Assignment 4: Photo Book Page-through Video

Battled with this page-through exercise. My tripod set up necessitates me working around the legs to be able to do a page-through. Outside light caused the initial cover shot to be overly bright blue, but does revert to the proper CMYK rendition after that. Also a bit of glare on the pages from light streaming in. I’m not a videographer and haven’t played too much with these settings on my camera. Book slipped a bit on table surface, so need to find a less slippery surface to do this kind of exercise on in future.

My evaluation on the printed copy can be seen here.

Assignment 4: Publication Evaluation

My publication draft has the following outputs:

• Book – self published
• Portfolio website
• Virtual exhibition (test phase only. Not implemented due to forced delay of book launch as a result of forest fires where I live which played havoc with tourist season).
• Various successful open calls

Gained experience:

• Creating publications using Affinity Publisher (book, postcards, business cards, posters, press releases, portfolio review documents).
• Working with printer using specifications to produce photobook.
• Fine-tuning my pitch for portfolio reviews.
• Crafting an industry press release.
• Engaging with industry professionals during portfolio reviews and conducting research and interviewing book publishers, gaining valuable insight, advice and feedback on book layout.
• Engaging with audience face-to-face during artist talk.
• Engaged with international audiences through different open calls, e.g. Lightreadings Magazine, Suboart Magazine, Getxophoto Festival.
• Operating in a commercial context working with printer, calculating costs of prints for exhibition, understanding British Columbia Arts Council grant application guidelines.
• Setting up portfolio website through Portfoliobox and managing content.

Work and problem-solving is never made in isolation. Peer feedback and support proved essential and invaluable on this journey.

Book Evaluation

Just realised that apart from all the problems experienced with the delivery of the books, I haven’t actually sat down and done an evaluative report back on the actual book itself. In hindsight this might have been a good omission as it has given me some time to get over the anticlimax caused by the printing problems.

Covers and Endpapers

• The 2 cm colour block on both sides of the spine work well, creating a visual stop for the eye. Designer was 100% correct in pointing out that the colour needed to be deepened in order to make a differentiation all the way along the length. Very happy I took his advice on that.
• Positioning of the title between fold line and bottom of colour block worked well as the text is centred between these two points. Text could possibly have been a couple of points larger but would no longer have been centred.
• Designer had suggested including my name on the front cover, whereas I have it only on the spine. Think this would have made it too symmetrical and disturbed the asymmetry of the cover’s visual image.
• Now that I have the book in hand I can see I should have chosen a gloss lamination for the cover instead of a matt lamination as this would have punched the colours more. The cover feels a tad flat compared to my test prints made on Canon Pro-Lustre paper.
• Endpapers are vibrant and punchy. Very happy with this choice.

Perfect Binding

• It works, does the job and is cost effective. Spine is 5 mm. Initially would have preferred a cloth bound hardcover with inset image and foil titling – but this would be better suited to a book with a more substantial spine.

Inside Pages

• Printing on 150 gsm silk was a good choice – provides a bit of punch to the images.
• Bold captioning of place and people’s names below images contrast well with light text of page numbering. Page numbering doesn’t intrude into the viewing space.
• Overall happy with the CMYK rendition, although I could have added a bit more contrast to some photos.
• Gray colour blocks next to text work really well to hold viewer’s eye on page.
• Advice given during portfolio review to create breadcrumbs and then provide more details in the List of Photographs works well. Map in the frontispiece hints at locations of places.

Process

• Used Affinity Publisher to create book layout.
• Created a Documentation booklet to keep track of all settings, page layout grids, mood board, choices for fonts etc. Have referred to it on various occasions so good legacy document to have on hand.

On the whole, I’m happy with the book. I have about 25 copies that will serve for maquettes should I submit for a photobook open call. Ideally the final book should be a bespoke handmade book.

LO2 coherently present a body of work, making creative presentation decisions that complement your subject and/or your artistic strategies

Assignment 3: Self Reflection

This assignment was not really an onerous one for me as I used to do this kind of research before I retired. Sourcing names, addresses and contact details is something I do well and quickly.

