued until the client realized if they wanted great work, they should just get out of Helmet’s way and let him make his own work.” This is the dream people, and it’s a way of having a truthful, rewarding career.

10
What about you? Still doing personal work?  

Heck, yes. Like I mentioned before, I don’t work full-time as a photographer any longer, nor do I do shows, exhibitions, etc. But I always have an ongoing personal project. My current project requires me to sleep in my truck in desert conditions, while spending days alone in the mountains. Someone asked me why I was doing this, and where I was going to post the images. I explained I wasn’t going to post the images anywhere, and that I was doing it because the need to create is overwhelming, regardless of the end result. But I’ll also add this. If I ever decide to return to professional photography, I will have a massive compilation of personal projects that will be my entryway back into the void.

Have your personal projects paved the way for your professional creative career? Share your experiences in the comments below. Or, why not turn a personal project in to a beautiful book you can share. 

The post Hit the Books: Are Personal Projects the Secret to Professional Success? appeared first on Blurb Blog.

June: Color Management From Screen to Print

• The importance of color management
• About X-Rite and how they help Blurb customers
• X-Rite products and services that might help Blurb users
• How to prep your files for print
• Color profiles and outputs
• The importance of testing
• Common mistakes in print files and their effects

Watch the Webinar

Top 10 Questions from the Audience

1. What is the least expensive option for calibrating with X-rite?

The least expensive but very capable option is the ColorMunki Display. Calibrating your monitor is a great first step toward being color managed and this device is excellent.

2. How frequently do I need to calibrate?

I would start with once a month, but the goal is to not see a huge color shift between calibrations, so if you are seeing a huge shift it means your monitor is “drifting” and you might need to calibrate more frequently.

3. I’m a bit scared. How long does it take to calibrate and is it complicated?

Good news: don’t be afraid. Once you have the software installed and are familiar with the hardware, calibration takes about five minutes. (If I can do it, you can too.)

4. Does Blurb offer any calibration help or support?

We have a color management section of the site which covers both BookWright and InDesign/PDF files: http://www.blurb.com/color-management.

5. What color space is best for making a Blurb book?

If you are using BookWright, then you should look to use sRGB as the color space.

6. If I’m shooting in another color space, like Adobe RGB, how do I change profiles?

Let’s answer this based on software. If you are using Lightroom, you can simply export your chosen files to the color space you need. If you are using Photoshop, you can “convert to profile” and choose the required color space. Photoshop also allows you to check the color gamut to see if you are out of gamut.

7. Does Blurb offer an ICC Profile?

Yes, and it can be found on the color management page. The page also contains instructions on how to download and install, including a short film on how to proceed.

8. What about luminance setting?

Most LCD users find 120 is bright enough to judge color and detail in highlights and shadows, but if you’re having a hard time seeing the details, try selecting a lower value.

9. What color space should I use if I’m bookmaking with Adobe InDesign?

The recommended color space is CMYK.

10. What is the best white point?

The standard for white point is D65.

Additional Resources

• Swatch Kits 
• Color Management and Blurb’s ICC Profile
• Creation Tools and Color Space
• Soft-proofing and Color Management in BookWright
• Why do my images and colors look different in BookWright?
• X-Rite

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor & X-Rite: Color Management – Webinar Recap appeared first on Blurb Blog.

01
First off, what is art?

This is such a wonderful but dangerous question. I can feel people beginning to get worked up, but it demands to be asked. I’m going to go with answers I culled from asking young children this same question. Grace, age 7, “Art is poetry, ideas, and niceness.” Jake, age 9, “Art is a chance to be independent.” Caden, age 5, “Art is a dot but then it becomes a flower or even a rainforest. When you start drawing it can take you to a magic land. Art can be anything. Art is everything.” Okay, leave it to children to bring us back to such a wonderful foundation of art and innocence. The essential point here is that art is what you want it to be. A way of seeing the world, a way of thinking, a way of making something as pure expression, or something that has meaning.

02
Why is art so important?

We live in a world of borders, restrictions, rules, and responsibility. Art is pure freedom. You can create and make anything your mind can dream up, and this acts as a counterbalance to many of the less than savory aspects of being human. Art also works as a translator, connecting people with varying opinions through the filter of light, shape, color, form, or concept. Art allows us to drop our guard and experience.

03
How do I get started with making art?

The best way is to just start. Remember, there really is no right or wrong, only how you see the world, or an individual piece you are creating. Create as if you are the only person who will ever see the work. That way you allow for your real vision to shine through and not the vision you think people want to see.

04
Do I need a reason to make art?

No. No you don’t. Making art for art’s sake is a GREAT way to breakthrough creative plateaus. When left alone with no strings attached, you will create work that is pure you, and often times, this is the best work you will ever create. A side note to this reality is that creatives are often hired for commercial work based on the work they created on their own.

05
Is art for art’s sake worthy of a book?

YES! It is worthy of a book, and perhaps more so than any other book you will make. Again, when you create work for the sake of being creative, it is often the best work you will ever make. Cementing this in a book is a great way to preserve thoughts and ideas. A book is also a testament to what you are capable of. And finally, your book can be a great reminder to yourself of the work that is perhaps most important to you.

06
How do I get started on this book?

Just like the work itself. Just start. Don’t overthink it. There is a time and place for considered, sculpted books that are about infinitely critiqued design and editing. But there is also a time and place for the “sketch book”. Some would call this a “test book”. Start small, light, and informal. Something like a Trade Book or Magazine is a great jumping off point. Give yourself limitations when it comes to trim size and page count, e.g. 8.5×11 and 30 pages. Then just GO! Just work with that canvas until you feel good about it. Upload, print, and forget about it until it arrives. Repeat.

07
Are there any materials that are best suited for art?

Yes and no. If you are planning to continue working on the book, with your art, after it’s printed, then there are certain papers I like more than others. The Proline Uncoated is my favorite Blurb paper for artwork. It’s thick, uncoated, and holds things like ink and acrylic really well.

08
Is there a chance I could sell my art book?

Yes, yes, and yes. Art books are exploding these days, and if you visit any high-end photography bookstore, you will see all kinds of art books mixed in with other, more traditional monograph-style publications. Not to mention there are art book and Zine fairs popping up all over the country, where any and all books are welcome. And there’s always the option of selling your book online in the Blurb Bookstore, through Amazon, or other major online retailers.

