The Boards.ie Photography Year Book 2009

Covey

No thats not a typo.

Well the book looks great and a big thanks is due to ThOnda and Whyulittle for the enormous amount of work put in.

Having got such a great end product I'm assuming this will now become an annual thing.

The current book, quite rightly, being the first in the series, allowed entries that were outside 2008. Maybe if a second one comes on strem, we might prefer to restrict it to Photos from the year in question.

So, just a suggestion.

We have a monthly "best of" thread which we could use. Say October '08 to September '09. Enter your best shot each month and then pick one to go in the book.

What do you think?

Ballyman

Sounds like a good plan to me.

kgiller

Good idea. Could divide the book up into the months as well.

Cabaal

I don't see the need for a best of thread each month, I think best to just limit shots to those taken in 2009, otherwise your starting to make everything more complex then it needs to be.

There's enough work in it as it is

Covey

Cabaal wrote: »

I think best to just limit shots to those taken in 2009

That was the idea alright ! The "Best of" threads already exist.

jen_23

Maybe also it could be categorized into amateur novice pro?? To give everyone a chance?? just a thought!

challengemaster

jen_23 wrote: »

Maybe also it could be categorized into amateur novice pro?? To give everyone a chance?? just a thought!

It's not a competition, its a mixed representation of the photographers of this site. Everyone has a chance to submit a photo. That just makes it into a competition tbh.

Shiny

I think this thread could have waited till say....September next year?

jen_23

challengemaster wrote: »

It's not a competition, its a mixed representation of the photographers of this site. Everyone has a chance to submit a photo. That just makes it into a competition tbh.

Ah sorry i'm stupid today i never read the original message properly. I thought it was there would be a best of threads forum and the best one would be voted....
Excuse the stupidness..... Almost the weekend .. i'm tired

Covey

Pick your own from the shots you post in those threads was the idea.

jen_23

Got it this time Good idea Covey. I like it.

dakar

I suppose it depends on whether a photo is not allowed in unless it appeared in a 'Best of.....' thread.

I think that's quite restrictive, I know I change my mind over time and a photo that I may not love in January might have grown on me by June! I have to say I liked this year's set up and other than the restriction that the photo should be taken in the given year, I think it should be up to the individual photographer to choose the photo which best represents their work during the year (and as a consequence, the one that will make them smile as they flick through the book).

There was a certain amount of concern expressed in the initial threads discussing the possibility of this year's book that the might be some mediocre or 'substandard' photos submitted, and although there's only the preview to go by, it looks like those fears were unfounded. I love the 'Best of' threads but I think for a year book, let's not complicate things needlessly.

my 2c

Covey

You have a point there Dakar.

dakar

One slight amendment I'd make to the 'one year rule' would be that the the year would obviously run from one book publishing to the next, i.e. September to September or whatever, rather than a calendar year per se!:)

ThOnda

I'd second Dakar. And end of September as a closing date for submissions as well. To have the book early enough before solstice.

DeVore

In the end of the day I dont want to start disbarring people based on the the perceived quality of their work! I think people are well aware when their work is good enough and self-select pretty well.

I almost didnt put a pic in this year to be honest, until I snapped the Maltese child pic at last minute! Even now I think I barely made the grade
I do agree with it being a shot taken in 2009 (if only to get us up and out there!) but I think anyone who posts here should be allowed to enter a picture of their choosing. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder etc.

DeV.

gandalf

Yep definately think the only actual rule should be the photo has to be from 2009 apart from that people should not be excluded once they are contributors to the forums.

ThOnda

If you are boards.ie registered member, the picture was taken after publishing the previous book, the picture is socially acceptable and you will buy (at least) one copy of the book, you should be given possibility to make your own decision what picture you shall include into next book.
Simple

AnimalRights

I agree with most here, skill should not come into it but just the date of the photograph taken.
Only reason I didn't enter this year was because of my own belief that I wasn't ready.

TheNorthBank

When would submissions have to be in by for Year Book 09?
I know I'm nowhere even close to the standard required for it now and wouldn't dream of submitting anything at the moment (the standard here is amazing), but if I thought I had the best part of a year to get one picture that I thought was a worthy addition to the book I'd be absolutely over the moon. It would NEVER come off my coffee table.

City-Exile

I think the timing of this publication was perfect.
It's great to have such a personal gift to give as a present.
That's the reason I bought 4 copies.
If I'm impressed, I may buy more.