• If I can give any advice to students tackling this or a similar assignment is to start this process very early on. Do it concurrently with other assignments. While you might be organized, you need to leave room (and read that as time too) for folks responding to you. Plan on sending the emails out individually to avoid spam filters.
• I found that wording the initial email to the book publishers was crucial. Stressing that it was an academic exercise was very fruitful. Many book publishers were/are academics themselves so understand the pressures of the student. Responses acknowledged this.
• Gained valuable insight into book sequencing from one particular publisher as well as methodology and printing processes.
• Made good legacy contacts with those who responded.

Assignment 2 Publication Proposal [REVISED]

I have made some minor adjustments as suggested by my tutor in the formative feedback, and also added in the Consent Form in the Appendices.

lyndakuit512863publicationproposal-finalDownload

LO1 demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the professional context(s) relevant to your practice and have an understanding of the professional dimensions that underpin a successful photographic practice

LO3 operate in complex commercial contexts requiring the application of specific interpersonal, professional and business skills within an ethical framework

Reflection on Tutor Feedback: Assignment 4

Tutor reported project is sound. The book looks good, and especially likes the promotional poster.

Tutor Feedback (with my comments in italics)

• Main comment is to consolidate my posts on padlet under the A4 section more. Create 3 sections (book/exhibition/promotional material) and separate items accordingly. Can have 3 folders with similar contents on the G-drive for assessment. Promotional material i.e. press release, bio and CV can be combined into one document. This makes a lot of sense. I have created the folders on the temporary G-drive and will duplicate this on the assigned assessment G-drive. Once this is allocated I’ll create the links on the Padlet.
• Reverse engineer artist statement by beginning with work first and then leading out – particular to general. Statement reads well. I have made the recommended suggestions.
• Mentioned that opening a PDF from the Padlet causes one to get lost. I have provided detailed instructions on navigating external links on the Padlet. Instructions for opening/closing PDF and blog links as well as visual prompts can be found under the first column “About this Padlet”. This should eliminate any confusion.
• Reverse engineer press release a little more. Mention that it is a book launch/release in the heading, with contact details at the end. I have made these adjustments and also brought the press release into Affinity Publisher and was able to make the necessary adjustments to have it on one page.
• Consider the audience /register reflect on some ‘précis’ or blurbs from book publishers or on-line sales such as photo bookstore to see how they summarise the content and intention of the book. Will do this. I have actually looked at quite a few from book publishers, but forgot to write up my findings.
• Recommendations made on how to approach A3. Use pie chart to show some quantitative data. Keep the feedback general.

Reflection on Tutor Feedback: Assignment 5

Tutor Feedback (with my comments in italics)

• Summary of 8 August feedback session: Everything hangs on CRS padlet. Make separate document as narrative of the journey marketing your work. Learning is on how you have disseminated your work and engaged audiences
• Separate document with LOs. Drawing from padlet links is a good move. Just provide gist and detail. Working on refining my list to include the most important posts.
• A5 Evaluation summary: put heading in each section which reverse engineers the reflection. Will signal to the assessor that you have reflected on the feedback and process of professional dissemination and made judgements or found avenues to pursue. This definitely helps to break the sections out and make it more visible to the assessors. Done.
• Lead viewer visually through different stages of engagement and ‘marketing’. My assignment submission was very rough and done in Word format to make it easier for tutor annotations. Currently refining it into a more visual publication that will be in PDF format.
• CRS Padlet looks comprehensive. Just summarize as concisely as possible and link to Learning Outcomes.
• Provide a very brief statement as to what the learning is with each link – just a couple of words. Currently working on this as I whittle down my list to the important posts.
• Check on blog posts that can be reverse engineered and reduced in word count. Or can sum this up in the CRS overview (rather than changing all the blogs) so going through your blogs and summarizing in one or two lines the main gains from that assignment/exercise is the key here. I think the last option will be the one to follow as the padlet will be the main component for assessment.

LO5 confidently engage a public audience with your practice and analyse, review and evaluate information relevant to your practice, identifying opportunities for professional development

Assignment 5: Publication evaluation and Preparing for Assessment

The essay was submitted to my tutor in early August. I am not publishing the essay here on the blog but it is accessible for assessment via my CRS padlet and G-drive.

