NY_Dan
Well-known
Hi Everybody. Thank you for taking the time to reply and offer feedback. I truly appreciate every response!
In terms of the 10-1 rating scale, all I can offer is that photography is so subjective, that it's impossible (for me at least) to come up with some sort of scale that's appropriate in all ways. I know some of us are very analytical -- nothing wrong with that -- but I'm happy with a subjective rating that can be influenced by any external factor.
Now it's time for me to share why I've refrained from sharing the back story regarding this thread. First off, I wanted to read everyone's input without it being influenced superfluous context.
This past June I was introduced to a Chicago publisher through my daughter's friend's friend of the publisher's son. Convoluted? You bet. The publisher was at a Chicago book fair. There I met his publishing partner. He told me he liked my work, and even recognized my 82-year old aunt -- but he didn't know why he recognized her. Whatever. Turns out he's in the long process of publishing these 8x8 inch 28 page (of photos) books for Alzheimer patients. Researchers have discovered that photo books with simple text like songs, are books that Alzheimer sufferers can follow. The idea is that home healthcare aides will sit down and go through the books with the patient. So they want a book that will appeal to the patient and provider. Got it? 🙂
So this is why the book is square -- which as a Rolleiflex shooter I love -- and it's also why most of the right hand pages have a white border -- for text. I created this book so the publisher could see which photos I would choose, their order and design.
The title No Man Is An Island -- although I pee'd myself at the suggestion it be called No Dan Is An Island -- was chosen by me because it's a famous quote and also because Manhattan is an Island -- I proved this by circumnavigation on the Circle Line 🙂 Other choices of mine were Manhattan, Manhattan Island, and Around Manhattan Island. Also, there's a famous young gospel/country band that has a song title with the same name, with lyrics that might work, and because they give to charity, they might want to help Alzheimer patients.
The reason for the photos of people, and the famous landmarks, and just about everything was because the publisher wanted the book to loosely tell a story. He gave me two sample books -- one was of ranch photos with the words to Home On The Range & the other was a book with photos from FSA photographers of the 1930's that was train related - starting with photos of Penn Station and traveling West to Arizona or so.
I had two concepts in mind. One was this trip around Manhattan. I only used about 7 or so photos from the Circle Line. Some others were taken from ferry trips between Manhattan and Brooklyn. The rest were from Roosevelt Island, Brooklyn, NYC and other areas. The photos are sequential -- so when you see the 59th St Bridge, photos before and after show nearby areas like the UN or Sutton Place, or Roosevelt Island.
The publisher told me my work would be on spec -- as in a spec of dust -- that's what we called it when I went pro back in the ice ages. If the book was accepted he would pay $1,000. Between film, chemicals, Circle Line, and travel I spent about $185. Then I spent about 100 hours developing, scanning and designing. And this doesn't include my costs involved with the other photos.
I sent the publisher all the photos and also the pdf. He told me he liked it very much. Then I didn't hear from him for many weeks. Finally I e-mailed him and asked for the status. He told me he liked it but his partner was lukewarm, and because they agreed when they partnered up that anything required complete agreement, they were passing it up. And that's that.
As photographers, most of us want to share our efforts with others -- especially other in-the-know like fellow photographers. I turned to you guys on RFF and also Tumblr (that's why I accidentally included my idiotic comment about hand developing mea culpa ) to share the photos. What else was there to do. Now that I've got that off my chest -- It's back to the salt mines as they say and shoot some more -- I'm hand developing 6 rolls as I type. 🙂
Lastly, I don't care if anyone is harsh or kicks my butt. I'm already out $185 so what could be worse 🙂
In terms of the 10-1 rating scale, all I can offer is that photography is so subjective, that it's impossible (for me at least) to come up with some sort of scale that's appropriate in all ways. I know some of us are very analytical -- nothing wrong with that -- but I'm happy with a subjective rating that can be influenced by any external factor.
Now it's time for me to share why I've refrained from sharing the back story regarding this thread. First off, I wanted to read everyone's input without it being influenced superfluous context.
This past June I was introduced to a Chicago publisher through my daughter's friend's friend of the publisher's son. Convoluted? You bet. The publisher was at a Chicago book fair. There I met his publishing partner. He told me he liked my work, and even recognized my 82-year old aunt -- but he didn't know why he recognized her. Whatever. Turns out he's in the long process of publishing these 8x8 inch 28 page (of photos) books for Alzheimer patients. Researchers have discovered that photo books with simple text like songs, are books that Alzheimer sufferers can follow. The idea is that home healthcare aides will sit down and go through the books with the patient. So they want a book that will appeal to the patient and provider. Got it? 🙂
So this is why the book is square -- which as a Rolleiflex shooter I love -- and it's also why most of the right hand pages have a white border -- for text. I created this book so the publisher could see which photos I would choose, their order and design.
The title No Man Is An Island -- although I pee'd myself at the suggestion it be called No Dan Is An Island -- was chosen by me because it's a famous quote and also because Manhattan is an Island -- I proved this by circumnavigation on the Circle Line 🙂 Other choices of mine were Manhattan, Manhattan Island, and Around Manhattan Island. Also, there's a famous young gospel/country band that has a song title with the same name, with lyrics that might work, and because they give to charity, they might want to help Alzheimer patients.
The reason for the photos of people, and the famous landmarks, and just about everything was because the publisher wanted the book to loosely tell a story. He gave me two sample books -- one was of ranch photos with the words to Home On The Range & the other was a book with photos from FSA photographers of the 1930's that was train related - starting with photos of Penn Station and traveling West to Arizona or so.
I had two concepts in mind. One was this trip around Manhattan. I only used about 7 or so photos from the Circle Line. Some others were taken from ferry trips between Manhattan and Brooklyn. The rest were from Roosevelt Island, Brooklyn, NYC and other areas. The photos are sequential -- so when you see the 59th St Bridge, photos before and after show nearby areas like the UN or Sutton Place, or Roosevelt Island.
The publisher told me my work would be on spec -- as in a spec of dust -- that's what we called it when I went pro back in the ice ages. If the book was accepted he would pay $1,000. Between film, chemicals, Circle Line, and travel I spent about $185. Then I spent about 100 hours developing, scanning and designing. And this doesn't include my costs involved with the other photos.
I sent the publisher all the photos and also the pdf. He told me he liked it very much. Then I didn't hear from him for many weeks. Finally I e-mailed him and asked for the status. He told me he liked it but his partner was lukewarm, and because they agreed when they partnered up that anything required complete agreement, they were passing it up. And that's that.
As photographers, most of us want to share our efforts with others -- especially other in-the-know like fellow photographers. I turned to you guys on RFF and also Tumblr (that's why I accidentally included my idiotic comment about hand developing mea culpa ) to share the photos. What else was there to do. Now that I've got that off my chest -- It's back to the salt mines as they say and shoot some more -- I'm hand developing 6 rolls as I type. 🙂
Lastly, I don't care if anyone is harsh or kicks my butt. I'm already out $185 so what could be worse 🙂