I think that it's important to have it ready by Nov., to allow people take delivery before Christmas.

For anyone who doesn't believe they're up to the standard, you have plenty time to improve & you have plenty people here willing to offer you advice.

Would it be possible to have a book which accommodated both portrait & landscape pics?

ThOnda

Four? Shoot me in my face! :eek:
Now I regret that I had submitted my picture into the book.

City-Exile

What difference does it make if I bought one, or four?

ThOnda

Well, buying four times the same book and therefore giving more to charity?

sunny2004

I don't see any reason to have the images dated, as in taken 2009 ?

Is the idea not to produce books with great images regardless of when they were taken ?

otherwise it become a year in review type of thing and I believe this is a bad move.

In addition the closing date would have an effect, say its oct. then its really images taken during 10 months ?

To simplify what I am trying to say, the idea would be to maximize the amount of entries and as a result sales...

the idea of restricting the photographs to specific dates may have an adverse effect on sales, you will sell more books if more people have images in the book, anything that effects that is BAD in my opinion..

ThOnda

On the other hand, who would bother checking that?
I really don't think that it should be a rule, maybe recommendation.

I've just realised that we will have nice bargain position, so we could negotiate with more companies who will be the the chosen one for the next book. I think we could get up to 150 books. I am an optimist...

sunny2004

Shouldnt be a problem, after all if every person who has an image in the book bought one, and the extras copies.

I bought 2, but would at best buy 1 if any if I didnt have an image in the book !

I am so not for anything that excludes entries to the book and that includes dates of images !

Sorry about this but I feel like its a bad marketing move.

whyulittle

It's all in the name. If it's to be called a Year Book, you would expect the photo was taken during the year, or at least presented on Boards during the year.

If it's to be called Random Photo Book, date doesn't come into it.

sheesh

remember at the start of this years book everyone who agreed to be in the book had to agree to buy at least one copy. I know it sounds egotistical(or selfish or shallow, one of those bad things) but that was one of the reasons I agreed to buy it at the start. Its like the school play you are really going to see your own kids on the stage.
I don't know whether I would buy the book for just the photographs I remember that the fact that my picture was going to be in it seemed important and it kind of tied me into buying it. And it guarantees a certain amount of sales.

I know that is sounds very shallow but I thought that I should put that out there just as a caveat.

I'm not threatening not to buy the book 'unless....' When my book arrives maybe I'll get into the habit of buying photography books.

maybe a commitment to buying the book should take precidence over quality when it comes to who goes into it.

contentious I know. does any one understand what I'm saying?

RoryW

ThOnda wrote: »

....Now I regret that I had submitted my picture into the book.

I think there are a few in that boat, myself included, after seeing the quality of the preview photos.

ThOnda wrote: »

I think we could get up to 150 books. I am an optimist...

The Dublin Delivery Group have 42 books on the list assuming that all follow through on payment for their order. Many people have posted that they have also bought direct. I have received positive feedback from clients who I sent the link to and they have said that they have bought the book (so as to see my photo and all the others and then tell me to stick to the day job )

Fingers crossed that this target will be broken. The more the merrier (a seasonal pun:D) Ho ! Ho ! Ho !

Fionn

i suppose the thing is that, in principal there is a desire to undertake this venture again next year. I think we should stick as near to the way it was done this time seein that it was achieved in a very efficient manner. like "if it aint broke...etc."
I hopenext years one is as successful as this year!

AnCatDubh

I think it would be difficult (not impossible) to maintain momentum - having something that would build up over a year. For me it was a 24 hour process this time round. Many people appeared to procrastinate for a very long time and as research can verify, in essence a choice made in 'a blink of an informed eye' is as good as something procrastinated over for a long time. From the point of view of drumming up support, some advance work / discussion is best to maximise participation on the basis that participation = more sales = more cash for charity. But if it goes all year round i'd worry that there would be a danger that battle weariness will set in.

I wonder is it best as a yearbook (i.e. photos taken during the year) or an annual event of photos submitted taken by members. Both imply a very different approach. As ThOnda ponders above, who would verify (and how!) that photos submitted were taken during a specific period of time - hence maybe best leaving it up to everyone to submit something which is a personal choice that they would like to see published and that they feel is a good representation of their works.

Just a few thoughts.