09
I want to do a “real” book, but are art books “real” books?

I get this a lot, the “real” book thing. Frankly, I don’t know what a “real” book is anymore. I’m guessing people are referring to making a book with a traditional publisher. Working with a traditional publisher, if the deal is right, can be a great thing. However, self-published books are REAL. Very real. They tend to be far more personal, cheaper to produce, and delivered in far less quantity. All things that make collectors happy. There are also several artists using Blurb who have been nominated for “Book of the Year” with small, Blurb art books.

10
Are there any other benefits to self-publishing an art book?

I’m glad you asked. Yes. One of the BEST things about creating art for art’s sake, and then turning that into a self-published book, is the freedom and timeline that come along with doing something like this. Working with a traditional publisher is a 12-18-month timeline, minimum, where you are married to the project, and that project, in some cases, can be controlled more by the publisher than by you the artist, especially if the publisher is paying for the project. Often times I see artists get involved in a book deal and several years go by without the artist making any new work as they are consumed by the publishing process. The self-published art book can be a remedy for this. Quick, personal, stylish, risky, different, experimental. Just the way art should be.

Given complete freedom, what creative project would you most to like work on? Share your ideas in the comments below or get started today.

The post Hit the Books: Making Art with Dan Milnor appeared first on Blurb Blog.

May: Getting Your Book Off the Ground

• The process of fundraising through Kickstarter
• How to gauge interest and rally your audience
• Working with Large Order Services to print your book
• Meg’s experience of creating, printing, and fundraising an art/children’s book

Watch the Webinar

Top 10 Questions from the Audience

1. Is it important to research what has already been done on Kickstarter?

Yes, it’s critical to research what has been done and how those projects fared. You can learn a lot by seeing what worked or what didn’t. And just because a similar project has been done doesn’t mean you shouldn’t do your project.

2. What social networks worked best for promoting your book?

The two networks that jumped out were Facebook and Instagram. Facebook works well with people you already know, while Instagram is efficient and powerful for reaching new audiences.

3. What happens if my project is over-funded?

This is a great scenario to find yourself in. In many cases, the over-funding can go towards a much larger print run. The rest of the money is yours to keep and could be used to pay yourself for creating the project in the first place.

4. What happens after a project is funded, printed, and shipped?

One of the most important things to do is to stay in touch with your backers or supporters. Often times successful Kickstarter publishers will go on to fund subsequent projects, often with even higher success, by utilizing what they learned during their first campaign. So keeping in touch with your backers is key.

5. Is it important to alert people of your book project before the book is actually finished?

Yes. This is super important. Backers want to know the story of the book and the sooner you can give them a glimpse of your project, the better. It allows friends and backers to feel part of the project.

6. Are there any key ingredients to a good Kickstarter page?

Yes, there are. Use powerful images or GIFs and keep things organized with headers and bullets. Finally, think about creating a book video for the landing page. You don’t need to go to film school, or do anything complex. Just create a video that tells people a little bit about yourself and your project.

7. What about anything in addition to the Kickstarter page?

A book website is a good idea. Just something simple and powerful that tells a bit more of the backstory. You can use Wix or Squarespace for example.

8. What if I don’t get funded? Should I give up?

Absolutely not. In some ways, a failed Kickstarter campaign will help you the second time around by illustrating the areas you need to improve, so don’t give up. Instead, get more refined and try it again.

9. Do you have any advice for the reward aspect of using Kickstarter?

Yes. Try not to create an overly complex reward system. Think about providing digital rewards which have a far lower delivery cost, something like an ebook version of your project. Keep in mind shipping costs. You should know exactly what it will cost to ship your book.

10. Is it important for me to back other people’s projects?

Yes, for sure. First of all, as a backer you will receive emails and updates which will allow you to understand how it feels to back someone else. Secondly, when someone visits your Kickstarter page, they will see that you have supported other Kickstarter users.

Additional Resources:

• Large Order Services (100+ books): https://www.blurb.com/large-order-services
• Warehousing & Fulfillment: https://www.blurb.com/volume-purchase-fulfillment
• Volume Printing: https://www.blurb.com/volume-printing
• Receive a Pricing Estimate: https://www.blurb.com/pricing/
• Blurb + Kickstarter: https://www.blurb.com/kickstarter

Stay tuned for our next webinar on June 12!

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor, Kickstarter, and Author Meg Smiley appeared first on Blurb Blog.

How does layflat paper work with your kind of content?

Many of my images are captured in landscape format, so being able to run photographs across the gutter has always been part of my bookmaking. I was always taught that you should never put key elements of an image in the gutter, but I always felt the need to do so. Perhaps it was simply the urge to do what I was told not to, but for me, it always created a sense of visual drama. Now I can do it without losing anything. Layflat paper types allow for the full impact of an image without making the reader bend or pull a book apart to see every inch of it. For a portfolio book, this is a wonderful way to go.

Did using layflat paper offer up any surprises? Did you learn anything new?

I learned that layflat paper is unique. Not only because the pages do, in fact, lay flat, but because it gives books a unique look and feel. Thicker pages make for thicker books, which is all tied to how a reader will view and consume your book. I also learned that I can now run copy across the gutter. This was nearly impossible to do in traditional books and opens up all kinds of new design and layout options.

How did you choose your layouts and decide on the size and format for your book? What factors did you consider?

Many of the color images in this particular book were made with 6×6 cameras, so the square format book really fit with my negatives. But I was also using a pair of Leica Rangefinder cameras loaded with black and white film. I knew I wanted many of these photographs to run across both pages to break up the monotony of the color images.

This book was also made for two different groups of people: First, for students. I was teaching in Peru, so I wanted to create a book of my work so that future students would be able to see where we went and what we saw. Second, for the people who helped me while I was in Peru. It’s incredibly important to give back, and a book is a great way to do that. When someone sees what their help resulted in, or sees themselves in a book and that they’re part of a larger conversation, it’s a great thing. And it helps when you return. I could have gone with a 7×7, but the 12×12 has more impact.

How can digital creatives make print work for them? What purpose do print pieces like a book serve in the digital content world?

This is a very important question, and one that I love answering. Yes, we live in a digital world, but that digital world is often times a phony, artificial world of noise and sub-par work being praised as something new or original. The digital world has become about following, and building a following doesn’t always have much to do with making great work.

