I'd be interested in how you make your editorial decisions. I can eliminate the real chaff and select the very few really good ones but can never really judve the bulk of the just good work.
Like any creative process it's hard to put down an overall prescription that works for every project or every photographer. As noted above the definition of a shape and size certainly helps. Other things I find useful that you may want to think about...
1. When you are further along in the process as described, making small prints helps me a lot. Laying them next to each other and seeing how they work sequentially and what juxtaposition are visually or editorially interesting. Sometimes it even identifies holes where you need another picture to tie something together. It also tends to illustrate "thru-lines" more clearly and which images although good just do not "fit". This seems far more fluid to me than looking at array on the computer. If you can't do this using custom sequencing in LR or C1 may help as well.
2. A tall order... find a few people that you trust with differing point of views and get feedback. They don't have to be photographers and if they are make sure you don't have a competitive relationship. Be careful, feedback should inform not dictate and you WILL get some that is contradictory. Take a bit of time to figure out what that feedback actually means as people have a difficult time with words regarding pictures. One or two people that understand what you are tying to do that you trust can make a world of difference toward the end of a project. Don't involve anyone too early, before you figure out what a particular project is trying to say or the overall editorial voice for it.
Hope that helps, maybe some other people have some tips as well.
Ps. I don't want to go all sales-y here but we run a once a year workshop locally that has four photographers where the entire weekend is dedicated to editorial work and the end product is a beautiful printed portfolio. For most attendees it really helps a lot.
Ps. on a more specific note, I'll try to figure out a good way to display the project from above and discuss the specific process and decisions I made from an image perspective...
I appreciate the candor and tone with which you write your newsletters. It’s refreshing to read how-to with “nuts and bolts” (and warts and all). Thanks!
Wow, I'm blushing... well not really, that's a lie. I am pretty much an open book with everything but my feelings (umm, long story = and old guy so there's that...)
I am glad you like a more conversational tone, my compatriots that help out with this little community all voted and conversational is as far as I'm allowed to go. I was really pushing for giving me a bit of "rant" leeway as 1 in 10 are kinda amusing but they said no.
As with everything one man's meat is another's poison.
Seriously thank you so much for the input and I do take it to heart.
Thanks for the comment, I'll start mixing that in but always feel free to ask if you're curious or I don't cover something that you feel is super important.
Just FYI...
For this project I used JPEG adobeRGB images at "full quality" meaning little or no compression so no artifacts.
These were embedded in a document that was CMYK color space (a few different profiles depending on the service), I then exported to PDF 1/X with all images converted to CMYK and the profile of the document rather than embedded RGB. All newer PDF documents support that but PDF 1/X does NOT which ensures everything is converted on my end where I can see and proof it the way it will end up at the press where the rubber meets the road.
Lastly I used Affinity Publisher (am kind of testing that as well) but In Design is great if you already pay the Adobe subscription for the full suite. I am surprise at how fast Affinity Publisher has progressed and is perfectly acceptable for most work of this type now. I would not have said that a year or two ago.
I'd typically use InDesign as I am used to it but...
This time I am using Affinity Publisher. It's missing a few things that InDesign does but it's generally easier to use for someone that's not used InDesign, it's DIRT CHEAP, and for 99% of people looking for something that has far more features and flexibility in multipage layouts than Word/Pages, Photoshop, or other non-layout tool it's great. The latest updates really helped and it's not nearly as quirky as it was a year or two ago.
Hope that helps.
Ps. Like anything else if you are not used to a page layout tool there is a learning curve. If you are not doing anything complicated the online tutorials should be more than enough. Simple is best in most cases anyway.
Just what I needed today. I had an idea that's been stewing for a while, and this is the nudge I needed to get my plan together with a deadline. THANKS!
Thank you for this post. At the end of each year I curate and edit my images to pick the top 10-12. I have been considering creating books of my best of year images but have not taken the plunge yet. I would like to hear about your process of design and production for a book. Perhaps this will nudge me past my hesitancy.
Stay tuned Larry. There will be more. Until then It may be interesting if you take a look at those 10-12 from every year and see if there's a narrative that's not chronological. In other words, it can be quite illuminating when you take a look and start to see patterns, stories and subject matter that is not just a chronological retrospective. See what other "boxes" or themes exist. You may surprise yourself.
My moment of truth with my photography came when I decided to have two shows in the same year. These were my first shows and this was the year. Besides needing to have my head examined in making this decision, the real deadlines to produce prints drove me to cut my Lightroom catalogue in half and narrow down my four-star images to a manageable small number. I still do not have a five-star image, maybe in 2022. In the process, I was able to refine my creative voice - something I have struggled with for years. Yes, I am better at this kind of image, than that. This subject draws me more than that one. Once my second show is over (soon, whew!) I will be taking my camera out with a refreshed vision. It is worth the work and making all those prints, especially the ones that made their way to the trash.
Thanks for sharing this. Deadlines, constraints, and doing the work makes one a better editor because you actually have to edit. One of the positive effects of this is that it also informs future work in a big way. I find this especially helps on long term projects.
I'd be interested in how you make your editorial decisions. I can eliminate the real chaff and select the very few really good ones but can never really judve the bulk of the just good work.
Like any creative process it's hard to put down an overall prescription that works for every project or every photographer. As noted above the definition of a shape and size certainly helps. Other things I find useful that you may want to think about...
