[BPB] Boards.ie Photography Yearbook 2009 - Planning stage - [!! POLL ADDED !!]

cooligPhoto

I may be submitting an image.

Longshanks100 wrote: »

I've been reading this thread with great interest. I'll definitely submit an image and will definitely buy the book (wish i'd been around her this time last year) but the question is, will it be good enough to be considered. Surely there will be a process to weed out the weaker contributions i.e. maybe the likes of mine, who are noobs?

Absolutely not - it's up to each contributor to pick what they (or their friends) decide which photo they want to put in.

There were a few shots that could have been considered "weak" in last years book but we're amateur photographers. We've all (hopefully) improved with experience. I look at some of my weak shots now and think how they would have been strong in my early years.

If you have a photo you consider good enough to go into the book, put it in. As I said last year, the proud feeling of being published for the first time is something you'll never forget.

astimpson

I may be submitting an image.

Stupid question here guys but how does one upload a picture to the Book?

Morrisseeee

I may be submitting an image.

how does one upload a picture to the Book?

No, we are only getting names at this stage. I suspect submission will be a few months away yet.

astimpson

I may be submitting an image.

Ah grand stuff i was reading through everyones post trying to figure it out lol thanks for the quick response ill defo upload and buy it no worries its a great idea . . .

ThOnda

I may be submitting an image.

I promise to summarise all process of the last book soon.
First, we have to find out how many people will be interested.
We have to find out possibilities of printing the book in relation to number of pages.
Afterwards we have to agree on printing service, price, payments and delivery.
Submission of the pictures is one of the last parts. We cannot begin to receive pictures until everything is sorted and agreed.

CabanSail

I may be submitting an image.

I wonder how long the poll on this thread should stay open. There is no closing date at present.

ThOnda

I may be submitting an image.

Keep it opened till we find final solutions for the printing. And maybe the poll should be mentioned in the name of the thread - not everybody reads all the mumbo-jumbo here

dakar

I may be submitting an image.

Down with mumbo jumbo!:mad:

Down with polls!:mad:


Bring back ThOndocracy!:D

Mycroft H

I may be submitting an image.

I was just thinking, why dont we create a pix.ie group so we can deposit all the images there??

Where was the book sold last year?

Pigwidgeon

I may be submitting an image.

was sold on blurb.
there was an announcement here and people put posters around the place. then most people had links to it in their sigs aswell.

Fionn

I may be submitting an image.

i didn't manage to get a photograph in last year, cant remember - bad timing or something, anyway i'd be up for it this year tho.
I think it should be open to everyone on the forum here and perhaps some payment up front would certainly separate the chaff from the wheat
(it worked well enough for the exhibition)

On the quality issue, a good idea would, indeed be to get a sample copy first then as was pointed out adjustments could be made as appropriate.

and if i may be so bold as to suggest that if they are willing, the same members undertake the Project Management tasks as they did to such success last year!

Eirebear

I may be submitting an image.

I'd love to submit something to this again this year, and im more than willing to help out with organisation/logistics if needed by the guys and gals who done a fantastic job last year.

mrmac

I may be submitting an image.

Ok, bite the bullet time - I'll definitely submit a photo - if for no other reason but to push myself over the Summer!

Plus - if there's any way I can help with communications (emails, newsletters, mailing lists etc), or even logistics (small van - sat nav - sense of adventure!), I'd be glad to help out.

May I make one small suggestion? Should anyone who wishes to contribute a photo, be asked to pay the full book price (when determined) in advance? This will help narrow down the applications, and could pay for the printing etc. It could also help get some extra media coverage, if at the launch, we where able to present a donation to SSF.

As for Blurb, I think that's a great idea; but if it's decided to get them printed, I could help out with delivery from Dublin to the North West.

ThOnda

I may be submitting an image.

As far as I can see it so far, everything stays on printing. Could we impose some date till when it has to be solved and decided (by major vote)?

Holidays are coming, so what about the last of June for gathering information. That will give us facts how much is it going to cost, what about transport and so on and so forth. After that we can set up strict rules, e.g. - apply for a page, pay, get confirmation on payment, submit picture, get book.

mrmac

I may be submitting an image.

If privately printing is the chosen route, is this years book going to be based on last years format, i.e. style, lettering, layout etc? Are these layouts available somewhere? I'd think these layouts would be very useful when trying to establish a quotation from a printer, especially if it's for a small run.

I would also expect some, fairly strict, conditions from any printers. Like agreed content, well in advance. Finalised quantity (no asking for a few more!), and even payment in advance!

There are quite a few publishers, here, in Ireland. I don't know if they'd be interested in a small job like this one (no offense), but I'd be happy to contact some to discuss options.


P.S. Has anyone looked into applying for a grant? Arts Council, City Council, EU, Lotto, maybe even a Cross-Border Partnership venture?????

DeVore

I may be submitting an image.

One of the things we can offer a printer is the exposure Boards can bring to a business. When I talk about the photography book, I'd be happy to mention the printer (if they do us a deal of course!).

I'll definitely be shooting all summer looking for that one pic. Hopefully it wont be the last day of submissions. Again.

DeV.

whyulittle

I may be submitting an image.

DeVore wrote: »

I'll definitely be shooting all summer looking for that one pic. Hopefully it wont be the last day of submissions. Again.

It's alright, your submission couldn't possibly have been any later than ThOnda's!

