if -- my new book made from faves 2010-2014

[cz23]

Hi Dan. I like it better, but I think it could be stronger still with more editing. It sure is a different book without the spreads.

What I'm personally coming to with street photography is that there must be strong content, strong form, or both. People just sitting or walking or otherwise doing nothing special in an unremarkable setting don't make engaging images for me. Not that I'm there myself, but I'm working on it. For example, your pages 37, 47, 61, 63 , and 69 are in that category for me. Contrast them with, say, 65 and 71, which I find much more appealing.

Just my point of view, mind you, which ultimately should not matter to your vision and your book.

John

 

[jsrockit]

Dan, I would be very careful in allowing others, from various ability levels / perspectives, to edit your work for you. You know what you are doing. I actually enjoyed the original version more.

 

[VTHokiEE]

Dan, I would be very careful in allowing others, from various ability levels / perspectives, to edit your work for you. You know what you are doing.

Completely agree with this statement, and I fall into the too novice to make a meaningful critique of images group. I do prefer to have some white space surrounding an image instead of an image that takes up the entire page (so the style of the second edit appeals to me over the first, but to each their own). The second edit also felt more connected(?), as people have previously mentioned the first edit does feel like it had multiple "books" within. Great work, wish I had anywhere near that many great shoots to put into a book!

 

[NY_Dan]

Thank MikeAUS, johnwolf, jsrockit and VTHokiEE. I'm incorporating your feedback. jsrockit -- I know what you mean -- in the end I have to make the final decisions -- I want the feedback from anyone and everyone (a "beginner" perspective might be the best because it will have less "dogma" perhaps) so I can see what resonates with others. I can look at the photos on my computer, and view prints or books I make anytime I want, and have my own favorites -- but if I'm going to share the photos with others online, then I want to get a sense of what people respond to. Hopefully this will make me more objective. Some shots I like might be well composed or pretty, but not say that much -- so I have to make decisions. I've recently viewed my previous books, and many shots that I liked more previously, I now like less.

For a printed book having white space is around an image is one experience. If I make it a full page, then some image is lost in trimming and in the gutter between pages (Blurb books don't lay flat). But the full page does look better to me online, where these issues don't exist.

 

[jsrockit]

I've recently viewed my previous books, and many shots that I liked more previously, I now like less.

Which is why I make my monthly books... they are great editing tools. You quickly (and sometimes slowly) figure out what works and what continues to work for you.

 

[cz23]

...Hopefully this will make me more objective....

I think "objective" is exactly what you don't want. A photo book is an entirely subjective vision of the photographer. I would follow jsrockit's great advice. Take a long walk, or however you contemplate--but away from the photos. Decide what you want to achieve and then implement that.

John

 

[NY_Dan]

I think "objective" is exactly what you don't want. A photo book is an entirely subjective vision of the photographer. I would follow jsrockit's great advice. Take a long walk, or however you contemplate--but away from the photos. Decide what you want to achieve and then implement that.

John

I want to be objective on some levels -- sometimes nice bokeh, light, tones, contrast whatever can be so seductive that I want so include that image, when it doesn't need to be included. I have to remind myself these aren't "real" or mass produced books -- I can always make a version just for me for $4.99 as a PDF. But if I want to share an online book with others, then I have to make it for the viewers. That's not to say I abandon subjectivity -- I just hope to find the line between self-indulgence and subjectivity. Shooting film I can't do a monthly book, except in certain cases like my trip to Chicago -- but 65 rolls of film, 9 days of shooting, 2 days of travel, processing, scanning and designing -- well that's a rare event -- and it's going with greatly reduced if any income for one-month. I want to do the same thing with a trip to LA so I better have my head examined. I like the photos I take on these trips -- but seriously? 🙂 A book (and I use the term loosely) every 3 or 4 months -- that's more realistic. Sometimes wish I could get a full frame digital back for my Rolleiflex.