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| Not photography-specific problem [message #849 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:18   |
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10:40pm Nov 28, 2002
Dear Pedro,
It seems to me the problem is not photography-specific. Printing is more than 500 years old – during this time it got some magic. People desire to print their poetry, prose or art – and in many cases as a present to themselves, they do not seriously think about distribution, etc. Printed book has some material value besides it’s content. But what feature of electronic book can make it to be compatible with printed version? I think individual design (design in broad sense) – some value besides the content of the book.
May be it is interesting task for internet (or it already fulfills this task?) – to evaluate the audience of the particular book on non commercial basis.
What concerns your project – what is the resolution of photographs in electronic version of the book? Is it suitable for printing in reasonable size?
I wish you all the best,
Boris Budinas
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| ebooks and opportunites [message #851 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:19 |
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08:59pm Dec 3, 2002
Pedro,
First of all, congratulations to all involved on a successful project. I found the cooperative nature of the effort refreshing, that the photographers took no individual credit for the images, but said, in effect, “we did this together”.
I think with this editorial you are taking your digital discussion in an important and useful direction. The questions now are not “Is it art?”, “Is it photography?”or even “Is it a documentary photograph?”, but about how to use the new digital tools to show people what you have to say with your words and images. You are dealing with the issues of publishing work, using the new media, and how best to put one's photographs before the public while earning a little of the income needed to continue to work in the medium.
Publishing on the web does put your work where it can be seen, but there are drawbacks, such as limits on page design, color, image quality, font choices and ease of reading text in a layout. And no one is buying tickets to see your web site.
The ebook has much of the immediacy of a web site, but without having to deal with links, or waiting for the next image or flash/swf file to download. Purchase and delivery is simple, with no shipping time or charges, no drive to the bookstore in the morning, no stamps to buy, etc.
Photography books can become more affordable. Instead of browsing through them at Barnes & Noble, people can purchase them online and the bulk of the money goes to the creator(s) of the work. There are no returns, remainders or charge backs from a publisher.
An ebook, whether produced collectively such as yours, or by a single individual, can be a more personal statement than a conventionally published work. The intent of the photographers, writers and artists involved has fewer gatekeepers and filters to pass through.
As I look at graduate schools in pursuit of an MFA, I have been surprised to find a few photography departments that are not yet involved in digital imaging. How can educators, even those tied to film capture, ignore the opportunity and control that this technology provides to the artist/photographer/journalist?
Nick Parks’ Aardman Films, creators of the Wallace and Gromit claymation series, is doing something similar. They are offering 10 new short films over the web for a modest fee. Quicktime and Real Player are their Acrobat Reader. You can view the films online or download a copy to your machine to keep. There is no DVD or cassette, no box and wrapping to be thrown away, Aardman, like Zone Zero’s project, is selling just content.
Regards,
Peter Calvin
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| What's it all about? [message #853 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:20 |
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11:07am Dec 5, 2002
How can a visitor to zone zero buy a book produced by you in whatever form (digital or print) after last months Editorial, what are we buying? what veracity can any of the images have?, what relevance to a suggested subject like "The Day of the Dead"? it could be any fantastic invention. Will it be a kind of 'Lord of the Rings' style romp through pictures of wonderfully collaged bits of landscape populated by people who were not there but from a shot you took on a beach ten years ago?
While the concept of digital publishing and ebooks is wonderful and I wish you every success with it, I would have no confidence in buying one because I wouldn't know if I was getting photographs or some of your made up illustrations.
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| Dont mean to start it all over but... [message #856 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:23 |
 Alban, Jorge
Messages: 4
Registered: April 2005 |
Junior Member |
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11:04am Dec 8, 2002
I have a few documentary photo books on sale, are you interested?: Paris by Doisneau (paid and posed models), War photographs by Capa (who would have guessed that same "dying" soldier hit the trench several times for the photographer) or "directed" documentary photography by Flor Garduño (you seriously didn?t think native mexicans sleep with dead iguanas did you?). I love their work and it has greatly influenced my life (and those of millions of people) BUT since I learned they are not REAL (the subjects were told when and sometimes even how to act ) I no longer trust these photographers nor want to hold on to their images any more ?
The list could go on and on. If you have been out there doing PJ work (and from the tone of your post I trust you have) you know how even if the photographer keeps to himself and does not say a word, his prescence affects the way things happen (especially in todays media-crazy world). The main difference between classic and contemporary documentary photography is that we are still unaware of the subjectifying forces behind our work. Wait a couple of decades for the historical motives to surface and you will be surprised of how subjective our "objective" documents look.
Keep on making waves Pedro?
Jorge Albán
Costa Rica
Photographer, art critic and teacher in Costa Rica, Central America.
