Assignment 4 Learning log:

I should ‘attempt to engage a public audience with my major project and the extent and appropriateness with which I attempt this’ will affect how my work is assessed. Assignment Four asks me to submit a final draft of my publication, and my promotional material for it, to my tutor for feedback. Assignment Five, which I’ll submit later, asks me to provide a reflective account of I’ve resolved my publication.

FINAL EDIT AND EDITING FOR DIFFERENT CONTEXTS

I had a clear concept in mind- What is the work actually about? A woodland community as a model for inclusive harmonious behaviour.

Through my various stages of editing my Body of Work images for each photograph, I asked ‘how does this relate to my concept?

I revised the sequencing for the book layout, after my photobook research. I know it needs a rhythm and a tempo, with quieter images punctuating the ‘louder’ images. My sequence will create a narrative of which I can control.

• I should get further opinions, beyond my peers and intend to have a portfolio review which includes my book draft, not just my images. Also I should bear in mind that Non-photographers can make excellent editors as they’re likely to look at what the photograph communicates, rather than how it was made
• Keep my context in mind – I am aware that a book is different to an exhibition and have good reasons for using, see later.
• Do my research and consider bodies of work that resonate with my work, particuarly how the montage of images has been assembled, and how rhythm and tempo are achieved. See my research on actual photo books: https://nkssite6.photo.blog/category/sustaining-your-practice/assignments/a4-syp/a4-syp-actual-photobook-research/

AUDIENCE ENGAGEMENT

Due to the local sensitivity of my project, I will not be holding an exhibition, though I am putting my work out there for open calls and I do have work being shown at the Glasglow Gallery of Photography in October and two page spread in Suboart August Magazine which include context and information about the project. I have also featured in Shutter Hubs 2024 YearBook (with only 249 other photographers world wide).

I am going to bring together all elements of my work into a book, which I will share in artist talks locally.

THE BOOK

The OCA course book provides some words of caution:

‘Generally speaking, students who decide to present their work in books don’t actually do a very good job of it. This comment is meant to be cautionary rather than off-putting, because the book is an exciting medium within which to present your work and can really enhance the narrative of your project’. (OCA SYP course book:P69)

I have prior experience with making photo books, with an online print-on-demand company, Blurb. The coursebook suggests:

‘Whilst Blurb is an invaluable resource for both making and distributing photo books independently from a traditional publisher, you may not actually be aspiring to publish or market your book, and are perhaps looking to create something that is much more individual – more of an ‘artist’s book’. If this is the case, then you may wish to retain complete control over the process (size, orientation, materials, etc.) and can supply your own pages, using exactly the paper stock and process you desire – most likely inkjet prints’

I realise that creating a photobook isn’t as straightforward and that some photographers who self-publish their work, commission specialist designers to work on individual projects to bring a different perspective to a body of work, and knowledge of architecture of the book, materials and typeface. However, as I’m not selling books and want to keep my costs down I will do the very best that I can with my own research which is evidenced in on my blog:

https://nkssite6.photo.blog/category/sustaining-your-practice/assignments/a4-syp/a4-syp-photo-book-research-colberg/

https://nkssite6.photo.blog/category/sustaining-your-practice/assignments/a4-syp/a4-syp-further-photobook-theory-research/

& and book printer research: https://nkssite6.photo.blog/category/sustaining-your-practice/assignments/a4-syp/a4-syp-further-photobook-theory-research/

I have asked myself:  

• Why do I want to present my work in book form? It brings together my images and poetry (the concept) in a format where I can control who views it – I do want to share it during artists talks locally due to the sensitive subject matter.
• What is it about the book, rather than a different medium, that particularly complements the narrative of my project? I intend my work to be reflective and an intimate object such as the book can be viewed over and over in different settings supports this ethos.
• How can I maximise the photobook unique qualities to enhance the narrative of my project? Sections and footnotes can enhance the signposting of the concept of the images, to add to that given by my poetry.

After extensive research on photobook publishing I have sdecided to self print using an online printer, probably exwhyzed. I have made a PDF preview and one copy as a maquette (using Blurb printer) of how my book will be laid out, considering scale, sequencing, text and colours. This is relatively inexpensive. Then I will use either Mixam or Exwhyzedto make a more professional quality/appearing self published book.

