If you have a photo site or photo blog, YOU can help change the way photography books are funded and published!
Please see http://cameraquest.com/fair_witness_kickstarter.htm for instructions on posting David Keenan's Kickstarter project on YOUR site or blog.
While you are helping David, you will also be helping all the other photographers who will use this same home grown type of advertising.
Maybe YOUR book or project will be the next to be funded!
I have done the same, posting David's link on home page
http://CameraQuest.com
Maybe, just maybe, photographers can make a difference working together!
Best to all,
Stephen
Please see http://cameraquest.com/fair_witness_kickstarter.htm for instructions on posting David Keenan's Kickstarter project on YOUR site or blog.
While you are helping David, you will also be helping all the other photographers who will use this same home grown type of advertising.
Maybe YOUR book or project will be the next to be funded!
I have done the same, posting David's link on home page
http://CameraQuest.com
Maybe, just maybe, photographers can make a difference working together!
Best to all,
Stephen
maddoc
... likes film again.
Thanks for the HU! A good idea, just done.
http://maddoc2003jp.com/2014/06/16/fair-witness-kickstarter/
http://maddoc2003jp.com/2014/06/16/fair-witness-kickstarter/
NY_Dan
Well-known
Post made in response to a deleted comment from another member regarding the difficulties facing traditional photo book publishers and why photographers might choose other avenues such as Kickstarter for getting their book printed by methods other than one-off inkjet. Good luck to all photographers in their self-publishing efforts. 
1) If a publisher doesn't choose to publish a photographer's work, there is most likely no connection to this choice and the quality of the work. A publisher will publish work that has a measurable market. Books retail for 8 x cost -- which is a terrible ratio. Cd's are 12x. At 8 x, distribution and bookstores take over half. The math is bad. If a photographer has a solid sales reputation then the publisher can make an informed business decision, and what doesn't sell right away will sell in the publisher's back list. Look at my favorite photo book seller Steidl -- they publish the best, with top quality, and for photographers whose work is in high demand and they do conservative runs. So an unknown, even of very high quality is a hard sell.
2) Yes, books can be viewed online or as an e-book -- but the viewing experience and impact is different. Fine traditional prints would for many be ideal, followed by a quality printed book. It's up to the individual to buy "this chap's" book or not. I find calling a fellow photographer a chap to be condescending -- whatever.
3) Why pay for another photographer's expenses -- well again, that's up to you. I imagine if you contribute the retail cost of a book, you would receive a book -- hopefully signed. Support levels generally come with incentives. Of course if you don't like the photos, then don't get involved. If someone else wants to help don't be a party pooper -- it's their money to do with as they please.
4) As for sharing profits -- reread #1 -- book profits? LOL!
5) If you want others to help pay for a book of yours, then shoot shoot shoot, and prepare it, and put it on Kickstarter or elsewhere and see where it goes.
As for me, I don't know if I will or wont contribute -- I'll take a look and see. If I don't buy, I still hope the photographer is successful with his efforts -- rising water lifts all boats. Personally I like Blurb books -- I get a printed book, albeit of lesser printing quality, but I can be more productive and move on to the next books -- I don't have to spend a huge amount of time pursuing the holy grail -- a publisher, or have books in remainder bins -- selling books is hard -- much easier to sell Gary Fong flash gizmos
1) If a publisher doesn't choose to publish a photographer's work, there is most likely no connection to this choice and the quality of the work. A publisher will publish work that has a measurable market. Books retail for 8 x cost -- which is a terrible ratio. Cd's are 12x. At 8 x, distribution and bookstores take over half. The math is bad. If a photographer has a solid sales reputation then the publisher can make an informed business decision, and what doesn't sell right away will sell in the publisher's back list. Look at my favorite photo book seller Steidl -- they publish the best, with top quality, and for photographers whose work is in high demand and they do conservative runs. So an unknown, even of very high quality is a hard sell.
2) Yes, books can be viewed online or as an e-book -- but the viewing experience and impact is different. Fine traditional prints would for many be ideal, followed by a quality printed book. It's up to the individual to buy "this chap's" book or not. I find calling a fellow photographer a chap to be condescending -- whatever.
3) Why pay for another photographer's expenses -- well again, that's up to you. I imagine if you contribute the retail cost of a book, you would receive a book -- hopefully signed. Support levels generally come with incentives. Of course if you don't like the photos, then don't get involved. If someone else wants to help don't be a party pooper
-- it's their money to do with as they please.4) As for sharing profits -- reread #1 -- book profits? LOL!
5) If you want others to help pay for a book of yours, then shoot shoot shoot, and prepare it, and put it on Kickstarter or elsewhere and see where it goes.
As for me, I don't know if I will or wont contribute -- I'll take a look and see. If I don't buy, I still hope the photographer is successful with his efforts -- rising water lifts all boats. Personally I like Blurb books -- I get a printed book, albeit of lesser printing quality, but I can be more productive and move on to the next books -- I don't have to spend a huge amount of time pursuing the holy grail -- a publisher, or have books in remainder bins -- selling books is hard -- much easier to sell Gary Fong flash gizmos
huddy
Well-known
All of the complaining about being forced to pay for someone else's book is unfounded. Unlike taxes, Kickstarter campaigns are entirely voluntary; additionally, it is possible to be motivated by desires other than financial profit.
