On bookmaking
September 30, 2017
September 30, 2017
When I started selecting, I trusted that some sort of theme would emerge that would hold these pictures together in some meaningful way. Something that would justify them appearing in a book together. I honestly don’t know if that is the case. Based on my gut feeling I would say it is. But is it? And why? And what if it’s not?
People are telling me that editing a book is a craft, and that it should involve another set of eyes for a fresh perspective and feedback on the selection. I’ve been offered help from some people, and I really appreciate that. I also see their point. But I don’t want it. I know that editing is a craft. Taking pictures is another. No one would suggest to take them for me though. I’m not overestimating my skills. But photography has always been a solitary thing for me, not literally, but mentally. It only feels natural to extend that to the book. It's an excercise, an experiment, just like photography was five years ago and still is. I want to see how this works, what it needs to see this through. If I wanted to make the best book possible, I would need a professional to have it edited for me. Probably without me being involved at all. That would actually be quite interesting, and I would love to do that some time. But this is not about that. I want to make a book that is mine to the best of my abilities. Flawes and all.
People are telling me that editing a book is a craft, and that it should involve another set of eyes for a fresh perspective and feedback on the selection. I’ve been offered help from some people, and I really appreciate that. I also see their point. But I don’t want it. I know that editing is a craft. Taking pictures is another. No one would suggest to take them for me though. I’m not overestimating my skills. But photography has always been a solitary thing for me, not literally, but mentally. It only feels natural to extend that to the book. It's an excercise, an experiment, just like photography was five years ago and still is. I want to see how this works, what it needs to see this through. If I wanted to make the best book possible, I would need a professional to have it edited for me. Probably without me being involved at all. That would actually be quite interesting, and I would love to do that some time. But this is not about that. I want to make a book that is mine to the best of my abilities. Flawes and all.
I was fairly satisfied with the pairings, but when I began sequencing, I had to give up on quite a few of them. One of the reasons that I feel that the concept of the book, shady to begin with, is starting to shift into unknown territories. Meanwhile, I’m tinkering with layouts, how the pictures should appear on the page, where the white space is and how much. I may have underestimated to what degree lay out matters to how the pictures are perceived. This is the phase where pairing, sequencing and design are sort of melting together, impossible to untangle and continuously interacting with each other.