Print cuts through the noise based on one critical idea: curation. When a creative goes to print, it means they’ve put critical thought toward their work. What are the absolute best images? What’s the cover image? What’s my sequence? How do I best tell this story?

Let’s say you’re an art director or agent looking at thousands of images a day on Instagram, spending perhaps 1.5 seconds on each. Then suddenly, a printed photo book arrives. It’s a total of eight, well-edited, well-sequenced images, placed in a beautiful layout. The creative is basically saying to the client “This is all you need to see and know to understand who I am as a photographer.”  I’ve sent portfolio books that are still in those offices five years later. Print is a statement you can’t make on the screen.

When you were a small child, what did you want to be when you grew up? How does what you’re doing now compare?

Like most kids, I went through a range of ideas. When we moved to Wyoming in the mid 1970’s I remember telling the driver of the big rig that drove our belongings out west, that I wanted to be a truck driver. I also remember that man saying, “You know, you might want to rethink that.” Wyoming changed my life, though. I knew that whatever I did in life had to revolve around open spaces.

At the same time, I felt an almost overwhelming need to record things. I kept notebooks, wrote short stories, and asked for my first camera while I was still in elementary school. I didn’t know what journalism was at the time, but my grandfather was a newspaperman for forty years, so it was in my blood. My first written assignment for a newspaper was a bomb threat. When I left to cover it, the assignment editor said, “We don’t have a photographer, so you’re going to have to write and shoot.” Once I had that camera in my hand and a press credential around my neck, I was hooked.

What I do now has changed dramatically, but that boy is still in there. The need for open space has returned with a vengeance. I also still carry a notebook, still write short stories, and still make pictures on a regular basis.

What are the best parts of your job? What are some of the challenges?

There really are no bad parts of my job. There are parts I complain about, but then catch myself and think, “You’re the luckiest man alive.” My job is great for a variety of reasons, most of which are based on the people I work with, the platform behind me, and the fact that Blurb allows other people to tell their stories, just as I do. Humans and the narrative story have a deep connection, going back to the first days of our species. What we’re doing now is only a refinement of this critical experience.

As for challenges, they’re self-inflicted. My biggest hurdle is lack of time. Making great photographs is incredibly difficult and requires two things in abundance; time and access.

What’s one project you’re dying to do?

I keep a list of story ideas that grows each year. I’ll never get to all of them but there are certain things, certain places, that jump out at me. I used to spend all my time thinking about foreign travel. I thought I had to go somewhere exotic to make extraordinary images, but this is simply not true. There are so many places in the United States I’ve not yet seen, and there are so many stories that haven’t been told. I’m in love with the American West, and the Southwest in particular. I could easily spend the rest of my “usable” years behind the wheel of my pickup, exploring the dusty wilds of what’s left of the American West. This one place, this one story, is representative of the entire globe. And it’s right here in my backyard. Migration, the environment, conflict, race, industry, population growth, and art are just a few global stories I can tell by walking out my back door. This is something I literally think about every single day. I’m possessed by the idea. I’m not sure I’ll ever get the chance to really begin, so I attempt “micro-stories” in the meantime.

As someone who works creatively every day, how do you stay inspired and motivated?

I’ve never not been inspired or motivated. Making a single great image, writing a single great sentence, or recording a single great piece of sound is enough motivation for ten lifetimes. Watch a sunrise. Listen to a great piece of jazz. Eat something delicious. Swim in the ocean. Climb a mountain. My problem is my inspiration and motivation make me think about crazy ideas like riding my bike the length of the Americas. Or going off grid with my Leica and spending the next five years hitchhiking around The West making pictures. But let me explain my foundation. Social media lovers cover your ears.

Roughly four years ago, I deleted almost all of my social media. I also made a decision to limit my time online. (A truly epic decision that changed my life for the better.) So instead of social media and the Internet, I read. A lot. I’ve read 150 books over the past two years, which has helped broaden and deepen my knowledge of things I find important.

I also spend as much time as possible outdoors. I do yoga every day, and I continue to learn new things. Guitar, painting, design, Spanish, etc. Doing these things has rewired my brain to consume more in-depth information. I find that when I’m more knowledgeable about a certain topic, it makes me want to embrace it even more.

***

What drives your book design and layout decisions? Get started on your own layflat photo book.

The post Dan Milnor: breaking the rules with layflat paper appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1. What’s the best way to capture memorable moments?

Truly capturing moments requires a certain skill level with photography that may take you a while to achieve. This is normal, natural, and to be expected. Documenting real life takes practice. Great photography is rare, regardless of advances in technology, so developing your technique is important. Learning to anticipate, learning to see the light, and getting comfortable with your equipment.

2. Talking of equipment, what camera should I buy?

I always give the same answer. Buy the camera that’s small enough for you to carry all day, every day, regardless of where you are or what you’re doing. I have a camera with me at all times. It’s a real camera too, not a mobile phone.

3. What do you think about only using mobile to capture memorable moments?

Most people seem to be totally happy doing just this, but for me I need and want much more than what I can do with a phone. Mobile images tend to work well for posted, static, somewhat generic imagery. The beauty of the phone? The size and the fact that it’s in-hand for most of humanity at this point. But, if you really want be a visual historian of memorable moments, my advice is to get something you can put to your eye. Something you bond with. Something that allows for a far wider range of image, and the development of your style. Mobile phone photography is ubiquitous and it’s nearly impossible to tell who did what when looking at it.

4. Are there certain ingredients you watch for when looking for moments?

In essence, we’re talking about the building blocks of successful photography. Light, timing, and composition. In that order, and that order of importance. Great light is essential, especially if you’re able to control timing, locations, etc. Timing is what REAL moments are about. Here one second, then gone forever. Composition, well, that’s where your practice comes in. Your composition, how you see and dissect the world is native to you, and you must practice to find it. There are many “rules” to composition, but in my mind, they’re guidelines and are all subject to being broken.

5. Which photographers are known for capturing real-life moments?

Well, there have been many, but most notably we can talk about Henri Cartier Bresson, who coined the phrase “the decisive moment.” This idea applies to moments both large and small. If you’re a war photographer, like the folks at Magnum or VII, it could be something historical and world-changing. But it also applies to you and me photographing kids, grandchildren, family events, etc. Looking for real moments, and attempting to capture them, is addictive and highly rewarding.

