Covid lockdown, my book, my zine

[Swift1]

Hi Robert,

I received my copy of the photozine version of your book about a week and a half ago, and I have been meaning to post some of my thoughts about it here.
First, I really like it. I like the concept and design, and your words really add to it.
I think the M10 images printed beautifully. I love the smooth tonality and the not too saturated colors in the color images. I especially like the photo of the wall with peeling plaster and the vine.

As I mentioned, I wanted to post sooner, but have been working myself on a new photozine, and with my health and having to lie down for most of the day now, everything seems to take forever.

Regardless, you have made something beautiful. Good work, Robert.

 

[robert blu]

Hi Colton, thanks for your words, much appreciated. Perhaps the photo of the wall was in my subconscious by your style.

The covid time was, and still is a frightening time Italy seems to be the country#2 for the number of deaths related to the population. As a photographer I had to do something about it, but when I took the photos I had no idea to make a book or a zine. I wanted simply recors the "feelings" od the moments, the days, sometimes fear, sometims hope, sometimes uncertainty.

Thanks again for your comment let me know when your next photozine will be ready.

Wish you all the best with your health, be strong!
With friendship, robert

 

[robert blu]

Robert,

How small an edition?

Perhaps if I turn down the crazy a bit I could make a few limited editions. LOL.

BTW printing is a big part of photography IMHO.

Cal

Hi Cal, small edition can be good. Or an edition limited in time, maybe available only for one or two months. And with the price increasing each week LOL it depends if you have an audience of possible buyers.

Last year when my wife and I made our (almost crazy) road trip to norway together with Raid we had opportunity to meet Helge Skodvin ( I asked him to sign his book I had bought a couple of years before) and he told me and Raid that with photo books you are already lucky when you do not loose money! A break even is already a success!

Unless you are a worldwide known and appreciated artist...

 

[mh2000]

Thanks Mark and Cal (Augie?) for your words. You know, I like to post pictures in the net mainly here in the gallery or on my blog but I think it is in the same time important to have a physical result from our passion, something that can be held in our hands and can last for a long time. This is why I decided to make it in form of book or zine.

And the covid lockdown was quite dramatic...I wanted to make something about it.

Yes, exactly! I do the same, also, when I show in galleries. I never make money and am really lucky to just break even, but the process of selection and working toward a physical realization takes it to the next level! It's pretty easy to put up images or galleries online than it is to go through the effort of printing, framing or self/publishing a complete book. I get a lot more feedback from my online galleries/blog posts, but making it "real" gives me more satisfaction and fires up some different neurons in the process!

🙂

 

[daveoo]

Post 14 is beautiful Robert. I am sure this was a helpful purpose during tough times. Hopefully these difficulties improve soon for all of us.

 

[robert blu]

A few days ago a friend ask me how was the process in the making of my book. Even if the photo had all be taken with a digital camera (M10) and LR allows a complete digital workflow I always like to work with physical images.

Therefore I make a first selection within LR and print the photo in small size. Than I make the (almost) the final selection and very important I prepare the sequence. Its a little bit confusing but also a pleasure to move the little prints on my table.

 

[robert blu]

After I have made a selection of the pictures and decided for the preliminary sequence I made small A6 booklets and paste the photos in them according to the sequence.

I can add title and the text.

Because I use removable tape it is easy to change where one photo should be in order to have a narrative.

I usually make more copies slightly diferent and than discuss them with my "editors"

working with the small physical images is more relaxing than sitting in front of a monitor and even if a little primitive the possibility to flip through the pages make the evaluation easier, more realistic.

And I find extremely useful to discuss the process with my friends who act as editors, unfortunately now it is only possible through skype. But at the end it is a good way to work from a digital start to an analog end !

 

[Calzone]

Robert,

To annoy people I printed 2x3 inch prints on sheets, cut them down to make them business cards, and utilized a rubber stamp I bought at staples to provide copyright and contact info.

It was a lot of work cutting then down.

These home made cards are of great quality, and pretty much I can make a portfolio because of all the different images I printed.

Small is great. Pretty much a small sample print.

Cal

 

[robert blu]

Great idea, maybe I can start to think to copy it! To copy not, to get inspired by my lazy slacker friend yes LOL

 

[raid]

These are wonderful ideas, and your beautiful work will show very nicely, Robert. I wish that I had such talents!

 

[Calzone]

Great idea, maybe I can start to think to copy it! To copy not, to get inspired by my lazy slacker friend yes LOL

Robert,

The rubber stamp makes a statement about being "hand-made" and resembles the stamping on some Bruce Davidson shots I own that have "Magnum" and a space to write the date.

I found this "kit" to assemble a self inking stamper at "Staples."

It is a mucho clever idea.

Cal