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I HAVE MADE A NEW PHOTO BOOK, ART REFLECTS, on blurb (see it here). There are several reasons for making this book ... 1) my only copy of this book was stolen (high flattery), 2) as previously mentioned, I want to test a different blurb paper.
AN ASIDE: The pictures for ART REFLECTS were made on a single street in Old Montreal. They are single exposures, not double exposures, of art in gallery window displays made with a single click of the shutter release. The reflections are of the buildings on opposite side of the street. HINT - works best on a narrow street on an overcast day. END OF ASIDEWHY I MAKE PHOTO BOOKS AND why you should too.
Best as I can tell, there are 55 photo books-of my pictures-in bookcases and on table tops in my house. They are divided into 2 main categories. Most are photo books of my separate bodies of fine art pictures. The balance are photo books of our travels / vactions.
In my pursuit of exhibitions of my fine art work, the fine art photo books can be used as porfolio-like (the printed quality is that good) submissions to galleries and art centers. For some exhibitions, I print 5 "special editions", signed and numbered, of the exhibition pictures and offer them as exhibition "catalogs". And, on occasion, I pick up one the books just to re-acquaint myself with my work.
The vacation / travels photo books function just like a family photo album. As such, for the wife and I, they preserve fond memories and experiences. And, in the case of travels with my grandson (primarily our annual grandpa / grandson Spring break trips), a duplicate book is made for him.
While these photo books serve many functions and provide much pleasure during my lifetime, one of the most significant reasons for their making is for posterity. That is, after I am dead and gone. I think of these books as an undertaking to save my family the daunting effort of sorting through my thousands of pictures in order to assemble a legacy of my picture making activities.
All of that written, the other significant reason for the making of these books is that, plain and simple, I like looking at my pictures in printed form. In fact, I like looking at any pictures in printed form. That's why I have at least an equal number of photo books of other picture maker's work. iMo, if it ain't in print form, it ain't a photograph.
So, my question to you is this .... why don't you make photo books? Or, do you?
I would love to read the answer to either of those questions if you would be so kind as to leave a comment on this entry.