6. Let’s talk about preservation. Why is it so important?

I know we live in a world that’s obsessed with the now, but preserving your moments is about legacy, history, family, and memory. Photographs are evidence of life, of truth and of details, things the brain isn’t necessarily designed to record in quite the same way.

7. Are there steps I can take to help with preserving my photographs?

Yes. First and foremost, develop a system and stick with it, so that each and every time you return with new images you’re not wondering what to do with them, how you’re going to label them, and where to store them. Develop your plan and follow it as precisely as you can.

8. Film was so easy to preserve, but what about the digital files of today?

Good point. With film you could throw your negatives in a shoe-box and 75 years later they were still there. Digital photography is entirely different. For those of you already uttering “Just back it up to the cloud,” this still isn’t a practical solution for lots of people.

Just think about this. Every time your finger hits the shutter, and you create a digital photograph, you’re now on the hook to preserve that image for the entirety of your life. That’s what we’re talking about here, right? So, if that image ends up on your hard drive, at some point that drive will need to be replaced, which means you must migrate that data to another location. No big deal, right? Hard drives are cheap. Okay, now let’s say you have 20TB of data, or 30TB, or 40TB, or more? Yours truly has somewhere between 40-50TB, and that’s just my digital work. Even getting this amount of data on the cloud is difficult, time consuming, and far too costly. And what happens when the cloud service you’re using goes away? This happened to me and I lost my online access to 30,000 images. (I still have them all in my archive…PHEW.)

What I’m getting at is that preserving digital photographs is a real commitment.

9. What do you recommend as a good place to start?

Not to get too technical, but I’m a fan of buying removable hard drive systems, with at least four bays. I have one main drive then back up each shoot to the three remaining drives. Two of these remaining three drives stay on property, while the fourth drive is kept in a secure, offsite location. I also think using a cloud service to archive ONLY your selects, or edits, is a smart idea if you can afford it and have the bandwidth for uploading RAW files.

10. Are there any other ways to preserve?

Prints and photo books are a great way to preserve your images. Many printers today use archival ink, and plenty of papers offer archival qualities. I have an inkjet print in my office that gets hit with direct sun every day, and after 20 years it looks brand new. I’m a huge fan of print, and the benefits that come with printing your work. Plus, having yet another copy of your best image is great, added protection.

Memorable moments caught on camera make beautiful photo books. Start yours today.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Preserving & Documenting Through Photography appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Selling and Distribution

Here’s what to expect in our webinar:

• An overview of Blurb’s distribution channels
• How global distribution works with Ingram
• What kinds of titles qualify for global distribution
• Tips on pricing a book to sell
• What happens when a title goes into distribution?
• Tips for keywords and descriptions that can help make your book discoverable

Watch the webinar

Top 10 questions from the audience

1. The book market seems to be a bit erratic these days. Is that true?

In short, yes, but there are reasons for this. The long-tail publishing model has changed over time, and we are seeing continuing change. The other reality is that there are talented authors who, through modern technology tools like Blurb and Ingram, are now able to bring their works to market. So, if the talent is there and the readers, these books can be added to the mix.

2. If we were to look at specific genres—let’s say children’s books, travel books, and large art books—would you say these are all viable genres for Ingram?

For the travel and children’s book categories, I would say, “Yes, for sure.” These are hot topics at the moment. And speaking of hot topics, you could also throw poetry books into the mix. As for the large art books, this is where things get a little tricky. Although there are good papers available via print on demand (POD), there may not be the range of high-end photographic style papers you are looking for in these books. 

3. Do I set up my global retail network sales directly on the Blurb site?

Yes. On your author page, simply select your distribution choice. In this case, you choose Ingram Global Retail Network. This works with Blurb trade books.

4. How has the basic foundation of bookselling changed with the advent of things like Ingram?

In short, the model for book selling has changed from print the book then sell the book to sell the book first and then print the copies needed through the print-on-demand system.

5. How important is metadata, and are there tips for getting it right?

Metadata is very important. In fact, I can’t stress this enough. Doing whatever you can to increase awareness of your book is essential for success. There are a few things to keep in mind. First, keep your book description to fifty words or less. A long, rambling description doesn’t help anyone, so keep things tight and to the point. Second, make sure you supply keywords, and when thinking about keywords, think like a buyer, not like an author. Think about what you would search for if you were going to buy your book. Finally, think about the title. Artistic titles are interesting but might not help you sell your book. Descriptive titles might seem less interesting but are far more helpful to buyers.

6. Are there any additional metadata or technical items I need to consider?

Yes, there is something called a BISAC code. These are codes used by companies in the supply chain to categorize topical content. They are essential in helping buyers find your book.  

7. What would you say the benefits are to using Ingram versus selling a book from your own website if you can front the cost of a large book order?

These are two entirely different models for publishing. Fronting the money and being able to handle a palette of books being dropped off on your doorstep isn’t something that just anyone can do—or even wants to do. Not to mention, if you do a print run, then have the books delivered to you, there is also the added responsibility of being the shipping department. Again, not everyone is prepared for this. With print-on-demand through Ingram, you are only printing the book after a customer orders, so there is less waste and less work for you, the author.

8. How important is the author’s ability to market their work?  

Well, this is a two-part answer.  Marketing is critical, but when it comes to selling books, one of the most important points to keep in mind is the wholesale discount you provide. The larger the discount, the more books you will sell. The higher the discount, the broader the distribution possibilities for your book. Some retailers will only accept books with a 55% discount. Even if you are a great marketer or perhaps have a large social following, the discount is critical.

9. Do I need an ISBN number to use the Ingram system, and is the system designed only for trade books?

The answer to both is “yes.”

10. Are there any rookie mistakes to keep in mind?

Yes, but before I answer this, I just want to state that authors have a lot of potential to use this system, so taking the time to understand things like ISBN ownership, list price vs base price, and wholesale discounts is essential. As for rookie mistakes, the key areas where improvements can be made are understanding metadata and understanding the benefits of wholesale discounts.

Additional Resources:

• Information on BISAC publishing codes
• Guidelines for pricing your book
• Using metadata to optimize discovery
• Submitting your book to Ingram’s global distribution network
• Selling photo books on Amazon
• Payment for Ingram sales

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor & Ingram appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Does luck play a part in a successful creative career?

Yes, for sure. But let me explain a bit further. Being a successful creative is about a lot more than one person toiling alone in their studio. Your career will be a constant ebb and flow of connections, associations, partnerships, collaborations, victories, and failures—yes, failures—and luck plays a distinct part in all of that.

