urban ku # 167 ~ s**t or get off the pot

Abandoned house at sundown • click to embiggenFor years, I have been a staunch advocate for print-on-demand photo books. Several articles that I have written on the subject - covering the idea, the process, and reviews of various POD printers - have been published on various online photo-forum sites.

Since my first POD photo book (printed in 2003), I continue to make photo books on a regular basis. My belief that POD photo books offer an unprecedented opportunity for the wide dissemination of 'personal' work that might not otherwise ever see the light of day (beyond the walls of their maker) only gets stronger with every book I make. -

IMO, POD photo books are the perfect instrument for wresting the Art of photography out of the halls of academia and back into the hands of photographers.

Unfortunately, while some individual photographers - including a few darlings of the Art world - have delved into the POD realm, no one has attempted to create a POD photo book 'central' where a critical mass of POD book offerings can be perused and purchased. More's the pity because I believe that the probably that are a tremendous number of interesting books out there is very high.

That said, here's my question to you -

Are there 10-15 of you who are interested in making a POD book and offering it for sale on a POB Photo Book Gallery here on the Landscapist - or more probably on an adjunct site devoted exclusively to the sale of POD photo books?

If the interest is there, I'll set it up and help book makers with design and production tips.

The site itself would not be in the business of selling your books. It's purpose would be to display your books and provide a link to a POD printer where a buyer can order the book. FYI, there are POD printers who handle the entire transaction - they collect the money (printing cost plus whatever markup you determine), forward the markup to you, print the book and ship it to the customer.

In the world of publishing, it doesn't get any easier than this. After you design the book, there's nothing left to do - no need to invest in inventory, complete transactions, handle shipping, etc.

Please take the time to consider this seriously.

We've had a good run discussing the medium of photography - its characteristics and its possibilities (amongst many other things). IMO, the time has come to starting doing something that might in some way actually influence the course of things to come in the medium of photography.

Let's see some feedback, please - and BTW, "I don't think that my photography is good enough." is NOT an acceptable excuse. I am familiar with the photography of quite a number of the regulars here on The Landscapist and much of it is more than ready for POD photo book prime time.

Remember - Nothing ventured, nothing gained

urban ku # 166 ~ ice

Ice on trees • click to embiggenThe journal entry, ku # 449 ~ meaning, of a few days ago continues to draw interesting comments. The most recent from John Denniston is from the perspective of a retired photographer and a former editor at a daily newspaper.

John D. states; "After looking through the entire series of pictures I would say they are uneven. There are some very powerful pictures and there are some very dull and uninspired. Papo suffers from what I saw in many photographers when I was an editor at a daily newspaper, not understanding that the emotions felt when taking the picture don’t always translate to the print. Good photographers are also ruthless editors of their own work because they know that one bad picture in a series of 10 good pictures can destroy the impact of the other 9. So what’s the problem with some of Papo’s pictures? She just missed the moment and the tension is gone, the photograph has become a snapshot. The decisive moment may be a cliché but it’s also the difference between pictures that connect with a viewer who has no experience with what’s being photographed and those which only connect with family or friends."

I understand that, from the perspective of a newspaper editor who needs to fill a limited amount of page space with pictures that pack the most attention-getting wallop, Papo's body of work would need to be edited down to the most dramatic of the bunch. Such is the economic reality / restraint of any mass media - editorial content space is limited by ad revenues.

I also agree with John D.'s assessment that the body of work is 'uneven' in as much as it a mixed bag of powerful and dull pictures although, for me, that very mixture is a definite plus, imo. I see the entire body of work more as a 'diary' of sorts. One that tracks the highs and lows, the extraordinary and the ordinary, the 'decisive moments' as well as the quotidian ones. Or, simply put, the ebb and flow of life (albeit with assault rifles).

For me, a big part of the power of the complete series is the dichotomy between the decisive and quotidian moments. The playful teenage and dorm-life like 'buddy' pictures, which indeed seem like they would be more destined for personal albums (to 'connect with family or friends') than mass media publication, create the perfect 'humanizing' quality as a counterpoint to the more powerful decisive moment' pictures.

Without question, the 'decisive moment' pictures by themselves would make for a more compact and more immediately powerful presentation than the whole body of pictures. But, for me, the pictures of the 'mundane' add a Paul Harvey "and now for the rest of story"-ness that I find more satisfying.

