How To Land A Book Deal

Before that glossy coffee table photo book in your studio lands on bookshelves for you to buy, there are months—if not years—of work involved between book editors and photographers in creating a final product. The title alone could take weeks of brainstorming. In the end, the finely laid out photography concepts you’re reading about are the diligent work of an author and accomplished photographer.

Book deals aren’t as elusive as they may seem, and with some of the top photo editors and photographers giving you the inside scoop, you too can learn the essentials of how to sell a photo book.

Editors’ Insight
Book editors are always seeking the next great proposal, whether it comes from authors or agents representing authors. What does a great proposal look like? Julie Mazur, senior editor at Amphoto Books, a division of Random House, covers the basics. “In terms of the actual proposal, I ask for a paragraph describing the book and its target market, a table of contents, a sample chapter with images, additional supporting images, what makes your book different than others out there and an author biography.”

Mazur stresses that potential author/photographers should always have a clear concept of the book they want to write before approaching a publisher. Mazur asks, “What is it about? Who is it for? Do some research, browse the publisher’s Web site, go to a bookstore and poke around on Amazon.”

She continues, “Above all else, make sure that your book fits with the general category of books the publisher is putting out. For example, don’t send a proposal for a monograph to a publisher of photography how-to books, or vice-versa.”

Are you an authority on the particular genre or concepts you want to write about in your book? If so, emphasize your credentials. Michelle Perkins, senior editor and production manager at Amherst Media, points out that awards, business success, degrees and teaching experience all lend credibility to a photographer’s proposal. “We look first and foremost for a good idea that will appeal to our readers. We seek out clearly written proposals and outstanding imagery that will illustrate the book,” comments Perkins. How do you figure out exactly what you want your book to be about? “Think about your readers,” she recommends. “What problems or challenges do those readers encounter that the photographer can address?”

Amherst Media exclusively publishes instructional photography books and targets professional photographers seeking expert advice. Perkins acknowledges that this type of writing is a big commitment and that photographers should consider the time and effort it takes to get a book published. When choosing images for your book to showcase your talent, consider the long term. “Pick images you think will stand the test of time,” suggests Perkins. “Choose images that you’ll still be proud to have your name on 50 years from now.”

Photographers’ Point of View
With more than 40 years in the photo industry, Skip Cohen has co-authored six books with the best photographers out there, including Bambi Cantrell, Joe Buissink and Don Blair. His latest photography book, Going Pro, written with the legendary Scott Bourne, debuts in fall 2011 and will be published by Amphoto. Cohen’s multitude of books makes him an expert in the field and his best advice for getting the work done is to stick to the outline you’ve created. “Put the time in on your outline so you stay focused as an author. When you stay with your outline, you’re on topic. If you’re bouncing around from idea to idea, you’re not going to remember what you said in chapter one and then you’re suddenly duplicating yourself,” Cohen says. Another important lesson he stresses is to write a book that has lasting value. From start to finish, a photography book may take up to 18 months before it’s published, and by then technology has evolved beyond the book. To fix that problem, Cohen says, “You want to make sure you’re not too specific so that your book doesn’t have a short shelf life.” Cohen points out that the advice in his first book with Bambi Cantrell, The Art of Wedding Photography: Professional Techniques with Style, still holds true today—like how to shoot in bad lighting—even though the images were shot on film. Lastly, Cohen stresses that even though the adage says otherwise, “We do judge books by their covers. When I want to buy a photo book, I always think, ‘Does the image on the cover make me want to open this book?’ ”

Sal Cincotta, a WPPI speaker and professional photographer, wisely tapped into his business savvy to pen two books titled Behind the Shutter: The Business of Wedding Photography and Behind the Shutter: The Business of Senior Photography, both for Amherst Media. He echoes the same sentiments that Cohen addresses: Coming up with a unique concept and a solid outline are the best ways to get a publisher’s attention. According to him, the actual process of writing was tougher than it initially seemed, especially for a photographer with a tight schedule and weekend wedding shoots. Cincotta says, “My biggest challenge in writing these books was time. I had to make time to sit down, complete thoughts, grab pictures, etc. It was fun, but keep in mind, it’s not as glamorous as it seems.”