What about timing?

Again, great timing, sometimes based on a bit of luck, is key. Especially if your work is that of a timely nature—press photographer, photojournalist, etc. Or you meet with the right client at the right time with the right work, and all the pieces come together. We should also talk about trends and being out in front of them, as opposed to lagging behind. It’s easy to get lost in trends and end up never making any of your own work, so be careful to only engage with the trends that strengthen your work, not distract from it. You can also land on a trend long after it’s lived its first life, such as film photography, which is now making a strong comeback.

What about being in the right place at the right time?

Well, this could be lumped under the “timing” aspect of your career, but sometimes “accidents” happen and you’ll make a connection based entirely on the fact that you’re the person there. I was once hired for a photography position simply because I was the one who walked through the door. The photo editor never looked at my work, never even looked at me. He just said “You’re hired.” They were desperate and I was a standard human they assumed could fulfill the requirements of the job. Nothing more.

What is creative success?

Great question. Success as a creative person means you’re making your best possible work and delivering it in the best possible way to make the best impact. But there is another way to answer this: “To each their own”. At one point in my career, I wanted to be the best newspaper photographer in the world. I wanted to work for the largest papers and get the best assignments. Then I wanted to be the best print magazine photographer in the world. Next it was on to portraits, a brief foray into the wedding photography world, and finally, back to my beloved documentary photography. Now that I no longer use the camera as my primary means of survival, I’m entirely content to make pictures for myself, share them with a handful of people, and move on. And I feel content and successful. You may find yourself in an entirely different scenario. The key to success, at the baseline, is to make your work, and make it consistent enough to make it your living/career, if that’s your goal.

What is a creative person ’s role in the rest of society?

The creative industry is often overlooked when it comes to things like GDP, but it’s an integral part of any society and brings in a serious amount of revenue. However, there is a more important role: Creatives help people see and understand the world through a variety of artistic means. Creatives can do anything. As a creative, you’re given liberties that people in other industries aren’t. Society looks at the creative people and demands, “Show us”.

How do I make my own luck?

Cliché alert … brace yourself. Okay, you’ve heard the expression “The harder I work the luckier I get”. I’m going to tweak this slightly. “The smarter I work, the luckier I get”. Creatives live on an island. It’s you on a tiny piece of land surrounded by the greater industry and greater world. At times, it can feel pretty darn lonely. But with advances in technology, the modern creative has a direct connection to the entire world. When I started my career, I had a telephone. A landline. That’s it. My island was remote, lonely, and sometimes frigid. Now I have a website, a blog, social media, and the Internet in general. I have a direct connection to my clients, followers, and an array of people I would have never been able to connect with before.

Making your own luck is about understanding who you really are as a creative and determining what you do well. Once you discover these things, work as smart as possible. Like a yogi. No wasted motion. No distraction. Soon you will have depth, consistency, and the need for luck, while still present, won’t be the driving force behind your making it (or not).

How do I become more creative?

Another good question. Many creatives put too much pressure on themselves too early in their career. Pressure to make it as a full-time professional long before that’s a realistic idea. They end up having to chase trends, make work that is palatable, safe, and lacking in personality. So, they don’t have a chance to figure out who they actually are. In other words, they’re someone else’s creative person, not their own. I can’t stress enough how important making your work is. And to figure out what your work is, you have to give yourself time, freedom, LOTS of energy, and permission to fail.

What do you mean fail?

Failure is an integral part of being creative. In fact, I would go so far as to say, if you aren’t failing on a regular basis, you aren’t trying hard enough. I don’t mean you fall flat for your clients. Failure on your own time is what leads to breakthroughs and creates a map to the artist you’ll be in the future. I’ve recently started painting, something all old photographers eventually start doing. My paintings are mostly horrible. But there is enough of a kernel of intent and result that has me intrigued enough to continue. Go forth and fail. Enjoy it. Celebrate it. Share it. (with friends!)

Is there anything else you can suggest to help with creative timing, luck, and being successful?

Yes, a few things.

• Don’t conform. I’m always amazed at how many creatives are waiting to be told what to do and how to do it. Take my word for it, in 2018 you don’t want clients creating your portfolio for you. Make the work that’s true to your vision.
• Live on the fringe. The best work I see is always on the fringe of what the industry deems “good”, “timely”, or “current”. Think about musicians. Remember when Rock n’ Roll landed? Critics were up in arms. The blues musicians said ‘Hey, you got that from us’. Classical lovers were sickened and parents began lecturing their kids. And then what happened? Rock changed the world. You can too, if your creative life lives on the edges of your abilities.

Can you translate all this creative wisdom into advice about printing and self-publishing?

First, timing is essential, as we’ve discussed above. Print on demand books are super time-effective and can be tailored for specific people at specific events.

Second, having a nearly endless combination of materials, formats, and price points allows you to make a book that’s truly a cutting edge, experimental representation of your work—just the thing for stacking the odds in your favor.

Lastly, the portfolio book is the new business card, so being in the right place at the right time with the right book, is now a very meaningful reality.

What role do you think luck plays in creative success? Get the conversation going below!

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Create Your Own Luck appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1) What is a portfolio and how does it differ from a standard book?

A portfolio is a curated sample of your best work. It usually consists of a small number of pieces (10-25) that represent who you are as a creative. It may or may not tell a story. This is what separates a portfolio from a book, which tends to come with a narrative.

2) Why does a book work well as a portfolio?

Making a book demonstrates a number of skills, including editing, sequencing, and design. A portfolio book shows you have spent the time to make sense of your work. It is also concise, clean, structured, and travels well.

3) What type of person needs a portfolio?

Anyone looking to get work in their chosen field. This could be photographers, designers, architects, illustrators, or even a chef. Think of a portfolio as a visual resume.

4) What size portfolio is best?

My advice is to have multiple portfolios. I would have an ‘official’ portfolio book, which may be larger in scale, say 12×12. I would also have either a print magazine or Trade Book version. These are lighter, easier to ship, and could also be used as a “leave behind” when you meet a client you really want to work with.

5) What about a digital portfolio?

