Volume 9 Number 6 J UNE 2012 N EWSLETTER DIANA LINDSAY: ACCIDENTAL PUBLISHER Editorʼs Note: The June issue of the Photographersʼ Formulary newsletter departs from its usual format of featuring a single photographer. Diana Lindsay: Accidental Publisher, and Richard Breceda: Accidental Artist, reflect a pairing of talents. Ms. Lindsay is a book publisher and a well published photog- rapher. Mr. Breceda is a talented and innovative artist in metals, capable of designing and building almost anything you can “Accidental Artist” imagine out of metal. ©Diana Lindsay We hope you enjoy their stories. In this Issue ps: DO THIS: whenever you see a thumbnail image, click on it. When you click on it you will quickly see the larger ver- sion at a resolution you can enjoy. • Editor’s Note • Diana Lindsay: Accidental Anthony Mournian, editor Publisher • Richard Breceda: Acci- Breathes there a photographer B. Dalton and Waldenbooks out of dental Artist who hasn’t at least once dreamed the market, the number of books • 2012 Photo Contest Win- of publishing a book of their work, has increased. Maybe there’s a ners Revisited achieving fame and fortune as chance for you after all! • June Monthly Specials copies of their magnum opus roll So how does an unknown author or • Upcoming Workshops off the printing presses? photographer get a book published? • The fact is, most photographers There’s more to it than than luck, would give their right arm to have and that’s what publisher Diana their work published, and appear on Lindsay discussed during a recent the bookshelves of Barnes & Noble, interview. Waldenbooks, B. Dalton As a graduate student in his- Booksellers, Crown tory at San Diego State Uni- THE PHOTOGRAPHERS' FORMULARY, INC. Books or Amazon Books. P.O. Box 950, 7079 Hwy 83 N versity, Ms. Lindsay wrote Condon, Montana, USA 59826-0950 With the advent of the her thesis, “Our Historic E-mail: Anthony Mournian, editor internet and the rise of Website: Photoformulary.com Desert: the Story of Anza- Tel: (800) 922-5255 or (406) 754-2891 Amazon Books, only Borrego Desert State Park,” Fax: (406) 754-2896 Amazon and Barnes & about an area a few miles Noble survive. But even “Our Historic Desert” south of Palm Springs in as competition nar- ©Diana Lindsay San Diego County, Califor- rowed, driving Crown, nia. She presented the manuscript to San Diego, then eventually in viewer engaged all help to tell one of the members of her thesis California and the Southwest. your story. committee, Dr. Abraham Nasatir, Suddenly she had a real business Develop a body of work around for consideration and approval. and had to get out of her garage a single subject or theme. It’s not Unbeknownst to her, he forwarded and into a real warehouse. enough to have a collection of a copy to Richard F. Pourade, editor She became Sunbelt Publications, “pretty pictures.” Your photographs emeritus of the San Diego leasing warehouse must create Union and the editor of space, hiring staff, and an interest in Copley Books. handling sales and dis- viewers and Not long after, an unso- tribution for Barnes & readers who licited contract from Noble, as well as might pick up Copley Books for the Diana Lindsay beginning to publish your book. “Horses” ©Anthony Mournian publication of her thesis books on her own. ©Diana Lindsay Then, though arrived in the mail. Lindsay When asked, “How does a pho- your photo- was stunned. She hadn’t considered tographer go about getting a book graphs may be good, but not great, publishing the thesis as a book and of their works published; what you have to hone your writing skills. had no more clue of how to go should they do first, who do they A volume of photographs by a about it than you or I might have. contact, what do they ask?,” Diana well known and established pho- Dr. Nasatir explained to Lindsay didn’t hesitate. tographer, such as an Ansel Adams, that Copley Books was a regional She laid out a series of can stand on its own. The rest of publisher interested in steps most likely to us need something more. books dealing with the his- help an aspiring pho- A well written story accompanied tory of San Diego; her the- tographer get a book by good, but not great photographs sis fit nicely with that goal. into the hands of still stands a chance of finding a Lindsay began her someone who will help publisher if the writing is strong career in the publishing “Camelops” them get it published. and the photographs are attractive ©Diana Lindsay industry as a sales rep- First, she said, “You and supportive of the story. If you resentative for both Copley have to establish your credentials.” are a strong photographer, but