1. When you are further along in the process as described, making small prints helps me a lot. Laying them next to each other and seeing how they work sequentially and what juxtaposition are visually or editorially interesting. Sometimes it even identifies holes where you need another picture to tie something together. It also tends to illustrate "thru-lines" more clearly and which images although good just do not "fit". This seems far more fluid to me than looking at array on the computer. If you can't do this using custom sequencing in LR or C1 may help as well.
2. A tall order... find a few people that you trust with differing point of views and get feedback. They don't have to be photographers and if they are make sure you don't have a competitive relationship. Be careful, feedback should inform not dictate and you WILL get some that is contradictory. Take a bit of time to figure out what that feedback actually means as people have a difficult time with words regarding pictures. One or two people that understand what you are tying to do that you trust can make a world of difference toward the end of a project. Don't involve anyone too early, before you figure out what a particular project is trying to say or the overall editorial voice for it.
Hope that helps, maybe some other people have some tips as well.
Ps. I don't want to go all sales-y here but we run a once a year workshop locally that has four photographers where the entire weekend is dedicated to editorial work and the end product is a beautiful printed portfolio. For most attendees it really helps a lot.
How would I find out about this workshop? What is "Locally?" Thanks.
It's in Havre de Grace MD...
I think it's filled for our November edition right now. Here's some info:
https://lesterpickerphoto.com/products/portfolio-workshop/
shoot Les an email and I am sure that he can hold a spot for the next one.
Ps. on a more specific note, I'll try to figure out a good way to display the project from above and discuss the specific process and decisions I made from an image perspective...
I appreciate the candor and tone with which you write your newsletters. It’s refreshing to read how-to with “nuts and bolts” (and warts and all). Thanks!
Wow, I'm blushing... well not really, that's a lie. I am pretty much an open book with everything but my feelings (umm, long story = and old guy so there's that...)
I am glad you like a more conversational tone, my compatriots that help out with this little community all voted and conversational is as far as I'm allowed to go. I was really pushing for giving me a bit of "rant" leeway as 1 in 10 are kinda amusing but they said no.
As with everything one man's meat is another's poison.
Seriously thank you so much for the input and I do take it to heart.
RB
Thanks. That was very useful and helpful. I'd be interested in some tech details -- jpg vs pdf formats, paper options, production software, etc.
Thanks for the comment, I'll start mixing that in but always feel free to ask if you're curious or I don't cover something that you feel is super important.
Just FYI...
For this project I used JPEG adobeRGB images at "full quality" meaning little or no compression so no artifacts.
These were embedded in a document that was CMYK color space (a few different profiles depending on the service), I then exported to PDF 1/X with all images converted to CMYK and the profile of the document rather than embedded RGB. All newer PDF documents support that but PDF 1/X does NOT which ensures everything is converted on my end where I can see and proof it the way it will end up at the press where the rubber meets the road.
Lastly I used Affinity Publisher (am kind of testing that as well) but In Design is great if you already pay the Adobe subscription for the full suite. I am surprise at how fast Affinity Publisher has progressed and is perfectly acceptable for most work of this type now. I would not have said that a year or two ago.
Stay tuned for more.
Which program did you use to create your lay-out?
Hi Meryl,
I'd typically use InDesign as I am used to it but...
This time I am using Affinity Publisher. It's missing a few things that InDesign does but it's generally easier to use for someone that's not used InDesign, it's DIRT CHEAP, and for 99% of people looking for something that has far more features and flexibility in multipage layouts than Word/Pages, Photoshop, or other non-layout tool it's great. The latest updates really helped and it's not nearly as quirky as it was a year or two ago.
Hope that helps.
Ps. Like anything else if you are not used to a page layout tool there is a learning curve. If you are not doing anything complicated the online tutorials should be more than enough. Simple is best in most cases anyway.
Thanks. You've provided some excellent information.
Just what I needed today. I had an idea that's been stewing for a while, and this is the nudge I needed to get my plan together with a deadline. THANKS!
good luck and be sure to let us know how it goes!
Thank you for this post. At the end of each year I curate and edit my images to pick the top 10-12. I have been considering creating books of my best of year images but have not taken the plunge yet. I would like to hear about your process of design and production for a book. Perhaps this will nudge me past my hesitancy.
Stay tuned Larry. There will be more. Until then It may be interesting if you take a look at those 10-12 from every year and see if there's a narrative that's not chronological. In other words, it can be quite illuminating when you take a look and start to see patterns, stories and subject matter that is not just a chronological retrospective. See what other "boxes" or themes exist. You may surprise yourself.
My moment of truth with my photography came when I decided to have two shows in the same year. These were my first shows and this was the year. Besides needing to have my head examined in making this decision, the real deadlines to produce prints drove me to cut my Lightroom catalogue in half and narrow down my four-star images to a manageable small number. I still do not have a five-star image, maybe in 2022. In the process, I was able to refine my creative voice - something I have struggled with for years. Yes, I am better at this kind of image, than that. This subject draws me more than that one. Once my second show is over (soon, whew!) I will be taking my camera out with a refreshed vision. It is worth the work and making all those prints, especially the ones that made their way to the trash.
Thanks for sharing this. Deadlines, constraints, and doing the work makes one a better editor because you actually have to edit. One of the positive effects of this is that it also informs future work in a big way. I find this especially helps on long term projects.
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