Woman with Scarf
I’m spending all my time now with the Central Park book. I’ve been going from the easiest (catalog, done) to the hardest (Shadows of New York). Central Park should be smack in the middle. But I swear, it just ain’t easy to put the thing together.
My first crack at it I grouped things based on geography. Uh - no. This isn’t a tour guide. Then seasons - uh no. Not an almanac.
You’ve narrowed the collection to your best 75 photographs or so. And even with the limited choices of layout in MyPublisher - you notice stuff.
If you put a small image on the left page and a full-bleed on the right side (for example) you get this nice pop for the larger photograph. On the other hand, if all your pages (as I started with) are full-bleed, you lose the effect.
Which is to say that even in it’s simplest form, laying out photographs in a book is an definitely a craft. Then add the juxtapositions - and my own innate desire to have some sort of flow that makes sense (oh, the plot - the plot) - and it is hard work. Each pair of pages has a life of its own. I think it’s the movie maker in me that wants to surprise as you turn each page. But I don’t have any murders or love affairs to throw in.
Slowly, though, ideas are arriving. The first ten pages hang together. That’s all I can say right now.
I use the image above as a mood icon for now.
Comments
Comment from dave
Time: May 5, 2008, 8:42 pm
I find my photos being used all the time for MySpace backgrounds. Some of these pages are repugnant to me. (For example - one that filled with racist shit.)
So that’s the real reason for the annoying logos. In addition - I’ve found my images used in two poetry books without my permission (Google can now search books).
What am I going to do - sue a poet? They’ve got less money than me. I know that everything on the web is free - but I’ve had so many people write to me asking for permission to use the images for purposes that I find idiotic; asking if I would please remove the logo — no.
I think I’ll keep it. Maybe I’ll make it a bit more subtle; unless you can know that the person that uses the image will have deep pockets and not be a mixed-up teen.
On the other hand, anyone with some photoshop skill could clone them out - but it’s time consuming. Maybe I’ll remove the red border - okay pal.
BTW - that reminds me - I’ve got a couple of rolls of Tri-x if you’d like. Still within the expiration date.
Comment from matt
Time: May 5, 2008, 10:23 pm
That’s the problem…Unless you place the rectangle over the person’s face,
even I could clone it out in seconds, so why bother?
Pity the poets…they have it worse than we do…
Comment from Greg
Time: May 8, 2008, 8:20 am
You both raise really good points.
But Dave, not only do you share your photos, you share your thoughts as well. I think the combination of the two makes for a very intriguing and unique site.
From what I’ve read here, it sounds like the photo sales are there to help balance the positives and negatives of sharing a site like this.
But no doubt, the internet has brought out the inner thief in all of us on some level.
Comment from matt
Time: May 5, 2008, 7:48 pm
Dave, These days with what people are paying us for our work, you might as well do away
with the distracting rectangular name box, and hope that someone steals your picture.
The resulting lawsuit’s the only way that you’ll be fairly reimbursed for your image.
Meanwhile we can enjoy the photos more…