PROMOTING MY PUBLICATION:

Website

I already had a OCA blog, and built a website in March 2024 to host my work for a wider audience: https://nikisouth.myportfolio.com/home

I built it using Adobe portfolio, so with no annual fee for a domain name and after a few days of research and trials I achieved what I wanted to.

I am aware that my website is a first port of call for interested in my work and considered:

• Professionalism: I believe it stands up well against other photographers websitess.
• Content:
• It has a landing page
• About page: With my bio
• Portfolio page: one for my major project What Lies Beneath and 1 for an earlier work Brexit. Both include introductions to my work.
• Contact page:
• Visual strength, I considered:  
• Considered typeface
• Layout
• Colours/tones
• All peer reviewed and spent time looking at other photographers’ websites
• I have checked how my website looks on a variety of devices.
• Navigability is simple and obvious.
• It is simple to refresh e.g. my your portfolio, bio, CV.
• As I do not intend to sell my book it will not be encompassed on the website for sale- though I may mention that artist talks are available with a personal showing of the work in a book.

Apparently I can get Get Google Analytics (free)  on my site to see where people are visiting from, what content is popular, what search terms people use to discover your site, how people move around the site. I need to look into this.

Social media and enhancing my online presence

I have previously considered some of the suggestions from the coursebook below:

• Instagram – I began a professional photography Instagram earlier in the year and am posting on it and extending my followed and followers. I have a widget for it on my website. I will add it to my blog too
• LinkedIn – I have updated my profile to include my photography. I will see going forwards if I need to use it to seek specific professionals or direct them to me.  
• My facebook remains a personal rather than professional tool, and is geared towards local contacts so is not appropriate for the engagement that I want for this work.
• Vimeo, which I have used previously, I will bear in mind should I want to embed video on my website.
• Twitter – Can take a very long time to acquire enough followers on to make meaningful contributions towards your publicity, so at this stage I am not starting this now. Should I change my mind in the future about how much I want to engage with an audience going forwards then I can revisit the idea.

Traditional media and press release

If I wanted wide local engagement I am aware that I could advertise locally using event listing websites and publications. These would be:  

• The local facebook ‘who what where when’
• The well-used village telegraph pole
• I could also contact the editors of my local newspapers like the Western Telegraph

None of these are appropriate for my project/book which is sensitive locally. However in a press release I would address:

• What is the work about?
• Why is it exciting and worth reading about?
• Who I am – my background?
• Why I made the work?
• When and where can the work be seen? (physically and online)
• Where will I be available for interview or comment? (Croaker, 2016:65, Broken OCA resource link)

I have written a theoretical press release for my book and a press release for my artist talks, These have helped me to focus on the important points that I need people to know.

See post: https://nkssite6.photo.blog/category/sustaining-your-practice/assignments/a4-syp/a4-syp-press-releases/

I have prepared publicity postcards as both invites to my artist talks and for participants to write their feedback on, as well as having a takeaway image from the talks. See post: https://nkssite6.photo.blog/category/sustaining-your-practice/assignments/a4-syp/a4-syp-publicity-material/

If a gallery or organisation is hosting an exhibition of my work, I will be clear which of us will contact which publications and listings.

Agents and other marketing opportunities: I am aware of photography agents, though they are not appropriate for my project.

WRITING MY ARTIST’S STATEMENT

• I have honed my artists statement over the past few months and constantly adapt it to the requirements of a particular audience or open call. Give examples for an LO?
• I have written an introduction for my book that functions within that context, and adapted it for my press release for artist talks, probably written on postcards.
• They:
• Address the core themes that the project addresses.
• Address only the current work
• Address the audience, as they may be mainly not photographic professionals locally.
• are enthusiastic, and stress the importance/relevance of the project.
• Dont impose a definitive statement of the work’s meaning on your audience. Leave some intellectual space to engage with it and draw their own conclusions.
• Written in 1^st person.

Collating feedback

Gathering feedback my your publication after it is ‘released’ is part of this process and will

help me assess the success of my publication – how much my work has managed to communicate the ideas or explore the themes that you set out to. I think this, rather than the numbers of visitors will be more appropriate for my work.

I can also use this feedback to help reflect upon how to develop the work further, or where or how I might exhibit it in the future.

Reference:

OCA (?) Sustaining Your Practice Part Four: Resolving and Promoting your Publication Coursebook. Barnsley