My answer to this is “Yes…but not so fast.” Having a digital portfolio is a great thing and should be part of your strategy, but you might need to edit a digital portfolio even more than your printed pieces. Why? Well, because when portfolio reviewers see a box of prints or a book, they can acknowledge that a certain amount of financial investment was involved, suggesting it has been thoroughly edited and will get to the visual point faster. A digital portfolio requires the same level of attention, if not more, to have the same impact.

6) How would a magazine work as a portfolio?

Books have become known as “modern business cards”, but I think this can apply to print magazines as well. Magazines are inexpensive, offer a sizeable landscape for design, and are less formal than a book. They’re also “collectable”.

7) Are there any specific materials that work best for a portfolio?

Yes, but I’m going to tie this back to which version of your portfolio you’re referring to: You might use ProLine paper for your larger version, with a hardcover and black end sheets. Your less formal, less expensive Trade Book version, might have a softcover with standard color printing.

8) Any other tips and tricks you can share?

Be bold. One of the most difficult things to do in this world is to make original work, but when you see it, you know and you feel it. Keep this in mind when it comes to making your portfolio book.

You’re only as good as your weakest image. Yes, this is a cliché but it’s true. Just because you’re in love with an image doesn’t mean it should be in your portfolio. Will the image get you work? Does it best represent you and the kind of work you actually want to do? These are all questions you need to answer before including something in your beloved portfolio.

Shape your book to your work. When it comes to layout, let the contour of your work dictate the contour of your portfolio. Let’s say you’re an Instagram star and 100% of your work is square aspect ratio. Well then, how about a 7×7 or 12×12 book?

Update, update, update. This is one of the great things about using a service like Blurb—you don’t need to commit to a huge print run. With print on demand, you can print just one copy at a time and update it with new work.

Get specific. If you have a big client you want to work with, then make a book specifically for them. Why send a generic portfolio when you can create a ‘super book’ for one special client?

Send your work in the mail. Use small books, like 5×8 and 6×9 Trade Books as mailers to your top clients. I actually send books to people I don’t know with no explanation. I find people who are inspiring, and I send small books. Sometimes we connect; other times we don’t, but it’s always worth it.

Get your portfolio in shape and see where it takes you! Or share your own tips in the comments below.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Your Portfolio Book appeared first on Blurb Blog.

March: Storytelling Through Images

• Ways to tell a story – the narrative arc (setup, development, high point, resolution), narrative arcs unique to photography
• The difference between a verbal and a visual story
• Classifying images by function and how different types work to tell a story
• Image editing/processing checklist
• Choosing a cover photo

Watch the Webinar

Top 10 Questions from the Audience

1) My Blurb books come out dark because I underexpose my photos. How best can I make them look good in my book?
The short answer is you’re going to need to ‘open them up’. However I do need to say that calibrating your monitor is a must. Then keep in mind your monitor brightness, which will also be adjusted when you calibrate. If you do these two things, then you’re well on your way to printing good color.

2) How do you prevent text from competing too much with the image on the page?
There are three things to think about. Firstly, type size. Keep it small. Secondly, typeface. Make sure you are using a subtle font and not a crazy, loopy, distracting font style. And finally, type placement. Putting any text on a page with an image means it’s competing with the image. So, make sure you need that text and that it’s giving the viewer something they can’t deduce on their own.

3) What tips do you have about using related or non-related images on spreads?
Firstly, I would determine  your ‘portfolio’ level images and then give those specific images room to breathe. Leave them alone to do their own talking.  Secondly, when using multiple images on a spread, you must make sure they relate to one another, either visually or in the information they deliver. If you’re placing unrelated images created in different styles together on one page, it can be difficult for a reader to follow the narrative.

4) What is the best resolution for images for printing in photo books?
Let’s keep this really simple and say 300 dpi. I would also make my images at least the size of the dimensions of the book I’m creating.

5) How will written word visual communications like emojis impact visual storytelling?
This is a REALLY interesting question. Personally, I’ve never once sent an emoji or even considered doing so. In fact, I’m not sure why anyone would send an emoji, but to each their own. For me these items are nothing more than distractions unless you are purposely incorporating them for a specific reason. Then, by all means. Keep in mind, visuals are ingested 60,000 times faster than the written word.

6) Which programs do you use for your photography?
I’m very simple in my approach so I just use Adobe Lightroom and Photoshop. Although I actually don’t know much about either, just enough to do what I need to do. Software, for me, is about efficiency and little else.

7) When using Layflat do you incorporate more double page spreads in your photo books?
Yes, yes, and yes. The main idea behind Layflat is to be able to safely put critical elements of your images in the gutter. So, take advantage of this!

8) What type of calibration tool do you use?
I use something called ColorMunki from X-Rite.

9) How do you decide what stories to photograph?
Great question. I simply choose to work on projects I love. In the past, when I was a journalist, I would often choose stories based on timeliness, newsworthiness, etc. But now, it’s just what I love.

10) How would I layout an architecture book with photography that has varying levels of post processing? Would I break them up into chapters or run them together?
Complicated question. If the selling point of the images is their post processing, then I would potentially break them up into chapters. That way you could have a cohesiveness to the book, but could also break down in the copy what is so important about the process. As a result, the book might take on a more technical feel as opposed to a book of straight photography.

Stay tuned for our next webinar on April 24.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Storytelling Through Images – Webinar Recap appeared first on Blurb Blog.

If you want more info on finishing touches, you can download this PDF we put together so you can reference tips on editing and proofing at any point in your book-making process.

February: Finishing Touches 

Join us to hear about:

• Editing
• Typography
• Proofing
• Cover Design
• External Resources

Webinar Replay

Top 10 Questions from the Audience:

1) How do I wrap an image from the front cover to the back?

Dan Milnor: Go to the BookWright interface and click the “covers” tab in the upper left corner. Then go to the “photos” button. Then select the “photo draw tool” under the photos button and draw an image container that covers both the front and back cover of your book. Next, drag your cover image into the container and resize to your needs.

2) How do I choose an editor for a poetry and photography book?

DM: Great question, but a tricky one. Seeing as poetry and photography are different disciplines you might need to consider working with both a copy editor AND a photo-editor.

3) Does Blurb allow you to publish and create two versions for an ebook – e.g. one for black & white and one for color?

DM: Sure. You can make your ebooks look any way you wish. This just entails you creating the various books you want to show. So, you would do one version first and then create the second and upload that as a second option. There is no magic Blurb button that would convert a book from color to black and white or vice versa.

4) Do you do a book draft first or work with prints?

