Photobooks are still strong in a digital world where nothing seems tangible, especially photographs. Whether you publish through a traditional publisher or self-publish, a photobook is a great way to take your photography to the next level and print your work.
Two years ago, I was approached by a small publisher who wanted to publish an Iowan photograph book. At first, I was skeptical and thought it was a scam because they reached me through Instagram. Long story short, in under two years, I published my first book in 2023. My second book will be available in the summer of 2025. In 2024, I self-published a book chronicling my 10-day trip across Route 66. But how does one self-publish or even find a publisher?
Self-Publishing vs. Traditional Publishing
First, let's look at self-publishing—the process of an author independently publishing their work. Self-publishing is a challenge. Well, publishing anything is! Self-publishing gives you the most control over your book, including the layout, size, hardcover, and softcover options. It also allows you to retain full ownership of your work and royalties, typically earning 60 to 90%. Regarding the distribution of the book, it's up to you!
Traditional publishing is the process where the publishing company purchases the rights, and this will vary. My publisher lets me retain all rights to the work, and they handle the distribution. The publisher will tell you what the book's specs will be, from the size of the book to the paper used! The great thing about a traditional publishing company is that you have a professional team behind you doing the work, and you send the revisions back if errors are made in the layout process. Unfortunately, it is hard to get a publisher. During this process, they are going to have the parameters set. When I received my contract, I was told the number of pages, photos, book size, and how many words of accompanying text were needed, and that did not include the captions.
Defining a Concept
Having a defined concept is key to getting the attention of a publisher or even self-publishing your book. First, I would find the larger overall concept and dig deeper until it is more defined. The easiest way to find your idea is to focus on a subject you like. It will take time from start to finish, so you’ll want a theme you can stick with. Think about what story you want to tell. Is it about a place, a theme, or a personal journey? Once this is figured out, defining your concept will be much easier. A strong concept will help you generate a list of images you can look for in your archive or create for the project. Photographers usually start a project without the end in mind, and there is no issue.
Editing and Sequencing
The sequencing of images is the most essential part of any book, and it can make or break the book's overall flow. When I self-published a Route 66 book, this was the hardest part. There were great photos that I had to leave out because no supporting photographs were strong enough to put next to the opposite page. I didn’t want to have an image that was a night photograph I took at the Wigwam Motel next to a daytime image, as it threw off the book's flow because the edits were not the same style. You will want to review all your pictures and save your favorite and most potent images to a folder. I then printed off color-proof sheets from Lightroom, cut out each image, and started placing the photos into piles with a theme: motel, iconic locations, signs, etc. I thumbed through each pile and started finding images that paired well together. I placed those images into piles based on the categories. I then glued them in order on blank sheets of paper. This allowed me to organize the flow of the book.
Be Selective
You don’t have to add every photograph when you're culling images. Find the most potent images and add those. Remember that you have to look at your images objectively. Think to yourself, “Is this image strong?” We tend to pick our favorite photos over technically great photos. We would like to remember that we walked 10 miles up a mountain in the cold snow. Therefore, we call it a great image because we put all this effort into making it, even if it's a stinker! Find a photographer willing to look at your images and the layout of your book. They can give you some of the most valuable information for creating a strong flow of images. Stay away from family and friends—they don’t want to hurt your feelings, so it will be the best photographs you have ever taken and they have ever seen!
Quality Printer
Don’t skimp here! You have the most beautiful photographs and the best layout. If the printing quality is poor, your images will be too! If you print through a publisher, this won’t be an issue. If you're self-publishing, take your time on this step. Request samples of paper types and see if they have book examples they can send for you to look at, or at least pages with photographs they have printed. One thing I would suggest is that if you have the chance, purchase a copy before running a large batch of books. This will allow you to see the final result; if you need to make changes, you can. If you make a mistake and have a ton of books, it's wasted time and money!
Have Fun
Whether you're using a traditional publisher or self-publishing, remember to have fun. It is an overwhelming process and cumbersome at that. This is a chance to hone your skills—a new way to show your work. Don't do it if you don’t think you will have any fun in the process. Why waste your time if there is no fun involved?
In the End
I barely scratched the surface of this entire process, and going through it three times in the last several years, I have come to love the process. It takes time, but nothing is of greater joy than when you get your first copy in your hands. Better is when someone purchases your book!
