8 Years Ago

Art Book Of Our Work To Show Potential Customers

So I know on some other sites they actually provide an option to take all your images and compile them into a book that you can then have shipped to you that you can then show clients your work - I think this could be a very useful feature of FAA to provide, for situations of say going to a new gallery and not wanting to haul around some work or a tablet with you to showcase your stuff.

I know I would buy it, as I am currently looking for such a thing. I know I could probably just go somewhere with a thumbdrive and have them print it and put it in a binder or something - but I think having a professionally made book would just make it look pretty sick - what do you guys think?

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

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Cynthia Decker

8 Years Ago

There are a few online services that will print a hardcover book for you. A few people here have them made as marketing tools. Blurb.com, and Lulu.com are two I know of.

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

it would be cool if the site actually did it though - because then you could even sell them to others as well - like a portfolio book.

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

what we think and what sean thinks are different things. buyers probably are not interested in a book, and i don't want to sell them dozens of framable prints in a small book. the amount of times one needs a book of their own prints in a day where electronics rule, it's like -- what is that thing? people like flipping through a batch, and you can keep it modern that way. otherwise you can do what cynthia said and get it that way. but i know i would never need one. seems pricey for what it is. with a tablet you can sort it by directory and show just the ones that would fit.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Cynthia Decker

8 Years Ago

It's a whole different kind of printing, and then there's binding and all that. I agree it might be a nice option, but it's an entirely different business, really. Not easy just to start cranking them out.

Joseph C Hinson

8 Years Ago

I can't even begin to imagine the cost involved of FAA printing these books.

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

"what we think and what shawn thinks are different things."

hehe yes this is very true - I have had people say that they would be interested in having a "coffee table book" of my work - which is essentially a big book of lower quality prints - I think the lower quality would be key so that they can't just go and frame them - just a quick way to show people the general idea of work so that they then want the real deal.

There is something to be said still about flipping through an actual book - and for many people it's like something fancy to showcase in their living room.

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Cynthia Decker

8 Years Ago

Another concern is that it's instantly dated. As soon as you make a new work the book is out of date. The flipside of that is that if you create them every few years, you get a nice little anthology of your images.

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

yeah exactly.

I believe flickr has an option to create photo books - it could be good if you have a substantial amount of art in a specific album - like my cosmic series which I have enough to make a whole book off of - I personally don't have a tablet and don't really fancy buying one just for that reason. It is something to consider for sure - by giving people cards you don't get that instant interest you do when they view your images.

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

and if you want it now, you'll have to wait a year and half to get it. it takes a long time to get things here. i'd try amazon, they have pod books also. economically, a book wouldn't make sense. if you want it on your own table, then fine. but i can't see people arranging pages and adding lines, etc to it. that's a lot of work. i would look into E-paper if they are still calling it that. and show things on that.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Mike Savad

8 Years Ago

you can play angry birds on a tablet.

or do silly selfies.

---Mike Savad
MikeSavad.com

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

another benefit is because I make lightboxes I can show people what they look like and what I can make them look like. I can toss them together myself or I can order them in and have them look really professional or the image can just be normal framed. I dunno I just like the potential options it gives me as I print pretty much all of my work :)

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Marlene Burns

8 Years Ago

I use blurb...and Cynthia is spot on...the minute my latest book came yesterday, I posted 4 new images..and I'd love fro them to be in the new book, but they will have to wait for the next.
In the meantime, Shawn, you can print ff PDF sheets that faa provides and have a quickie print place bind the pages for you....

Joseph C Hinson

8 Years Ago

Do the PDF files mention the new items yet? Like metal prints?

Just checked. No metal, acrylic, pillows or duvet covers.

Edward Fielding

8 Years Ago

Here's one of my books - I sell about 10 a month - http://www.amazon.com/Quotable-Westie-Photographs-Edward-Fielding/dp/1481084372

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

cool edward - something else to consider :)

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Edward Fielding

8 Years Ago

To get sales its like anything else - it takes an appealing product, promotion and time. Plus priced right for impulse gift buys. Nice thing is word of mouth can help out. Every book sale is an ad for my prints. Plus with books total readership is often more then the original buyer.

Marlene Burns

8 Years Ago

No Joseph.
Shawn is interested in images though.

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

yeah just the images for me - with possible links to the images or scan QR codes or whatever they are called - but the amazon book would be interesting - I am going to see how flickr compiles a book as it seems interesing

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Abbie Shores

8 Years Ago

Use the PDFs on your image page to create your book

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

yeah def. liking the pdf pages - probably will do that for now - but the amazon book idea is a good idea too :)

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Sarah Kersey

8 Years Ago

Did you check out GrooveBook...http://groovebook.com/

Alfred Ng

8 Years Ago

I am afraid the shipping charge likely cost more than the book and being in Canada there will the duty charge as well. Better to have it print locally, many outlets offer photo book printing.

Karen Jane Jones

8 Years Ago

I had one made up recently by vistaprint. In the month or so that I've had it, I have already gained two commissions that I wouldn't have had.
Mine is A6 size - small enough to fit into a handbag.

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

good for you Karen! Glad to hear it - very encouraging :)

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Karen Jane Jones

8 Years Ago

I actually had two copies made - one was posted back to myself by a signed for postal service (and will remain unopened). It is the cheapest and easiest way to claim copyright here in the UK. everything signed and dated.

I chose a broad range of image types for the book to show what I can do. I pass it around alongside my business cards when I am asked what my 'job' is, or when I am giving a short talk at a meeting.

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

that's really cool - what type of book is it - does it have a hard spine, ringed spine, etc?

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Robert Kernodle

8 Years Ago

Books of your own work turn out to be more for yourself than for anybody who might be interested in buying your work.

Such books are very expensive to produce professionally. You would have to pay big bucks to get such a book actually published as a hard copy. BIG bucks!

Adorama photography (at their website) enables you to design short photo books. Maybe this might be an option. I designed one of those, but never bought it. At the time, I think the cost for a 33 page book was under $100. ... not sure what that cost would be now.

Follow the good advice here, and make something yourself, if you really think that it might help your sales. Use your .pdf sales sheets, as suggested. I have done this for specific targeting of specific pieces before. Really, if all you need is a visual sample, ... a sales sheet seems to suffice just fine.

I am saying all this, having bitten the bullet three or so times in the past to get just a few images published in those vanity art books that you see solicitations for. There are companies in the business of capitalizing on YOUR very wish. AVOID dealing with them. Do NOT throw away your money this way. I have thrown away thousands (yep, you heard it right) of dollars (when I once had it) on such things. BIG waste. I would have been better to have spent that on my own private promotional campaign.

Vanity causes wasteful spending.

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

good advice - thanks everyone :)

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

so far I have had no issues but with 2 of my pieces clicking the pdf sheet just brings up the number "3" - no pdf - for these two:

http://shawndall.com/featured/cosmic-alien-eyes-original-shawn-dall.html
http://shawndall.com/featured/cosmic-alien-eyes-original-2-shawn-dall.html

EDIT - actually there are more with the 3 error - I will post them as I encounter them:

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

Shawn Dall

8 Years Ago

finally finished printing the pdfs - man, I have a small book! Crazy...

---Shawn Dall
ShawnDall.com

This discussion is closed.