Books and Wilderness Press after For a photographer this means get- have weak writing skills, then find she complained to them about ting your work published in news- yourself a good writer to tell your their poor distribution of her books. papers or magazines. It includes story about your When Copley Books shut down entering your work in contests and photographs. their operation in 1984, Lindsay winning a few prizes, and becom- Ms. Lindsay found herself without a job. ing recognized by your says it’s often She decided to become an peers as a skilled photog- easier to call “”Borrego” independent book whole- rapher. It means developing ©Diana Lindsay yourself a writer saler. Somehow Barnes & a well practiced eye. and supplement Noble learned she was What does it take to make your text with photographs than to wholesaling books (but an award winning photo- promote your work solely as a they didn’t know it was out graph? Your image has to photographer. of her garage!) “Tapir” stand on its own. It needs Next, look for a publisher with ©Diana Lindsay Barnes & Noble’s New lighting to create a magical a niche or interest in your type of York office called one day to ask moment and careful framing and photography. It’s more likely to if Lindsay would become their composition to capture it. Texture find a publisher for your photo- wholesaler for regional books pub- and contrast, plus something to graphs of snowboarders in Colorado lished by small publishers, first in grab the viewer and to keep the among publishers of sport or ski magazines than in travelogues of only the starting point for a suc- like every eight year old, was South America. cessful photographer or writer. fascinated by the fantastical creatures Finding publishers with an interest Unless you are willing to be an and when asked what she would in your type of photography can aggressive salesperson for your like for Christmas, told her daddy, be as easy as a trip to the public own book, you shouldn’t bother “I want a Tyrannosaurus Rex.” library. Look through with all the effort. Be willing to Ricardo was happy to fill her the lists of publishers lecture; be willing to make wishes, but was surprised when she in Photo Digest as appearances, be willing to added she wanted him to build the well as the Writers’ help your publisher sell dinosaur and she wanted it life size. Guide. Start with a your book. Not one to ignore a challenge, few key strokes and Successful authors get Ricardo agreed mouse clicks on “El Indio” invited back; folks with and began gather- Google, using key ©Diana Lindsay king size egos who expect ing scrap material words such as “publisher lists,” their book to fly off the shelves in his front yard. “book publishers,” and “Publishers are pipe dreamers and need not As he worked, the Guide.” apply. dinosaur began to Assume you make it through all Diana’s most recent book, grow along the “T. Rex” these hoops and your book goes to “Ricardo Breceda: Accidental Artist,” ©Diana Lindsay freeway fence. press. You end up with a garage tells the story of a boot salesman A life size dinosaur is nearly im- full of your books in cartons. Now turned metal artist. possible to ignore, or at least it what? Breceda, born in Mexico, immi- was for one driver on his way to Book publishing does not end grated to the United States many his home in Palm Springs, Cali- when the cartons of books arrive years ago. He worked in construction, fornia. The man pulled into Ri- on your driveway. was severely injured on the cardo’s property and offered to Now comes the other job and had to change buy Lianna’s dinosaur. The offer half of what Lindsay careers after a lengthy was too good to refuse, and besides, views as the vital recuperation. Ricardo could always build another partnership between He began selling boots and for Lianna. author and publisher. leather goods, occasionally Lianna eventually got her You, the author or bartering a pair of boots for Tyrannosaurus Rex, but it was Number you the photographer, “Accidental Artist” something he wanted or Two, rather than Number One. ©Diana Lindsay have to get out there needed. One day he traded Practice makes perfect and soon and sell. Publishers are looking for boots for a welding machine. He Ricardo found himself building and interested in talented people didn’t know how to use it, but he more metal sculptures. His talents who can produce the material for a figured he could find someone to blossomed. His sculptures improved, book, then get out there and move show him. moving from crude representations their books. Beginning with simple tasks to polished Unsold books are dead inventory.