Brief outline of process:

• Submitted a down and dirty draft essay to tutor in Word format to make it easier to do annotations.
• Began with publication draft, working backwards: anticlimax – delivery problems & resolutions – negotiating with printer. Copyright checks, promotional materials designed.
• Linked back to BOW establishing connection, where started, where ended.
• Snapshot overview of portfolio reviews.
• Feedback on designer input on book layout.
• Silk prints for gifts.
• Open calls, exhibitions and publications – successes and what learnt.
• Website
• Networking
• Conclusion

Revision of essay – produced an Affinity Publisher document, with front & back covers, index, list of illustrations, bibliography and many visuals added.

LO5. confidently engage a public audience with your practice and analyse, review and evaluate information relevant to your practice, identifying opportunities for professional development.

Books Delivered

• ExWhyZed contacted me to advise that the shipping cost was a little more than originally estimated and would obviously arrive later than originally quoted.
• Ten days later I received the shipment and my heart just sank when I saw the state of the box. The box was badly scrunched in the one corner, as well as on the sides.
• I immediately got my camera out to gather evidence to relay back to the printer to make him aware of the situation. I noticed that the quality of the cardboard was quite soft, almost having the consistency of a corrugated cardboard roll which is quite flexible.

• The books were enfolded in bubble wrap on their short side only and topped with slightly deflated plastic pillows. Granted the plastic pillows might have had more air in them when they began their journey.
• After unboxing the books I noticed that there were quite a few spines that were either scuffed or had glue residue on them. Some of the corners on the covers were also bent.

• I sent the printer quite a few photographs of the damage letting him know how disappointed I was and to inform him that the packaging used was definitely not conducive to overseas shipping as it was too soft and pliable and definitely didn’t withstand rough handling.
• The printer was very understanding and responsive agreeing that it was very frustrating to receive damaged books and requested a count of the damaged books.
• I decided to do a complete page through of each book to make sure that there was no other damage. Unfortunately there was. A few books had badly damaged end papers as can be seen below. I’m not sure if this occurred in transit or off the printing press. It’s probably impossible for printers to let pages off-gas in a mass production scenario. So I’m guessing that cardboard dust got onto the page during shipping and with the movement scuffed the page up pretty badly. That’s the only reason I can account for there being brown scuff marks on a blue page. Such a shame!

• ExWhyZed is reprinting the books so I will receive the full 25 copies that were ordered. Apparently they had a week of bad boxes like this with work turning up damaged.  The supplier sent them a different type of box than usual.
• I do have to commend ExWhyZed despite the bad shipment. I have really enjoyed working with this company. They were extremely responsive when I was at the quote stage and very patient as I requested a few quotes over the space of 4 months, always following up if I was a little slow in getting back to them. They were very quick to rectify the bad shipment without my having to request replacements.

UPDATE: I received the reprinted shipment yesterday and was very pleased with the condition of the box – no dents! I also noticed a different courier service had been used which might have helped. There was better packaging inside the box and it was a better fit for the books with not much room inside for shifting. All spines and covers looked good as do the endpapers. I’m a happy customer now!

Lessons learned: this took about a month to sort out so always build in some “catastrophe time” into your project plan’s timeline.

LO3 operate in complex commercial contexts requiring the application of specific interpersonal, professional and business skills within an ethical framework

Getting to Grips with Google Analytics

• Procrastination in setting up Google Analytics on my website was probably beneficial as Google brought in a new system towards the end of June.
• My website builder platform (Portfoliobox.net) now has updated tutorials on their site which provide an easy step-by-step process on how to set up Google Analytics on the website.
• These tutorials very helpful in trying to make sense of the tech-speak on Google. Terminology on Google Analytics was difficult to understand, e.g., property, containers, stream ID, Measurement ID, tag ID.
• Don’t recall having to jump through so many hoops when I hosted my own homestay business website a few years ago!
• Had to provide my time zone – apparently this is for reporting purposes (hits), industry category which were extremely general, so I chose as Arts & Entertainment.
• There were a number of reports to choose from, but to start off I chose the ‘generate leads’ which analyses visitor metrics and new customers. I can always add more reports as I get the hang of using this system.
• It will probably take a while to show some decent data but will be useful (I hope) in monitoring how well marketing campaigns are working. Fingers crossed I have set it all up correctly.

LO1 demonstrate comprehensive knowledge of the professional context(s) relevant to your practice and have an understanding of the professional dimensions that underpin a successful photographic practice