I'm not here to argue that a publisher can't add value by selecting good work and publishing it in a book form. Why should there only be a small group of gatekeepers that determine what photographs should go into a book?
I'm not here to argue that a publisher can't add value by selecting good work and publishing it in a book form. Why should there only be a small group of gatekeepers that determine what photographs should go into a book?
bojanfurst
Well-known
Neat project. I have supported several photography related projects on Kickstarter and IndieGoGo. These are interesting platforms and I am glad that they exist as an additional funding option for photographers. Hate is a strong word, but I certainly have concerns about crowdfuding.
First of all, we should not let publishers, magazines and other traditional supporters of photography so easily off the hook. Most of these crowdfunded projects force the photographer (and the backers) to assume all the risks up front and eventually, once the work is produced, the photographer will publish a book/story usually through a traditional and sometimes large publisher with the publishers taking their cut without putting a dime towards the project. That's just wrong.
The second problem I have with this is when the projects are focused on an issue or a situation where a photographer will have to put himself or herself at a considerable physical risk in order to complete work. If that photographer has a backing of an agency like Magnum or VII, fine. They have necessary connections to ensure good chance of completing their project safely when things go sideways.
The third problem is that, from my experience, crowdfunding campaigns that require substantial funds work well for well-known photographers. They can garner enough support outside of their immediate social network to make the funding come together. They can do that because their names are well known and they often have a marketing support of their agency or collective. I have funded a couple of Magnum and a VII project that were of particular interest to me. May be that is as it should be, but it is a mistake to think that crowdfunding can replace support small community newspapers, regional magazines and small publishers used to provide to photographers working on issues that will never make your evening news, but are important to those communities.
I am happy to keep supporting those projects I find of interest, but I do think that crowd funding cannot be THE model to fund new work. There is certainly place for it, but we also need to be critical about the ways meaningful work gets funded today.
Oy... Sorry for a long rant.
First of all, we should not let publishers, magazines and other traditional supporters of photography so easily off the hook. Most of these crowdfunded projects force the photographer (and the backers) to assume all the risks up front and eventually, once the work is produced, the photographer will publish a book/story usually through a traditional and sometimes large publisher with the publishers taking their cut without putting a dime towards the project. That's just wrong.
The second problem I have with this is when the projects are focused on an issue or a situation where a photographer will have to put himself or herself at a considerable physical risk in order to complete work. If that photographer has a backing of an agency like Magnum or VII, fine. They have necessary connections to ensure good chance of completing their project safely when things go sideways.
The third problem is that, from my experience, crowdfunding campaigns that require substantial funds work well for well-known photographers. They can garner enough support outside of their immediate social network to make the funding come together. They can do that because their names are well known and they often have a marketing support of their agency or collective. I have funded a couple of Magnum and a VII project that were of particular interest to me. May be that is as it should be, but it is a mistake to think that crowdfunding can replace support small community newspapers, regional magazines and small publishers used to provide to photographers working on issues that will never make your evening news, but are important to those communities.
I am happy to keep supporting those projects I find of interest, but I do think that crowd funding cannot be THE model to fund new work. There is certainly place for it, but we also need to be critical about the ways meaningful work gets funded today.
Oy... Sorry for a long rant.
This thread was hijacked by those not liking Kickstarter. That topic is another subject entirely and does not belong in this thread IMO.
I've cleaned up the thread to keep it on topic to help fund David Keenan's book.
If photographers work together to promote good Kickstarter projects via the cookie cutter promo method I have suggested at http://cameraquest.com/fair_witness_kickstarter.htm at the end of the day I think we will see more good photo books published than we would have otherwise.
Please consider posting the Fair Witness jpg, suggesting your readers do the same, and help David in this.
With luck this marketing approach might help YOU get a book published in the future.
We as photographers have a chance to help each other. Let's do it!
Stephen
I've cleaned up the thread to keep it on topic to help fund David Keenan's book.
If photographers work together to promote good Kickstarter projects via the cookie cutter promo method I have suggested at http://cameraquest.com/fair_witness_kickstarter.htm at the end of the day I think we will see more good photo books published than we would have otherwise.
Please consider posting the Fair Witness jpg, suggesting your readers do the same, and help David in this.
With luck this marketing approach might help YOU get a book published in the future.
We as photographers have a chance to help each other. Let's do it!
Stephen
Only 5 days more to go!
$19,000 plus raised
$5,000 to meet the publishing goal.
SFAIK, this is the most successful RFF member Kickstarter fund raising for publishing a photo book (that I am aware of).
Only $60 gets you a signed 1st edition!
Please consider signing up and helping Fair Witness get published !
Best,
Stephen
$19,000 plus raised
$5,000 to meet the publishing goal.
SFAIK, this is the most successful RFF member Kickstarter fund raising for publishing a photo book (that I am aware of).
Only $60 gets you a signed 1st edition!
Please consider signing up and helping Fair Witness get published !
Best,
Stephen