Printed Photo Books Can Collect “Once in a Lifetime” Moments

Some photographers think everyone else has all the luck; these days, that story is all about being in Beijing for the Olympics as pro photo equipment is allowed into the games. Think about all of those once in a lifetime shots that could be collected into a printed photo book.

You may not be shooting at the Olympics - for that matter, you might not ever get to the Olympics and have the opportunity to see the world’s best athletes in action - but that doesn’t mean that there are not once in a lifetime moments that you will be able to capture on film or a memory card; and it assuredly doesn’t mean that you won’t be able to take advantage of printed photo books.

Whether you’re out shooting weddings or you’re covering a local Little League game, whether you’re spending time with family members or visiting exotic locations, you’ll find that there are some shots that you know rise above the rest. When you’re able to capture those moments, a printed photo book can help you to collect those moments so that you can be sure that the shots remain treasured for years to come.

Printed Photo Books Can Make a Difference in Your Business

Photographers are always on the lookout for what they can do to promote their business and to set themselves apart from the others. Printed photo books can be a great option for photographers who are looking to set themselves and their businesses apart.

Printed photo books can make a difference in a photography business in a number of ways:

  • Printed photo books create beautiful albums for clients who are looking for photo prints after an event.
  • Printed photo books allow photographers to have an impact on their community by taking photos of the sites and collecting them into a volume
  • Printed photo books - when other photographers in the area do not offer them - can be a great tool for simply letting others know that you do business differently
  • Printed photo books are great for marketing

In other words, with printed photo books, one of the things that you are going to quickly discover is that all of the things that make you different can be showcased - and that helps your business to stand out.

Design Tips: Using Photo Books to Explore the World

Some of the reasons why professional photographers turn to printed photo books is the inspiration of others:

In an effort to promote photography, the release of his new book, and, indirectly, the release of the latest release of Adobe Lightroom, author, publisher, and all around nice guy Scott Kelby is hosting the first ever Worldwide Photo Walk.

Scott Kelby’s Worldwide Photo Walk will take place in two weeks on August 23, 2008 and is happening in over 200 cities around the globe. Covering six continents and twenty-four time zones, photographers will be hooking up for a free, social photography event to take pictures, meet new people, get a little exercise, and have an excuse to do what they like doing best.

If you’re looking to get involved in a similar projects, you’ll find that there are a number of photo book design tips that you will want to keep in mind:

  • When you’re designing a printed photo book, you’ll find that you are able to look at all of the photos from the event to choose the ones that fit the best.
  • When you know that you are going to be designing a printed photo book, you’ll want to think about the shots that you take well before you start sorting through, editing and doing post production work
  • When you are going to be designing printed photo books after an event with other photographers, you may want to think about using some of the other shots taken by the group - and, of course, if you do, there will be additional design elements that you’ll want to consider

Simply put, when you are going to be designing printed photo books - whether or not the shots your taking have been taken in an organized function, an event or even just a chance to get out with your camera to explore the world.

Printed Photo Books Can Help You to Get Inspired

When you’re looking for inspiration within your photography business, one of the options that you have is to take a look at using printed photo books to collect some of your images:

(source)Hughes’s cheeky photos consist of images where he holds the miniature version of a landmark up to the actual landmark that inspired it, like the Eiffel Tower or the Brandenburg Gate.

I’m not usually amped up to take a ton of photos of an iconic monument, but Hughes’s work encourages me to see the “same old things” with different eyes — or lens, ahem. Check out the whole set and see if you don’t get the same feeling!

With printed photo books, many photographers quickly discover that it is easy to share their view from behind the camera, to capture the quirky elements of their lives, of a place or of a group of people. It’s possible to look at the way things are and to see them in a way that is completely different than it is for everyone else; with printed photo books, you’ll find that you are able to share those images. And, chances are good that when you look through your own printed photo books or those designed by others, you just may be inspired too!

Professional Photo Books Rise to the Occasion

When you photograph weddings, engagement parties, proms and other school dances or even family vacations, one of the things that you are going to want to be sure that you are doing is looking at the best photos and collecting them in a photo book that stands out. Professional photo books will rise to the occasion time and time again.

With professional photo books, you won’t have to worry about color issues; the inks that are used will accurately show the colors in the shots that you’ve taken. Similarly, you won’t have to worry about the photo book coming apart at the seams; with professional photo books you will find that stitched and glue bindings are designed to last for years to come.

Add in layout guides that will help you to know that you’re setting up a striking professional photo book, indicators of page bleeds so that you’re able to ensure that your photo shows completely. Add in great quality service and even layout help if you need it and you’ll find that professional photo books are there for you for marketing purposes or as albums for your clients.