ThOnda

I may be submitting an image.

Why you little!!! :pac:

sineadw

I may be submitting an image.

mrmac wrote: »

If privately printing is the chosen route, is this years book going to be based on last years format, i.e. style, lettering, layout etc? Are these layouts available somewhere? I'd think these layouts would be very useful when trying to establish a quotation from a printer, especially if it's for a small run.

I would also expect some, fairly strict, conditions from any printers. Like agreed content, well in advance. Finalised quantity (no asking for a few more!), and even payment in advance!

There are quite a few publishers, here, in Ireland. I don't know if they'd be interested in a small job like this one (no offense), but I'd be happy to contact some to discuss options.


P.S. Has anyone looked into applying for a grant? Arts Council, City Council, EU, Lotto, maybe even a Cross-Border Partnership venture?????

Go for it! I STILL have to talk to Eric about printers. Its been one of those weeks...

mrmac

I may be submitting an image.

sineadw wrote: »

Go for it! I STILL have to talk to Eric about printers. Its been one of those weeks...

Thanks, sineadw - but my hands are empty - so I've nothing to submit for quotation. I've had a look at the Blurb site, and it offers three versions: softcover, hardcover w. dust jacket, hardcover w. imagewrap. What numbers of each was sold, does anyone know? Would it be better to agree on one particular version eg. hardcover w. dust jacket?

I was going to buy my own copy, and use it as a sample, for any quotations, but I can't see a publisher being able to offer three varieties - so which will it be?

This is all very speculative, as I think it will be very hard to get a publisher to print a run of less than 500, at a competitive price, but no-harm in trying.



Hope I'm not stepping on anyone's toes, but I'm going to send a PM to whyulittle to see if we can meet up to discuss last years project. If we can sort a day & time - all are welcome.

ThOnda

I may be submitting an image.

That sounds like a good idea - book meet no.1

CabanSail

I may be submitting an image.

IIRC the sales were mainly between the Softcover & Image Wrap versions.

I would keep our options open at this stage as to the format. It would be a shame to decide it has to be Hard Cover & then miss out on a good deal from a Publisher who does only Soft Cover.

Last December I had some correspondence with Collins Press in Cork. They were impressed with the Book but said that they would need to print a minimum run of 3000 books to make it commerically viable. They did suggest that if we were to limit it to only images taken in Ireland then it could have some attraction for international sales.

Selling 3000 units is a BIG step up from less than 300 of the first edition, though if it were a lot cheaper than the Blurb book it could be possible.

+1 to the idea of a Book Beers.

mrmac

I may be submitting an image.

I completely agree that 3000 books is a huge step - one, I don't believe, the group can take, yet! I do think it's possible to get a quote for a smaller run, in around the 500 mark, but to do this, with an acceptable price, the earlier the format is decided - the better!

For example, if we can use a format, that the printer already uses - reduces setup cost.
If we decide on softcover only, without options of hardcover (or visa-versa), reduces setup cost. The more you can define the project to the printers, and the earlier you can do so, the lower the cost.

It's very unlikely to get a serious quote, without having this type of info. The content can always be "last minute", but the format / layout needs an early decision.

Sorry if this sounds like a head-wrecker - but them's the facts

dermotcw

I may be submitting an image.

Sorry new to this - but how does one go about making a submission to the book?

AnCatDubh

I may be submitting an image.

dermotcw wrote: »

Sorry new to this - but how does one go about making a submission to the book?

for the moment, just sign up to the poll at the top of the thread.

further instructions will issue over time so just keep an eye back here. we usually sticky anything relating to the book while it is relevant.

keps

Just to reiterate what the previous poster said.

For 'newer' people it would at least be nice to get some idea of the concept behind the project.

It seems to be taken for granted that everyone knows what this is all about.

Is there a way to access the content of last year's book- just to get an idea of what it is all about?

keps

Pigwidgeon

I may be submitting an image.

keps wrote: »

Just to reiterate what the previous poster said.

For 'newer' people it would at least be nice to get some idea of the concept behind the project.

It seems to be taken for granted that everyone knows what this is all about.

Is there a way to access the content of last year's book- just to get an idea of what it is all about?

keps

all the threads from last year are over here in the photographic expeditions forum. It'll give you a pretty good idea of what goes on in the organising stage anyway.

mrmac

I may be submitting an image.

keps wrote: »

Just to reiterate what the previous poster said.

For 'newer' people it would at least be nice to get some idea of the concept behind the project.

It seems to be taken for granted that everyone knows what this is all about.

Is there a way to access the content of last year's book- just to get an idea of what it is all about?

keps

Sure thing keps - if you have a look at whyulittles' post, at the start of this thread, he provides a link to last years yearbook, on Blurb. You'll be able to preview the first 15 pages, and this should give you a good idea what it's like.

keps

Wow - that looks like a great concept/idea.

On the 'will you submit an image' I have polled as maybe- but am now a definite.

I suggest that all who submit an image should have to submit the cost of the book also (they obviously would get a copy then).

keps

keps

BTW I did a Blurb photo book recently for a family birthday.

Although the photos looked bright and vibrant when viewing them on preview screen(and on individual prints ordered separately from another company )- the colours/contrast in the blurb book were very flat.

Were people happy with the final result last year in terms of quality of photo reproduction by blurb?

keps