As is the case for some photographers, editors might approach them after seeing some of their work, seeking to work on a specific project. Lee Wade, an editor at Random House, contacted well known animal photographer Steve Grubman after she viewed some of his work. She wanted to collaborate on a children’s book with him. Grubman was interested, especially when an experienced writer, Jill Davis, was brought in to write anecdotes about Grubman’s featured animal photos. The final product, Orangutans Are Ticklish, was published in the winter of 2010, three years after Grubman initially began work on it. Still, the process hasn’t been all hard work and no play. Grubman’s publisher asked him to help publicize the book by appearing at book signings and readings where he got to meet the children who were reading his book. “It was a blast. Some of their comments and questions were priceless,” he says.

Go Your Own Way
Sometimes the best deals you get are the ones you seek out yourself, as celebrity photographer John Russo learned. Russo had begun taking Type 55 Polaroid portraits of men’s faces with the idea that he would put them together in a book to benefit The Smile Train, a nonprofit dedicated to helping children with lip and cleft palates. Russo initially approached major publishers with the first 20 pages and received some interest, but ultimately publishers passed, convinced the book wouldn’t make any money. So instead, Russo turned to independent boutique publishers and found Jordana Woodland at Pixie Press Worldwide, who wanted About Face, Russo’s Polaroid project, to be her first photography book.

“You can publish your own book and put it out there. You should not get hung up because you don’t have a publisher,” Russo stresses. “There are plenty of design programs online. Design the book yourself, print about five copies, and if a publisher doesn’t want to buy it, put it up on your Web site and sell it.” He references the story of a photographer colleague who self-published his own book and took it to specialty stores directly. “He got a pre-order to carry 200 of his books for a chain of stores.”

In the same spirit, Russo is focused on his next photo book, 100 Making a Difference, without an attached publisher—yet. The book is intended to highlight all the people out there—celebs and regular folks alike—who are working hard on behalf of charitable causes. “The more I talked to people about what I was doing, the more incredible stories I heard.” He asked his friend Elizabeth Chambers, a CNN foreign correspondent, to conduct the interviews after each shoot to lend authenticity to the book’s core concept.

What’s on Your Shelf?
Each of the featured photographers and editors all agree on one thing about photography books: have a great title and an amazing cover. “You want something that looks great,” offers Russo. “I buy books for the artist, the cover and the beautiful photography. I’m always inspired by other photographers.” Cincotta loves learning new lighting techniques, so he searches for photography books from which he can learn something new in that realm. “I typically flip through, look at the pictures, then look for some headers in the book that are new or interesting.” Cohen reiterates Cincotta’s comments by sharing, “Is the topic something I have an interest in? Who is the photographer? I’m looking for a topic that intrigues me.”

For editors, the same holds true but with a different emphasis—on the readers. Mazur shares that one of their top-selling authors is Bryan Peterson because he strongly resonates with readers. Mazur says, “We recently published the third edition of [Peterson’s] Understanding Exposure, one of the best-selling photography technique books in the category, and it continues to break records for us.” At Amherst Media, Perkins has found that the best way to sell a book is to have three tried-and-true ingredients: “A unique approach, top-notch images that grab readers and clear content that keeps them hooked.”

While there is no magic formula for photography book success, passion and love of imagery are first and foremost, along with the desire to share what you’ve learned. For more information about the featured photographers/authors, visit Skip Cohen at www.mei500.com, Sal Cincotta at www.salcincotta.com, Steve Grubman at www.grubman.com and John Russo at www.johnrussophoto.com. Visit Amphoto Books at www.randomhouse.com/crown/amphoto-books and Amherst Media at www.amherstmedia.com.

Jennifer Chen is the photo and associate editor for VegNews Magazine. She has written for Everyday with Rachael Ray, Natural Health, Bust and Audrey. She is also currently working on a young adult novel series. She blogs at www.typecraftwriter.com.