The harsh reality is that you are unlikely to become the next “Big Thing” , photographers who are very talented , hard working and connected are blessed with more downtime than ever before right now , so the space for newcomers is shrinking , the thing you need to be sure of is your motivation , if your plan is to make shit loads of cash by photographing socially challenged folk , your heading for a fall , financially and morally !
In short you should believe that the subject of your Doc Photography is compelling on a personal level , visually interesting and ideally threatened by some form of societal change , you need to be committed financially , emotionally and sufficiently time rich to get a project over the finishing line , do it for you and you alone , if others like it that’s a bonus …
Having ticked all the boxes so far a outlet for your “Documentary Masterpiece” needs to be identified , or does it ?
This is your first real test , the real priority is to get the project in the can , putting the cart before the horse with dreams of book deals etc is not helpful , think back to your motivation , share a few pics on line to gauge reaction but don’t be distracted , vanity is insanity in publishing !
“VANITY” that is where the problems start , togs by their nature believe that the work they make is better than it really is , projects are shot with little thought for commercial viability , does the world really need your photo project or is your current series self indulgent ?
Self indulgence is fine so long as your expectations are managed , the secret of happiness in personal self initiated Documentary Photography is to share your work online until a real life paid opportunity reveals itself , most Doc projects age well , so don’t be in a hurry to self publish in print , the money saved could fund your next project , pay the rent or feed and heat your family for a month or three !
The current trend for photographers to self publish at any cost does not sit well with me , many togs see publication as a endorsement of their talent , skill and vision , know this , the new larger audience for photo-books is not as discerning as it once was , this is probably linked to new funding models and the “Fact” that we are all photographers now ?
Social media popularity is no reflection of ability in todays Photo-Land or should that be La La Land ?
Don’t pay to have your work included in a book or allow free usage of your work , it will not be “Good” exposure , it will send a message that your photography is worth nowt , or less than nowt if you have paid for the “Privilege” of inclusion !
Don’t get caught up in the vanity of print publishing , the kudos of self publishing will soon wear off when your stuck with hundreds of unsold books in the attic , remember selling your Photo-Book will not be nearly as engaging as shooting your next project , there are only so many hours in a day , do you really want to pay for the privilege of becoming a book seller ?
Hundreds of the famous A1 Great North Road Photo Book by Paul Graham languished in Paul’s loft for ages before the world discovered him and his work , think about that …
In short , aim to make your photography publishing profitable , this mentality will help you focus on the reality of the demand for your work rather than being carried away with unrealistic hope , optimism and charity , like I said , vanity is insanity in all things photo- book publishing !
If you insist on following the Photo-Book road ensure that you have the support of good distribution , printing only 1000 copies will not enable you to keep the wolf away for long , if your very lucky you might break even ?
If you can afford to self publish with the same mentality as backing a horse in the Grand National then make the wager but if you live your life without a financial safety net , don’t !
Profit is not a dirty word , it’s the difference between creative folk feeling safe and secure in a uncertain world …
If your not blessed with piles of cash beware of those trying to exploit your photographic aspirations , many care not one jot for your photography ,
Take care and beware of the old vanity publishing scam in all its forms , Grandmaster Flash knew a thing or two about photo-book publishing …
It's like a jungle sometimes, it makes me wonder
How I keep from going under
Ha ha ha ha …