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| about something? [message #857 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:24 |
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09:27am Dec 9, 2002
Jorge, I am hesitant to go on with this discussion as I am sure it was not what Pedro intended with his editorial about e-publishing.
I am not a Photojournalist (used to be) I am a street photographer and I completely accept the inherent subjectivity of the choices made by anyone making photographs even of real, uncreated scenes. My images are documentary records of the scene as seen and, perhaps influenced inadvertantly, by me. If you bought the last book I had worked on, the pictures would represent a place or event as it was viewed by me through my camera at a single time. The books power and meaning is largely derived from the fact that these images record truths (if not the truth). A book published by Pedro may contain images that are not records of a scene as seen by him at any one time (often several times). It may contain images created by a combination of camera, computer and software that some may call illustrations rather than photographs. It is this latter way of creating images that I am questioning, can they be 'about something'? Can they tell us anything reliable about 'The day of the Dead' or are they fantasies more to do with the artists imagination than any 'real' festival in Mexico?
You may see some of my street images at:
http://www.in-public.com/turpinfolio.html
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| About Photography Books, comment [message #861 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:28 |
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06:21am Dec 10, 2002
Bravo, It is about time, our medium has gone digital so why not display it in digital books. We capture that one moment in time immediately so why not display it the same way. I am a small business owner who will be opening a studio in Toronto, Canada in the coming months with the ability to be digital makes it all the more affordable for me to operate as well as being eco conscience. Again Kudos for you and your idea. Keep the ball rolling. I will be back to see todays results for the Day of the Dead project.
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| Digital books and "The Thruth"" [message #863 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:32 |
Alban, Jorge
Messages: 4
Registered: April 2005 |
Junior Member |
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10:32pm Dec 10, 2002
Nick, I checked out some of the images from your book and must say you have a quirky sense of humor and a good eye for street sensuality! Do your pictures tell a lot about the city or the people in the photos? Not really. They say a lot more about you and your perception of things.
Mistaking apperances for truths is dangerous, as appearances are deceiving and our senses are easily fooled. The camera uses a rather limited framed convention of reality that dates back to the Renaissance (and you know that intuitively because you use spatial ambiguity in most of your photos).
Beware of what you wish as you may very well get it. You want the camera to capture "The Truth" ? (capitals intended). Then check out what Canon claims about the Data Verification Function of its latest Digital SLR Camera:
"The EOS-1Ds is the worlds first digital SLR that can prove its images are unaltered, original files. The Optional Data Verification Kit DVK-E1, consisting of a dedicated IC card and Card reader together with special Windows 2000/XP software, is available to verify that EOS-1Ds image files are absolutely unaltered. The system is so precise that even the slightest discrepancy is detected. This may well be a landmark for digital imaging in law enforcement and many other documentary issues"
A more detailed explanation of how the system works can be read by clicking on System Integration at http://www.canon.co.jp/Imaging/EOS1DS/
This is no Science Fiction. Right now someone can be using such system and not being able to change a single pixel or his photos become less "Real". Nor can he or she tweak the color or fine tune contrast. No cropping and of course no black and white is allowed either as it will distance the photo from "The Truth"; as considered by Canon, the camera and the photographer (in that order)...
What am i getting at? We are at a historical crossroad. Never before has the word "Real" been so vulnerable when applied to a photograph. Perhaps now we will understand that what makes an image "real" is not where it comes from (be it Canon, the Renaissance, or our limited perceptual powers), but where it goes. Reality is not a matter of technique but one of ethics.
Here we can put to use some of Pedros enthusiasm for digital book publishing; as an image or a whole set of them will be more relevant and historically "Real" the more they are seen and commented; not because it is in color, black and white or because some software can confirm it has not been "altered".
Every image gains prescence of mind (a term used in advertising) or becomes more "real" as it circulates and turns into a force in our lives. The digital book format, as advocated by Pedro in this month's editorial might just be the guerrilla-style way of achieving such presence...and truthfulness.
Jorge Alban
Costa Rica
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| mr [message #866 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Thu, 26 May 2005 13:35 |
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01:16am Jun 15, 2003
I am a photography and a first person driving through china in 1986.It take 365 days. I took a lot of photography. I am looking for opportunity to publish book. Can anybody help?
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| Virigin of Guadalupe images request [message #1114 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Tue, 18 October 2005 18:53 |
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Gene M.Gloria - 08:00am Dec 10, 2002
Congratulations on your outstanding contribution on art and of the appreciation of The Virgin Guadalupe,I am looking forward to the art work that will be sent to you after the 12th Dec.Please keep us informed for those of those that appreciate this type of work.My very best wishs on your research and work. Gene Gloria
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| Re: About Photography Books [message #1728 is a reply to message #103 ] |
Sat, 18 March 2006 03:42 |
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i'm one photographer and looking forward to publish my works as e-book(PDF format), i want to know if someone can help me! 
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