Projects

Finding the project, planning, editing, sequencing, and the finishing touches

Half-day Seminar on Saturday morning

Topics include:

• The most common kinds of projects

Getting a handle on how best to proceed is often made easier once you can identify the type of project you envision. We'll look at multiple types of projects and their variations in this survey of examples from the pages of LensWork.

• Moving from a pile of prints to a project idea

You probably already have lots of potential projects buried in your negative or digital files just waiting to be discovered. We'll discuss how to find them, organize them, and "package" them for completion.

• Distilling to the essence of the idea
• Selecting and editing images for your project
• Titles for your project
• Key images and icons for your project
• Beyond the images — becoming a storyteller

  Projects are, by definition, more than one image and that implies a connection between them — which in turn implies that we are more than just illustrators.

• The length of a project and audience expectations

  Different media inspire different viewer expectations. For example, a book with 10 photographs would seem a bit thin, and a PDF with 200 would likely tax even the most dedicated reader. We'll define audience expectations and how to design your projects accordingly.

• The power of Lightroom collections and projects

  Working with single images does not present much of an organization challenge — but projects can easily become overwhelming. We'll discuss ways to use Lightroom's collections to tame this challenge.

• Parts of a project that you need to develop

  With wall-art photographs, once you have the image, the mat board, and perhaps a frame, you're done. But with projects, there are more components you'll need to develop — text, binding/finishind issues, titles, even PR materials. Projects require more, and we'll discuss these extra things that help you finish the project.

• Determining the best media for your project
• Strategies for projects with more than one medium
• Finishing touches that complete the project
• Now that the project is finished, is it really finished?

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$125

$350

Image & Text

Ways to expand your project with text, writing tips and strategies, collaborations, and how to write your artist statement

Half-day Seminar on Saturday afternoon

Topics include:

• Thinking outside the mat board

  Wall art is a destination for art, but not all photography is best suited for decor. Once you start thinking outside the mat board — books, PDFs, folios — then text becomes a part of the process. As photographers, that can be intimidating! We'll discuss multiple ways to overcome that hurdle.

• The goals of text and image combinations
• Writing tips for photographers (i.e., non-writers!)
• Print titles, project titles, and finding just the right words
• What to avoid in the text that accompanies your images
• Various forms of text and their strengths and weaknesses

  We'll examine over 30 specific examples of text and image combinations from the pages of LensWork to see how other photographers have used text/image combinations to increase the impact of their work.

• Tips on how to start the writing process

  Nothing is quite as intimidating for the non-writer than the blank piece of paper. How do we begin? We'll discuss a dozen strategies that can help get the ball rolling. There is no doubt that you'll find at least one of these is the answer you've been looking for!

• Writing so people will read it

  How to avoid that "academic-speak" that turns people off. And also how to make sure people will be motivated to read your introductions!

• Keeping the audience engaged
• Editing, editing, and then more editing
• How to write an artist statement for your project

  Based on the article in LensWork #103, crafting an engaging artist statement is easier than you might think.

• The 10 deadly mistakes to avoid in your text
• Text for audio presentations (aka scripts)
• Collaborations and how to make them work

  Maybe you don't even need to write the text if you can partner with someone who loves writing! We'll examine successful partnerships and how to make them work.

• Lots and lots of examples

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$125

$350

Printing & Publishing

The fundamentals of offset printing for fine art photographers

Half-day Seminar on Sunday morning

Offset printing primer

• Fundamentals of offset printing fine art photographs
• Challenges to reproducing photographic images with fidelity
• Halftones versus stochastic printing
• Line screens, dot size, ink coverage, and image quality
• Duotone, tritones, quadtones, and CMYK ink sets

Prepress and image preparation

• Scanning and scaling original photographs for printing
• Sharpening for offset printing
• Greyscale tonal curves
• Reverse calibration to press, paper, and ink

Tone reproduction for fine art photographs

• How to develop your own custom duotone, tritone, and quadtone curves
• How to measure and control the target densities in your project
• In particular, how to bridge from Photoshop to ink-on-paper successfully

Paper, ink, and press

• Paper choices and how they affect image quality
• Weights, surfaces, whiteness, coating, and ink coverage
• Basic book design using press signatures and parent sheets
• Papers for posters and limited editions lithographs
• Aqueous, UltraKote and varnish coatings

Books

• ISBN numbers and barcoding
• Hardbound, case bound, and round back bindings
• Softbound and PUR binding
• Binding alternatives
• Cost analysis

Commercial printers

• How to find, interview, and select a printer for your project
• Overseas or domestic printing
• Proofs, press checks, and quality control issues

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$125

$350

Finding an Audience for Your Work

Marketing, distribution, publishing, and web strategies that work

Half-day Seminar on Sunday afternoon

This seminar is based on our 14-hour video workshop and covers the most often requested hightlights for getting your work out there.

Topics include:

• The three key strategies to build an audience
• Finding your audience
• Strategies to keep them coming back
• Levels of involvement

  The core idea in this workshop is contained in the idea we call "Levels of Involvement" discussed in Brooks' article in LensWork #89.

• The all-important “Next Step”
• Selling and pricing strategies for your audience

  Should you pursue galleries and the elite collector? Or, is the mass audience better suited to your plans? We'll discuss both strategies and lay out the pros and cons of each.

• Developing media that make sense for you
• An inside look at the gallery world
• Collectors, selling, gifting, and your long-term goals
• The Five Buying Questions
• The unvarnished truth about the book business

There was a time in the history of photography when having a book published of your work meant you were on the path to fame and fortune. But, is this still true? Are there better alternatives to book publiction? When does it still make sense?

• How to get your work published in magazines
• Emails, newsletters, and postcards
• Publicity strategies
• Website strategies that work
• Review events like Houston FotoFest, Photolucida, etc.

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