A Beginner's Workshop on Photobook Publishing (December 6 & 7, 2010)

copyright, Melanie McWhorter

I will be teaching a workshop at New Orleans Photographic Workshops following PhotoNOLA on December 6th and 7th, 2010. The description is below and more info or to sign up, visit New Orleans Photographic Workshops site. Email the Workshops or me with questions.

This two-day workshop covers the evolution of a photography book from its inception as an idea to a finished product.

Intended for photographers with little or no experience in publishing, A Beginner's Workshop on Photobook Publishing is an interactive, dynamic workshop that enables participants to fine tune their ideas and become familiar with design, layout and essential publishing processes. When completed, participants will be able to make decisions about publishing their work and envision all of the steps involved in producing their project from start to finish.

Placed between two weekends of PhotoNOLA, the timing of this workshop is ideal for photographers interested in attending the many events and exhibitions that take place during New Orleans' annual celebration of photography.

Topics covered include researching and developing the concept for a book and the important decisions that must be made at each step along the way. For instance, how does one determine a target audience? What publisher is right for you and how do you approach them? Is it better to work with an established publisher, or is it better to self-publish in the bold new world of the digital book?

Melanie covers the basic components of financing, as well as the essentials of distribution ranging from such easily overlooked matters as storage, to the finer points of what is required to get the book on to the dealers' shelves. This workshop is the perfect publishing overview for photographers of all levels.

Workshop participants have the option of attending PhotoNOLA Education Day: Focus on Publishing on Friday, December 3, at the International House Hotel. The event includes a presentation by Mary Virginia Swanson and a publishing industry panel discussion. There is no charge for participants of A Beginner's Workshop on Photobook Publishing who wish to join this event.