As a creative individual, the idea of compiling a collection of photos into a beautiful coffee table book is appealing. Imagining the finished product displayed on a customer’s table gives you just the inspiration needed to begin the project. You want to share your artwork, now all you need to do is learn how to make a stunning photography book.
When approaching this endeavor, it helps to have a grasp on the mechanics involved in self-publishing a photography book. Taking amazing photos is only the starting point of the process. Successfully pull together an art book that showcases your talent with these six fundamental steps.
Here’s How to Self-Publish a Photo Book
To help ensure that publishing your photo book goes smoothly, become familiar with the following steps to success:
1. Decide on a theme
Determine a concept or message and define your audience. These specifications will drive every decision you make from the outset of the project to its publication. Then, determine the story your photos will tell, and to whom they will tell it.
2. Edit your photos
This is a ruthless step that commands objectivity, even if you have to exclude some favorite shots. For visual and conceptual continuity, choose photographs that align with the theme or concept that the book is centered around. Once the photos are selected, use a professional editing program like Adobe Photoshop to maximize their visual quality.
3. Create a narrative
A self-published photo book is not just a collection of photographs slapped between two covers. The book must have direction and purpose for it to serve the goal of adding something valuable to the life of the reader or customer.
4. Tackle the design elements
This step is a formidable inflection point that may benefit from professional design services. The design elements include design layout, format, book size, font, paper stock, and varnish options, cover design, hard versus softcover, dust jacket versus fabric hardcover. As an art book, there is abundant latitude for innovation and creativity.
5. Edit the manuscript
If the photography book has a decent amount of text, such as a travel journal that accompanies the photos or a story that is highlighted by photographs, then hiring a proofreader or editor is essential to the final product appearing both professional and credible.
6. Decide on pricing
If you are creating a photo book to sell through an online channel and/or a retail presence, the retail price will dictate profitability. To arrive at the appropriate suggested retail price, there must be a thorough analysis of costs. Check out other titles in this genre to get an idea of the best price range for your photography book so it will be competitive.
Display Your Best Photography in a Beautifully Published Book
Now that you have a good feel for the nuts and bolts of how to self-publish a photo book, you may be recognizing the value of involving an expert in the process. If your goal is to sell the photography book, then accessing professional editing, design, and publishing guidance can be a game-changer. Consider partnering with Gatekeeper Press to help create a captivating book that beautifully displays your photography talent.
