Making a book

<p>Hi. If you were making a book of your photos to sell at, for example, craft fairs:<br>

1. How many photos would you put in it?<br>

2. How much would you charge with reference to 1?<br>

3. What size book is popular?<br>

I know it depends on other variables, but an indication however broad, would help.</p>

Hugh,

I too am wondering the same thing. I just made a book of my own on Adorama and am waiting for it to arrive to see if its as nice as I hope it will be. Adorama allows you to sell your book on their site, so I'm considering something like that myself. For me it would a huge leap to put my work out there :) I put 48 photos in my book but they have alot of other choices. I don't know that there is a certain "way" to do it, but I thought perhaps offer two size choices and maybe two themes....i.e. one book of say landscape photos and one of flowers and nature. It seems the possibilities are endless. Anyway I hope it works out for you.

<p>I was in the Cancer Society thrift store last night. I picked up a LIFE magazine book with 100 of the world's best photos. A nicely made book of good quality. It was $2.00. They had a 2-foot pile of National Geographic mags for 10-cents each. Costco, WalMart and Borders are filled with picture books - coffee table books - books of beautiful photos. Usually found in the remainder or sale bin for less than $10. All of which is to say, "beautiful photos in books are cheap."<br>

So, you might want to think toward the higher quantity end of making books of pictures. Of course, it all depends on price. Is a book of 100 beautiful photos worth $10 or $100 to a buyer? If it's Annie Liebowitz maybe the latter, if it's an unknown, maybe the former. I would pay more attention to what people are buying at fairs than what others are selling.</p>

What would be the subject matter of the photos in this book? Nice photos of a lot of different stuff would most likely not garner much interest. Photos of antique and restored automobiles would find a better market. Photos of dogs, cats and horses would be of interest to dog, cat and horse lovers. I have a coffee table book titled "Oregon" full of photos of landscapes, wild animals and local scenes. There is a short descriptive paragraph with each photo, 157 pages. It was sent to me by a friend who lives in Oregon.

<p>Well, thanks, a lot of aspects to consider. The theme will be The Netherlands, James, landscapes and people.</p>

<p>The main issue is going to be price. If you make a photo book through Lulu or Blurb, for example, even using the cheapest paper and binding options, you will be hard-pressed to be able to charge more than a buck or two beyond your own cost of production (for a $20 book).</p>

<p>On the other hand, I know a guy who makes his own prints on matte paper, staples the sides, puts black tape over the staples, and voila. Homemade booklet. He gives them out to people he photographs on the streets. Very cheap to produce, and a nice unique product. You can see a picture of those booklets (just below the coffee cup) in the bottom photo in this post: <a href="http://www.citysnaps.net/blog/?p=4527">http://www.citysnaps.net/blog/?p=4527</a></p>

<p>I agree with what both James and John said: selling a personal book on the open market is primarily a factor of both content and pricing.</p>

<p>Let me give you an example: I am primarily a travel photographer. I travel three-four times a year and shoot extensively, mostly for local magazines, newspapers, etc. After every trip, I make a photo book through Blurb. Much like Adorama, Blurb allows you to sell your books through their bookstore and even make a profit. Now, my books have been selling - not like hot cakes, far from it, but they are selling.</p>

<p>And now that I have over 10 for sale, I can tell you this: the ones with the more unusual destinations sell better than those where famous photographers have also covered in detail (i.e. Jordan and Vietnam sell better than Africa, Iceland sells better than Rome etc, etc.) Also, cheaper books outsell the more expensive ones 5-to-1...once you cross the psychological threshold of 50 USD, people will almost always go for the cheaper option.</p>

<p>So, I would make a book with a theme - even if this theme is "black and white photography" (if, for example, you do not have enough images for a wholly themed book). I would take enormous care to make sure the files and the ensuing prints are top-notch and I would then cater to the slightly more upmarket crowd...;-))))</p>

<p>I wish you all the best - it's an exciting new journey you're embarking on...;-)))</p>

<p>Thanks, Marios, and John.<br>

In terms of selling, I wonder if single prints, as I say, at craft fairs, might be a better way to go than books?</p>