I read about the Photography Book Now salon and
symposium last night, and thought it was too good to be true. I mean, a contest
celebrating self-published photo books? With the promise of MONEY? What What!?
But look, they say it is true:
"Join the modern photography book movement. Photographers can now produce books with complete creative control. We're celebrating the most innovative and finest self-published photography books and the people behind them. Submit yours for a chance at $25,000 to finish - or start - that once in a lifetime project."
They're also seeking to engage a
community:
"We're hosting Meet-ups in three cities around the globe. Hang out with industry peers, friends, the judges, and symposia participants. And bring your books - everyone will want to see your work."
You know what that means? Booze. I'll be at that
New York event in October for sure. The sponsors of this thing include PDN,
American Photography, Flickr and Livebooks. Not too shabby. It's a hip time to
be a photographer, my friend.
Speaking, of book publishing, I had tarts and coffee
yesterday with Stacy Mehrfar, who
has just finished a five-year project called American Palimpsests. She has her edit
down to about 50 images, and is hoping to publish it. From her statement:
"The term 'palimpsest' refers to a parchment or tablet that has been written upon or inscribed several times, where the previous texts have been erased and remain, therefore, somewhat visible. Today the term has come to represent an object, place or area that reflects its history."
Clever, clever, Mehrfar. Seriously, though- the project
is stunning. Photographers, keep taking those road trips.
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It's wonderful that there are options for making books, truly, but can we take a minute here, I have explored book options for weeks and found no worthwhile printer. I am tired of places like Blurb being so celebrated, did you read the terms of this contest?
To enter you MUST use Blurb and give them the right to brand/sell/distribute all over your book if whoever orders it simply because you entered a contest, win or not doesn't matter.
You can enter hard copies, but they want 3 copies of your self published book you will not get back, chances are that's over $100 in books or even more depending on process. Can only assume this is to bully you into using Blurb.
Blurb charges much more $ to remove their branding from a product you are already paying them for. That's like contests extending deadlines for higher fees just to make more $ off you.
Blurb puts barcodes on your book to track where they are printed, if you don't want this barcode on your product you are paying them for, that's too bad, it will be there, in one of three different places, but Blurb cannot tell you where or if it will be there and it is not in the Booksmart software.
It's not custom publishing when you give up rights you don't want to and work with companies you don't want to, all just for a chance. If you win, and they give you a ton of cash, sure, work with them, but to be expected and forced into situations never feels good when you give it all up, pay $, and still get nothing.
All photographers are desperate for attention, understood, but can we try to have some self respect with the contests already?