Archived posting to the Leica Users Group, 2005/08/15

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Subject: [Leica] WAS: mother... NOW: DOING A BOOK!
From: kididdoc at cox.net (Steve Barbour)
Date: Mon Aug 15 17:07:52 2005
References: <219.6e66a22.3030f9a1@aol.com> <002d01c5a123$fe142eb0$1ae76c18@ted> <430024B1.5050805@planet.nl>

thanks Nathan... you are very thoughtful,  and I am looking into  
these possibilities...

Steve


On Aug 14, 2005, at 10:14 PM, Nathan Wajsman wrote:

> Everything Ted says here is true. But I would also suggest that one  
> source of support, both in terms of buying the book and getting it  
> published in the first place, should be the medical profession. I  
> can think of no better advertisement for 21st century American  
> medicine than what Steve is showing us every week.
>
> So I would approach the AMA, the state medical association, the  
> specialty association that Steve is a member of, for financial  
> support in getting the book published. Once published, I think that  
> besides other photographers, doctors, nurses and other medical  
> professionals would be a good target market. I have given four  
> copies of Ted's books as gifts to doctors, both within my family  
> and to our family physicians as parting gifts when we were leaving  
> Belgium in 2000 and Switzerland in 2003.
>
> A final idea: does the state of Arizona have a department of  
> cultural affairs, and might such a body also be interested in  
> supporting what is a major home-grown piece of work?
>
> Nathan
>
> Ted Grant wrote:
>
>> Gene said:
>>
>>>>> Any publisher who would not jump at publishing your phots is  
>>>>> crazy.  Hey Ted,
>>>>>
>>>
>>> how about your publisher?<<<<
>>>
>> Hi Guys & Gals,
>> This response is for all the folks who are onto Steve about doing  
>> a book! At the moment he's amassing as much material as he can and  
>> one of these days we'll be making a several hundred 11X14 prints  
>> to present to a publisher.
>> It isn't as easy as many of you think! Period!!!!
>> The book publishing industry is some what in the dump due to the  
>> internet, video games and all those other electronic thingies  
>> people play with. ERGO! People don't buy the number of books they  
>> once did. Yes it may look like new books are being published  
>> daily, they are.... but would you buy most or any of them?
>> Besides "photo books" are almost a non-seller to the everyday  
>> public, but are predominantly purchased by other photographers.  
>> Unfortunately most photographer's buy the books of long dead big  
>> name photographers whose work has been brought to everyone's  
>> attention for the past 80 years or so. New guys and gals? Don't  
>> hold yer breath unless it's about sex, politics and Hollywood whores!
>> If one has tonnes of money and can afford to do their own book, as  
>> some wealthy photographers have done, it's merely a glorified  
>> portfolio and not what Steve and his work is about.  But how many  
>> of you on the list have the kind of money and distribution  
>> connections to do so? Not likely too many.
>> No denying Steve's pictures of kids in hospital aren't heart  
>> warming and certainly emotional as they're the best I've ever  
>> seen. He is amazing shooting in the hospital environment day in  
>> and day out. And what he produces is quite phenomenal under the  
>> circumstances with children. When he has some connection in their  
>> care.
>> But before a publisher gets wet knickers with excitement to  
>> publish they want to see, in this case, probably hundreds of  
>> photographs and everyone a heart moving image!
>> But not every child picture works as much as many of you viewers  
>> get excited about and say so. The most important thing for the  
>> book is... "they cannot illustrate a child in pain or showing any  
>> kind of visual hurting because that's a turn off for most readers  
>> or viewers when it comes to kids."
>> One "negative emotion picture" when someone is looking through the  
>> book before purchase and it can almost assure a non sale! :-(
>> Now without knowing Steve and his work and you're looking at a  
>> book in the store would you purchase a book about sick kids in a  
>> hospital?  Careful now as it's not an easy question to answer when  
>> you know him and his work on the screen  nearly every week.
>> Not only that, look at the picture books for sale and ask yourself  
>> why you don't walk out with an arm full because some are  
>> sensational. How about the competition book to book? And think  
>> about the "would you buy a book about sick kids in hospital" no  
>> matter how good it was? And of course you don't know the name  
>> Steve Barbour from a hole in the ground as the book in your hands  
>> and it's Kids in Hospital subject. It's a tough call both for the  
>> publisher and book sellers when it's kids in hospital.
>> We know they're smashing good photographs, but is it a topic the  
>> public would rush to buy? Given the lousy book buying at the moment.
>> However, one of these days when he has enough "Oh my gosh what a  
>> great picture of that kid!" printed and your heart goes pitty pat  
>> with emotion I'm sure there'll be a book. Of course everyone of  
>> you will be sent a copy as soon as your cheque arrives for a  
>> signed copy! And he expects a sale to one and all. ;-)
>> Hopefully this explains a little about  "the life of a  
>> photographer getting a book published!" Another aspect is... they  
>> don't happen over night because just in the shooting alone it can  
>> take 10 years amassing the very best material for success. And yes  
>> my publisher has seen a presentation but for the moment has  
>> said... unfortunately... "No." :-(
>> I'm still hoping we'll turn him around with more material. Or  
>> we'll find another.
>> ted
>> _______________________________________________
>> Leica Users Group.
>> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>>
>
> -- 
> Nathan Wajsman
> Almere, The Netherlands
>
> General photography: http://www.nathanfoto.com
> Seville photography: http://www.fotosevilla.com
> Stock photography: http://www.alamy.com/search-results.asp?qt=wajsman
> http://myloupe.com/home/found_photographer.php?photographer=507
> Prints for sale: http://www.photodeluge.com
>
>
>
> _______________________________________________
> Leica Users Group.
> See http://leica-users.org/mailman/listinfo/lug for more information
>


In reply to: Message from Grduprey at aol.com (Grduprey@aol.com) ([Leica] mother...)
Message from tedgrant at shaw.ca (Ted Grant) ([Leica] WAS: mother... NOW: DOING A BOOK!)
Message from nathan.wajsman at planet.nl (Nathan Wajsman) ([Leica] WAS: mother... NOW: DOING A BOOK!)