DM: I work with prints first as they are less expensive and quicker to produce and very easy to utilize as an editing and sequencing tool. After I get my edit and sequence done by utilizing then prints I then incorporate those choices into my test book.

5) How many proofs do you do before you are done?

DM: That depends on how experimental or risky the book is. If I’m doing a simple book, simple story, or a portfolio, I rarely ever need more than one test book. But, if I’m trying something totally and utterly unlike anything I’ve ever done, then sometimes I might need two or three proofs.

6) Any tips for paper types?

DM: Yes, first order a swatch kit from Blurb. This kit will show you the paper types, cover types, etc. Then, choose the two papers you like the most and print a small test book on each paper, using a wide range of your work. Keep these test books as resources for all your upcoming projects.

7) How do you know if your book is going to sell?

DM: This is a tricky question but one that bookmakers/publishers worldwide ask themselves on a daily basis. There is no perfect way of determining how a book will sell beyond actually creating a presell book list where buyers say “I will buy this book.” People do this via things like email newsletters. But, it’s still not a perfect system. People can change their minds. However, if you have a following, fan base, audience, you can reach out to them before the book is complete, survey them even, to understand how they are willing to engage with your project.

8) Does Blurb work with ICC Profiles?

DM: Yes. You can find the Blurb ICC profile at Blurb.com and you can install and utilize your books and magazines.

9) Is 130gsm matte paper good for a cookbook?

DM: Sure. I can see a cookbook being made out of high-end materials, but I can also see a cookbook being made out of lo-fi materials with the idea the book gets dirty along with the chef. There really are no rules.

10) Typically how long does it take you to do a book?

DM: Well, it depends on the book, and it depends on the audience. Doing a portfolio of your best work might not take you that long because you aren’t really telling a story you are simply showing your best work. If you did a book about the story behind your best work it might take longer to write that story, edit, sequence, etc. because you are trying to tell a story and convey a message. The more complex the story and audience the longer it will take to make the book. On the flip side, I’ve made “ten-minute” books where I set a timer and challenge myself to make something interesting in ten minutes and several of these books have turned out really well.

Stay tuned for our next webinar on March 20!

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Finishing Touches Webinar Recap appeared first on Blurb Blog.

1) What is photojournalism and how does it differ from other genres of photography?

Okay, let’s take a look at the official definition and I’ll add my two cents: “Photojournalism is a particular form of journalism that employs images in order to tell a news story.”

As well as usually having a news angle, photojournalism also has a time element, hence the term ‘breaking news’. It’s about what’s happening right now.  Documentary photography might cover similar subjects but with a slower, more long-term approach.

2) Who are some of the legends of this genre?

Where do I start? Roger Fenton is considered the first war photographer, due to his work on the Crimean War. Then there’s Robert Capa, W. Eugene Smith, and Don McCullin. Photographers who really influenced me when I was coming up are Maggie Steber (Haiti), James Nachtwey (war), and David Burnett.

3) Isn’t this genre insanely dangerous?

Yes, it can be. Robert Capa, for example, was killed in Vietnam, and others have lost their lives in every major conflict the world has witnessed, including Chris Hondros and Tim Hetherington, two respected and committed journalists who were killed in Libya in 2011.

4) So why does anyone do this kind of photography?

There are a rare few who feel the need to be a witness for the rest of us—to share the true impact and reality of events around the world—often on behalf of those who have no voice themselves. The stories they tell can ultimately be a catalyst for change.

5) Does a photojournalist look at photography in a unique way?

Yes. Photojournalism requires the practitioner to think about capturing the singular, most critical image that entirely summarizes a story or event. If I asked you to close your eyes and visualize the images associated with the following events, I can almost guarantee you will all see the exact same images: The Hindenburg disaster. The assassination of JFK. Napalm in Vietnam. Photojournalists also have to understand how that single image works as a small part of a larger essay of images, which provides background and context.

6) How has the Internet and technology changed photojournalism?

The short answer: DRAMATICALLY. Perhaps the most critical change is to do with speed. Digital photography allows for near real-time transmission of images via satellite phone. The Internet has also been incredibly empowering, raising the profile of photojournalists (although this has also been dangerous for some.)

7) Do photojournalists crave photography books as much as other photographers?

Yes, perhaps even more so. Historically, photojournalism was aimed at editorial outlets and print magazines. However, perhaps because it doesn’t sell advertising as well as other kinds of photography, it’s fallen out of favor with more modern publications. Photo books, therefore, remain the most important testament to the work of these brave, sometimes crazy people.

8) What are some your favorite photojournalism books?

To name just a few: Deeds of War, Inferno, Blood and Honey, Dancing on Fire, Long Story Bit by Bit, Beyond the Fall, End of the Game.

9) Are there certain publishers who specialize in photojournalism?

Yes—Trolley Books, Aperture Foundation, and Phaidon among many others. Self-publishing is also an increasingly popular option for photojournalists with a story to tell.

10) What’s the future of photojournalism?

The health of this industry has been a topic of debate going back several decades. Is photojournalism, via stills, still viable in the TV age? Are people still interested in seeing this kind of work? Will anyone pay for this work to be created?

The answer is YES to all the above, but with conditions. The still image continues to have a hold on the human brain. A great image sears itself on to your memory and never lets go, which isn’t something that typically happens with a TV broadcast. The public still wants to see this work, and certain groups will still commission it, but every year it does seem to get more and more difficult.

Photojournalism is perhaps in need of reinvention. But the modern photojournalist now has direct access to the entire, Internet-connected world, so as with all things in life, there’s an upside and a downside. I prefer to think positive. If you’re smart, talented, and organized, you can do just about anything.

Dan Milnor is Blurb’s very own Creative Evangelist and self-publishing expert. Check out his most recent webinar about putting the finishing touches on your self-published book.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Photojournalism appeared first on Blurb Blog.

Getting Started 

• Self-publishing and Blurb
• Content and design tips
• Surprising reasons to make and sell a book
• Formats for your project
• Page layouts and layout tools
• Self-publishing success stories

Webinar Replay

Top Questions from the Audience:

1 ) What are some of the best ways you have seen a horizontal image in a vertical book?

DM: I’ve seen this done so many interesting ways, but one method is to run the horizontal image at the top or the bottom of the page so that the image bleeds off three sides of the page. The image will be about half the size of the page which leaves ample room for copy, captions, etc. Also, think about running images across the gutter meaning one image running across both pages. You can go partially or all the way across depending on your image and what critical elements need to be kept out of the gutter.

