Here’s something cool over on Wonderful Machine again. They’ve got a handful of their photographers printed portfolios as videos on their youtube channel (here). Very cool for anyone wanting to see how books are put together and not a bad idea for reminding an AB or AD of a book they liked.
- Posted on
- By rhaggart
- In Portfolios
25 Comments
It concerns me when I have seen the duck tape image years before by I think Howard Berman.
Now I kind of understand more what you guys go through looking through all of those books. After a while, it becomes overwhelming.
As a photographer it’s interesting to me to see other photographers print portfolios – seeing how they showcase their work.
Thanks for sharing this.
I have made a video of my book and it works very well as an alternative to mail my site. I didn’t mean to show my book really, but it is an ironic way of showing my work, especially when the AD and AB never have time to find new photographers and look at their work
have fun
Maybe I’m missing something here, because honestly, I would much rather flip through the images myself on the photographer’s website (sans page glare)…
Difference for the sake of difference. I don’t get it. What do two hands paging through a book add to anyone’s visual experience of the images? I would rather just see the pure image on the screen, nicely sequenced, sans hands.
This viewing platform provides pagination flow, but I have to agree with Cynthia … the glare diffuses the impact of the images. BTW, thanks Rob and Bill for yesterday’s post — really worthwhile stuff.
I have always thought that it’s a great idea. I don’t think it’s a substitute for seeing a book in person, but it gives a great sense, a different sense, to a photographers aethstetic. I think it could have been done better, but I enjoy looking at other photographers books and books I might not have been able to see in person.
The glare is a bit distracting. I thought sleeved portfolios were unpopular for that exact reason.
Video seems to add nothing to these great images. I think it leaves a question of why do something when it is not done well, since this is not well lit nor well scripted video. Motion is not enhancing stills.
Think of this as you watch. Adds a little bit of humor and my response to the aesthetic of these types of presentations….
http://www.rosswalker.co.uk/movie_sounds/sounds_files_20081223_3107713/three_stooges/snore.wav
[…] to see what professional printed portfolio books look like, click on Printed Portfolio Videos ( A Photo Editor […]
It surprises me how many posts there are about why print over website.
Print work is completely different then screen work and the people making decisions know this. You can’t tell me as photographers working with digital that there haven’t been images you have gotten away with on the low-res screen that fall apart even printed to 8×10. Clients know this, people hiring photographers know this. They want to know that your images, work-flow and production stand up to being printed. I know the digital world is slowly taking over, but print content still dominates and you can only get a true feeling for someone’s work seeing it printed to paper and when it’s not back-lit via a computer screen to make a decision on if you want to hire them.
@christopherlovenguth,
I just realize people are commenting on seeing a video online rather then images online. If I could delete my post I would.
My mistake, but I do stand by my comments on website vs. print but agree with others on video of printed book flip vs. website images. What is the point?
@christopherlovenguth, I’ll stand behind your arguments as well, Christopher. I totally agree.
How a photographer’s image looks in print still has a lot to say.
Those Canon files don’t look so pretty in print next to a medium format book. In fact, most magazines these days have awful print quality in regards to sharpness and clarity. And some wonder why sales are so dramatically down? Really now?
Normally I’m against kiinllg but this article slaughtered my ignorance.
Like it or not (I like) its working. I bet there have been lots of views thanks to posts like on APE.
Thanks for sharing. It’s always good to see how books are done.
I don’t know just thinking out loud, but as a photographer subtly observing a AB/AD/PE paging through a book, I would want to remember which images they take longer viewing. Is there something to it they like? I would ask afterwards if time allows. If so, I think I would send off a smaller book with just those images with some variations as a reminder.
I think the video should be something that is viewable by those that have seen the Book. I would also have it automatically go full screen without having to click to do so.
I’m just thinking outloud, and definitely not an expert on this, but do have ideas about marketing. JMHO
I also would rather see these images on a screen but still think there is value in having a video of a book in the same way that it is good to have a video
of a shoot. It just shows different light on the way of presenting your self.
What was interesting as well was looking at their websites and seeing what made it in to the book.
A simple polarizing set up would have of course eliminated the glare and if used would take the amateurish look away!
hmmmmm….. remind me to be more like these two people
Thanks so much for the thoughtful insight. Best photo blog out there.
Interesting.
Like watching paint dry.
Enjoyed seeing how these books are put together. Really makes me think about how I’m going to update mine.
while I am not crazy about those video’s of portfolio review’s
I have seen some very well done presentations of still images via a CD
They used some movement, and music as well with the images
The image quality was quite nice, not the 72 dpi online.
(not big enough for repro, but nice clean detail)
Distribution costs were down, and the presentation was strong.
[…] for presenting your work to commercial clients, art directors and picture editors. Click on Printed Portfolio Book to see […]
Comments are closed for this article!