Book making workshop and dummy book feedback from Richard Higginbottom

For Richard Higginbottom's workshop we looked at photographer's dummy books, so as to get ideas for our own books. He also showed us a presentation discussing how to make a binding book ourselves, as well as the definition of a photobook, with quotes from Marcel Feil stating "the selection and order of the images, the chosen format, the way in which the images are arranged on the page, how they relate to each other... is all an inextricable part of an artistic process that is both complex and intriguing." This is very interesting to consider when composing the sequence.

Richard also gave us advice for our books, like:

• Make a sequence that surprises, challenges, puzzles and asks more questions than give answers.
• Consider rhythm and flow of work. Sequencing photographs is like composing music.
• Make the edit and the sequence, and then do it again and again, because it can always be done better.
• And finally, when you have something you really think works, make a book dummy which is as close as possible to the final book. This will give a sense of the outcome of the work on both a visual and tactile level.

Later, after making my fifth dummy book at university, I showed the finished book to Richard, and he said that the images are really good, but I need to consider more about the book. For instance- he said to think about what book size would be ideal for this project, and what does the size infer (A5 might be seen as more intimate, like a small book hidden away in a loft).

Furthermore, he stated to "play with the layout more, like putting images together", to think about image size and what they mean, as well as playing with a portrait orientation for the book, to see how it looks.

Finally, to clarify what the book is about, he said to include a foreword/conclusion or a written piece of work.

Overall- it was good to get advice from someone who hasn't seen my work in a book format before, especially from someone who is knowledgeable about photobooks. Because of this- I will use the advice to develop the book further.