2) Do black & white images come out without any tints these days? Is there any sort of protocol or workflow to get them printed in pure B&W with Blurb?

DM: Digital printing has come a long, long way, but historically one of the most challenging tasks for digital printers was to print neutral black and white. Luckily this is now a very doable thing. There are a few things to keep in mind. Calibrate your monitor. No excuses. You have to know what you are looking at is color balanced. Second, you can download and install the Blurb ICC printing profile.

3) If I make a standard landscape hardcover using Blurb’s Lightroom module, can I later make a standard landscape softcover book with the same content without having to reformat the book?

DM: Yes. When you create a book in Lightroom, you choose your trim size. Standard Landscape offers Hardcover ImageWrap, Hardcover Dust Jacket, and Glossy Softcover – any of which you can choose from the drop-down menu in Lightroom.

4) What software program should I use to create and store text while writing?

DM: How about Microsoft Word? I’ve also used Pages, but Word seems to be the standard these days. 

5) How to choose a font for a book?

DM: Tricky question. Short answer, carefully and with insight. I see plenty of books with what I call “default typography,” which means the bookmaker used whatever font first popped up in the drop-down menu. You don’t want to do this. You want to choose fonts that ADD to your project, fonts that add to the design and feel of your work. I look for fonts that have a tie or connection to where the work was made. I also look for fonts that are easily readable for my main copy needs and other fonts that are bold statements style-wise for the cover and half-title page. I try not to use more than 2-3 fonts for an entire book.

6 ) Is the print quality higher with offset printing?

DM: Digital printing has come a long, long way, and the quality is outstanding. So doing offset and digital is going to provide different looks and feels but one is not necessarily better than the other. I’ve had people look at a digital book and were one hundred percent convinced it was offset.

7 ) Dan, what was your biggest obstacle to publishing your very first book?

DM: Well, I answered this on the webinar and spoke about technology limitations when it came to making a book in 1993, but I want to provide another answer here. I think one of the most common obstacles for people, including me, is keeping organized with my images. Most of us are using digital cameras which allow us to compile massive amounts of imagery, and unless we develop a good, efficient workflow we won’t have our work ready to print when the time comes. So, determine your system and stick to it.

8 ) Can you make a living from self-published art books that feature only photography? Are photo-only books successful or they also need text ( if so, what kind of text?)

DM: Anything is possible, and I’m sure there are a few people doing this but surviving off art book sales is a very tricky idea. In theory, it sounds exotic, cool, romantic even but it also feels very dangerous to me. One, I’m not sure I would want to put that kind of pressure on myself. Two, if I had to make my entire living doing this I think I would quickly find myself having to determine what subject matter would be the most palatable to the most people, and that might be very, very far from the kind of work, or subject, that I want to focus on. I think art books should be an important, liberating part of your overall strategy for being an artist. You don’t need text to make a book successful, but typically most good photography books have enough text to cover the bases via things like essays, introductions, dedications, etc.

9) Dan, what’s the biggest book-making mistake you’ve made?

DM: Where do I start?  Let me take a different tack. My biggest mistake getting started was doing what I thought I was supposed to do and not what I truly wanted to do. “You need to make a monograph.” “You need to create the largest book you can afford.” “You need a serious author to write the forward.” This is what history told me to do, what I learned in school, but this wasn’t who I was as a bookmaker. Still isn’t. I needed to learn how to be me.

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Getting Started appeared first on Blurb Blog.

We put these questions to Blurb’s very own Dan Milnor—writer, photographer, prolific self-publisher—for some pointers on getting your self-publishing project off to a flying start.

Why make a book to sell and how do I know when I’m ready to start?

Deadlines aside, there’s no wrong time to start making your book—but understanding the ‘why’ will help kick things off. Is it to promote your work and talent, grow your business, raise awareness about an issue? Or is it simply a way of pursuing your passion? Clarifying your intent first will help inform later decisions.

How do I know what materials to use, or how to pick a trim size?

Create one or two small, affordable test books printed on the one or two papers you think you might like the most.  When you’re choosing your trim size, be guided by your images. If you shoot a lot of square mobile images, then a square trim size will work best. Or perhaps you shoot mostly landscape images with your DSLR. Then look for a match in the landscape formats. And although it might not be your main motivation, costs are always top of mind. Consider affordable formats that are priced to sell.

What is a good starting point for page design?

Let your content dictate your design. For example, serious images that invite the reader to really study your work require a page all to themselves. Things like page numbers and captions are not mandatory and often distract more than anything else. Keep things clean and simple. Let your images do the talking. 

How many images do I need to get started?

A trick question. You could make a book using only one image. But getting a good handle on your images and a grasp of your workflow is critical.

How many pages do I need?

Another trick question. You need the exact number required to tell the story and not a single page more.

Any tips for the book cover?

Do it last and take your time. Your cover is your book’s first impression and a key factor when it comes to sales. Think about your favorite books or publications and use their influence. Browse bookstore shelves for inspiration. Try a template. Most of the time you’ll end up throwing out your first design—and that’s ok.

How do I keep my self-publishing project on track?

Establishing a budget and a timeline are key to keeping things on track. To help you gauge the scope of your project and avoid mistakes, try making a small ‘gateway book’—softcover, minimum page count—and build from there. Remember that making mistakes is part of the creative learning process.

What font do I use? And what size?

Find a font that has a connection to your work or a font that adds drama in some way. In terms of size, think smaller than you might expect, and keep your type column width realistic—not across the entire page.

How do I know when the book is done?

Again, deadlines aside, there are no set rules. When you think you’re done, print one copy just for you. Then get a second opinion from someone you trust. Printing just one tester copy means you can always go back and make any tweaks.

How do I show off my book?

Promoting your book can start long before it hits the shelves. Why not start a blog series that charts the making of your book? Then show beautiful shots of your book on your social channels, blog, mailing lists, and website to build up a buzz. The Blurb Bookstore makes it easy for followers to buy your book direct however they engage with you. 

You can listen to Dan talking more about getting started in self-publishing in the audio below.

Or if you’re already feeling inspired, why not get started today?

The post Hit the Books with Dan Milnor │ Getting Started in Self-Publishing appeared first on Blurb Blog.