We live in the golden age of the photography book. Since the early 1990s, the number of photography book publishers has continued to grow while technological developments have placed more tools for bookmaking directly in the hands of photographers. For the students and working artists who have chosen photography as their primary means of expression, having their own photography book is seen as a passport to the international photography scene. Yet, few have more than a tentative grasp of the component parts of a book, an understanding of what they want to express, or the know-how needed to get a book published. Publish Your Photography Book is the first book to demystify the process of producing and publishing a book of photographs. Industry insiders Darius D. Himes and Mary Virginia Swanson survey the current landscape of photography book publishing and point out the many avenues to pursue and pitfalls to avoid. This expert guide is organized in six sections covering the rich history of the photo book; anoverview of the publishing industry; an intimate look at the process of making a book; a close review of how to market aphoto book; a section on case studies, built around discussions and interviews with published photographers; and a final section presenting a wealth of resources and information to aid in the understanding of the publishing world. Publish Your Photography Book also includes a number of additional interviews and contributions from industry professionals, including artists, publishers, designers, packagers, editors, and other industry experts who openly share their publishing experiences.

I'm not a photographer (I don't even own a camera), so it's a little odd for me to be reviewing this book. I picked it up on the recommendation of a friend who is a photographer and who wanted to talk about it.

However, I do have a lot of experience working with books as a librarian and as a dabbler in bookbinding and book arts, so, from that perspective, I think this is a very well-written book which is both informative and inspirational. I think the ideal audience for this book would be an established photographer who is looking to pitch their work to a publisher for the first time, although much of the book will still be useful for a less established photographer or for someone looking to self-publish. (If you're Annie Leibovitz and can sell a book based on name recognition, alone, you don't need this book.) ( )