Printed Photo Books Let You Showcase Your Less Popular Work

Some photographers make a name for themselves by focusing on wedding or portraiture, on food photography or travel shots. Others make the choice to look into their other options in addition to working for their clients. With printed photo books, they will be able to showcase their less popular work as well as that which they are known for. By focusing on getting all of their photography out there, photographers will find that:

  • They are able to attract more people to the work that they do
  • They are able to focus on building a business
  • They are able to look at the big picture of what attracts them to photography and to make sure that they are putting those things to work for them

If you’ve been looking for a chance to showcase your work and you have been looking for an opportunity to do more with the shots that you take when you are not simply working for a client, you will find that printed photo books open doors and help you to attract new clients to your work - it really is as simple as that.

Printed Photo Books Can Help You Develop Your Craft

When you’re working on becoming a professional photographer, one of the things that you are going to want to take a much closer look at is simple: with printed photo books, you will find that you are able to look at your work and to develop it over time.

With printed photo books, you will find that you are able to develop your craft and to focus on your work. You will be able to see the differences that come into play when you take the same shot with a different camera or the lighting shifts or if you do/don’t use a flash. You’ll also be able to document the work that you’ve doing with printed photo books and that means that, as time goes on, you will find that you are able to look at your own progress and to create a plan for developing your skills even more.

Printed photo books are a great tool for photographers - especially when they are used as a tool for reflection and as an opportunity to look forward to changes that can be made that will take your work to another level. As you grow as a photographer, you will find that printed photo books can show the changes that you make and help you to feel even more proud of them.

Using Printed Photo Books as a Teaching Tool

When part of your photography business includes providing an education to others, you’ll find that printed photo books can be an ideal teaching tool. With printed photo books, you will be able to:

  • Show your students the same shot as it would look if taken at different exposure settings or at different speeds
  • Help your students to learn more about what it takes to set up a studio of their own so that they will be aware of what space requirements they will need and what tools and supplies they are going to want to have
  • Show the effects of processing images after the shoot
  • Teach your students what they are going to need to do in order to make the transition from a point and shoot camera to an SLR
  • Work with your students to help them understand the difference between shooting in color and shooting in black and white.

When you use printed photo books as a teaching tool, you will find that it’s a lot easier to communicate your point and to get your students thinking about things a bit differently. By doing so, you will find that it’s easier to get the job accomplished and that you are able to reach more students.

Printed Photo Books Can Help You to Explore Your Art

Not everyone who enters into the realm of professional photographer will always be focused on shooting weddings, or on portraits. Some will look into what they can do to further explore the art of photography. While not everyone who is setting out to travel for the sake of their art and while not everyone will be focused on just taking photos and art for art’s sake, some will (and printed photo books can help to take those images and to turn them into something more):

(source)After reading a newspaper article in which several of his students credited him with teaching them to “take more chances” with their art, he realized it was time to start living that rhetoric. Within a year, he was on a plane bound for Mexico City and wondering what would happen next. Gornowich said he spent the next seven months “in a perpetual state of confusion,” traveling on foot and by bus from country to country, taking pictures of whatever caught his eye. His subjects included Mexican professional wrestlers, women washing clothes by hand, angry protesters and gang members who wanted to show off their tattoos.

You may not head out to Central America. You might not look into meeting people, shooting their photos and creating multimedia art the way that the photographer mentioned above did. But that doesn’t mean that you cannot use printed photo books to explore your art just the same.

With printed photo books, you’ll be able to uncover the themes of your work. You’ll find that you are able to share that work with others - whether you choose to sell printed photo books at art shows, at local bookstores, or even at auction. Simply put, with printed photo books, you’ll find that you are able to explore your interests, create beautiful pieces and to make sure that you are able to share them.

What Difference Do Professional Photo Books Make?

When you are a professional photographer and you are looking into creating photo books – whether your goals include marketing your business, attracting prospective clients at a trade show or simply providing your customers with a more effective way to gather and share the photos from the shoot – you are going to want to be sure that you are choosing photo books that are as professional as you are.

What differences will you find when you are turning to professional photo books? On one hand, you will find that there are more layout options available to you when you are looking at professional photo books. You will find too that you are able to see a dramatic difference in the way that printing and color are handled and that the books that you create are designed to last. In other words, when you are using professional photo books for your business, you will find that it is a lot easier for your clients to understand your work and to see your commitment to what you are doing.

Ultimately, the difference that is created with professional photo books is simple: with professional photo books, you will find that it is far easier to reach your professional goals.