Speaking of satisfying, check out John Denniston's Salt Spring Island - Clearings, Structures, Myth. One could say that the whole thing could be edited down to a single really powerful triptych, but, in fact, I like the unabridged edition.

My thanks to John D. for both the comments and his look at Salt Spring Island.

urban ku # 165 ~ vapor and glow

Chimney vapors in late afternoon light • click to embiggenEvery once in awhile, we get a combination of atmospheric conditions that cause the 'air' to glow - in this case, a light snowfall, scattered but dense cloud cover, and warm low-angle sun light peeking through the clouds.

The sun light illuminates and tints the snow flakes - also ice crystals when it's really cold - and creates a tinted 'haze' that seems to glow. The effect usually is short-lived. It comes and goes very quickly, especially when clouds are involved. When clouds are in play, the effect can come and go a number of times and even appear in different parts of a scene.

It's an altogether entertaining display made even more so by its infrequency.

urban ku # 164 ~ high winds

Wind storm • click to embiggenIt should come as no surprise to anyone within a couple hundred miles of the sound of my voice that yesterday was a windy day. There were sustained gusts of 80-90 mph. The winds started yesterday morning and continued well into the night.

While I was lounging around the house last evening, sipping tea, and worrying that we'd lose power and I wouldn't be able to watch the PBS program Pioneers of Television: Late Night, one of my neighbors had other issues on his mind. We lost a couple sections of fence which I discovered around 11pm when I let the dogs out the back door and then had to let them in the front door a short time later.

urban ku # 163 ~ Happy New Year

Snowy New Year's day • click to embiggenFor those of you in the common era, aka the Christian Era, who are using the Gregorian calendar (by a decree of Pope Gregory XIII), which is a reform of the Julian calendar, Happy New Year.

Otherwise, have a good Tuesday.

For me, so far, so good. Had a gourmet dinner last night in the company of former NY Govenor George Pataki, it's snowing, I and the wife are sipping good champagne, and the Pittsburgh Penguins have won the Winter Classic - an outdoor NHL hockey game played in a football stadium in the snow and wind.

urban ku # 162 ~ picking up the pig

Picking up 50 lbs. hung-weight • click to embiggenOn Saturday, we received our annual delivery of 1/2 a cow - 305 lbs. hung-weight of Scottish Highland Cattle from Moon Valley Farm. Yesterday we went up the hill to Moon Valley Farm and picked up 1/4 of a pig - 50 lbs hung-weight. Our freezer is now jam-packed.

While at the farm, I took a picture of the former pig shed and got kissed by a Scottish cow / cattle.

urban ku # 161 ~ really annoying s**t

A drive in the woods • click to embiggenDoes this bit of tomfoolery piss off any of you like it does me? I am sick to death of anyone for any reason, even if it is 'well-intentioned', accessing my computer. No exceptions. Period. End of discussion.

Question: You're looking for a new clock/radio. You find one you like. At the checkout counter you are informed that, as an added bonus feature, every time you turn the thing on, the store will send one its employees (or anyone else it might choose to designate) into your bedroom at anytime, night or day without notice, to stand around and 'monitor' and record how you use the thing.

This is not an optional feature. It is part and parcel of the product. Oh, by the way, your name, address and any other personal information you used at the time of purchase will be linked to any observations and recording. Of course, they promise not to share or misuse the observed behaviors. No guarantee that it won't be stolen and then shared and misused.

Would you buy it? Would you leave cookies and milk for the uninvited and unannounced observer?

Santa is the only one who has these privileges at our house. But he only visits once a year and always on the same day so we know when to lock up the liquor cabinet.

I don't know what irks me more - the fact that all manner of 'reputable' companies are doing it, or, that nobody seems to give a damn that they are doing it.

urban ku # 160 ~ sleds, my sled & snot

My silver maetalic sled • click to embiggenThe wife and I went out for lunch today (Friday). That's the wife getting in, not on, our sled. We were the only ones in the joint - Charlie's at Lake Clear Junction - not wearing a full-body snow suit and toting a helmet.

It's a fun place. We always eat at the bar where the owner is sure to try and scare the snot out of you by dropping one of his big rubber spiders (on a thread) down from the ceiling on you when you're not paying attention. Some victims scream. Some jump. Some curse. Some do all three (and more). It never seems to get old for the owner. Can't help but wonder how many spilled drinks he has to replace.