Danny Talks: What's It Like Writing A Photo Book? Update 1
Hey guys!
It's been a while since I talked about writing approaches on here and I decided to step away from my current project to shed a little light on what it's like to work on a photo book. The focus of this latest book is dramatically different from all of the books that I've published over the past 8 years. I wanted to try something new, explore new territory and showcase some of my favourite photos that I've taken from all over Europe during my many adventures. It was challenging choosing cities and photos, but I think the collection shows the diversity of architecture, landscapes and waterscapes that adorn the face of mainland Europe.
I wanted to do something more than just add photos and caption them of where they were or the name of the building featured. I wanted to give some background information, make people want to see the sights, visit and take in what these places have to offer. So many people waste their lives doing the same old boring things; I can't be content doing that. I want to do and see the most amazing things. I wanted to showcase my love of the cities, mainly Germany that I spent time in. Over the past, well, decade I'll say, has become another home to me.
Sometimes it's so difficult to focus on the work. My mind races, it wants to see everything laid out before it. I don't really like doing things digitally. I know we're living in a digital age, but I'm all about the old school method. I want to touch the photos as I write about them. I want to be able to hold up sheets and see things spread out all at once to see how they come together. Its a challenge to do that with a photobook when you're printer is busted and you don't have money to fix it. I'm trying to use three different screens to work on it. I'm doing the book for the most part on my iMac and then using my MacBookPro and iPhone to remember photos, dates and places. And therein lies another problem.
The other issue that comes with it is trying to remember the names and locations of all the landmarks that you've shot. Some of the things I did years ago and I can't remember for various reasons, so I have to track them down with hours of Google searches with vague ideas of where they are. Like I have them in a city album, but I don't tag the exact place. I've gotten better with that and started using the geotagging on phones over the last 2 years, but before that where a lot of the work I shot in Germany was done didn't have that and don't have the digital camera I did a lot of the shooting on. Why don't digital cameras do that? Is somebody working on this?
This photo is an example of what I'm talking about. I love the shot, think it's beautiful, the only problem is, I can't remember where I shot it. It was just on my digital camera. I've done all that I know how to do to try and figure out where the fuck it was taken. I think it was somewhere in Poland. If anyone sees this and knows it, could you please let me know where the fuck it is?!
I'm working on trying to merge text with images and still keep it interesting. I want to draw people in, not only to my photography but showcase some of my favourite places. I want people who long to travel to be able to satisfy some of their wanderlust and live through the photobook. I want people to be able to enjoy the photos as much as I do when I look back on those amazing times. Maybe I've undertaken a bit of a large project, but I really want to make it work. Along with the calendar that I've released early to help produce sales, I'm doing photo prints of the photography featured in the book. Certain photos will be featured on mugs, throw pillows and such. If you have suggestions, again, please let me know!
Merch:https://www.redbubble.com/people/danielsnaps
Photo Prints: https://www.zazzle.com/dannysnaps
NEW WALL CALENDARS FOR 2019 ARE AVAILABLE NOW!
Wall: https://www.zazzle.com/2019_danny_snaps_photo_calendar_calendar-158262623857156953
Desk: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Store/As+You+Were+Calendar-1991539964?s=1097
I wanted to do something more than just add photos and caption them of where they were or the name of the building featured. I wanted to give some background information, make people want to see the sights, visit and take in what these places have to offer. So many people waste their lives doing the same old boring things; I can't be content doing that. I want to do and see the most amazing things. I wanted to showcase my love of the cities, mainly Germany that I spent time in. Over the past, well, decade I'll say, has become another home to me.
Sometimes it's so difficult to focus on the work. My mind races, it wants to see everything laid out before it. I don't really like doing things digitally. I know we're living in a digital age, but I'm all about the old school method. I want to touch the photos as I write about them. I want to be able to hold up sheets and see things spread out all at once to see how they come together. Its a challenge to do that with a photobook when you're printer is busted and you don't have money to fix it. I'm trying to use three different screens to work on it. I'm doing the book for the most part on my iMac and then using my MacBookPro and iPhone to remember photos, dates and places. And therein lies another problem.
The other issue that comes with it is trying to remember the names and locations of all the landmarks that you've shot. Some of the things I did years ago and I can't remember for various reasons, so I have to track them down with hours of Google searches with vague ideas of where they are. Like I have them in a city album, but I don't tag the exact place. I've gotten better with that and started using the geotagging on phones over the last 2 years, but before that where a lot of the work I shot in Germany was done didn't have that and don't have the digital camera I did a lot of the shooting on. Why don't digital cameras do that? Is somebody working on this?
This photo is an example of what I'm talking about. I love the shot, think it's beautiful, the only problem is, I can't remember where I shot it. It was just on my digital camera. I've done all that I know how to do to try and figure out where the fuck it was taken. I think it was somewhere in Poland. If anyone sees this and knows it, could you please let me know where the fuck it is?! I'm working on trying to merge text with images and still keep it interesting. I want to draw people in, not only to my photography but showcase some of my favourite places. I want people who long to travel to be able to satisfy some of their wanderlust and live through the photobook. I want people to be able to enjoy the photos as much as I do when I look back on those amazing times. Maybe I've undertaken a bit of a large project, but I really want to make it work. Along with the calendar that I've released early to help produce sales, I'm doing photo prints of the photography featured in the book. Certain photos will be featured on mugs, throw pillows and such. If you have suggestions, again, please let me know!
Merch:https://www.redbubble.com/people/danielsnaps
Photo Prints: https://www.zazzle.com/dannysnaps
NEW WALL CALENDARS FOR 2019 ARE AVAILABLE NOW!
Wall: https://www.zazzle.com/2019_danny_snaps_photo_calendar_calendar-158262623857156953
Desk: https://www.createphotocalendars.com/Store/As+You+Were+Calendar-1991539964?s=1097
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