Wednesday, March 21, 2007

Not a Good Day

No coffee, no music. Heading to the dentist soon and getting a quick post out before I go. Two days ago I got email copies of the beauty shots (the finished project photography) for my book. I was not there for the shoot--I was not even told when it would be. I was not consulted on, well, anything. I guess this is standard in the publishing industry. I suppose it's also standard for authors to cry when they see what someone else has blithely done to a year's worth of their work. Some pieces were shot flat wrong (pieces upside down, incorrect assembly of the work, etc.) and some poorly thought out. Who hangs wind chimes inside the house? And why would you put a birdbath, again indoors, on the floor with no water in it? Two outdoor projects both shot indoors.

But the big problem for me is that all the projects were shot on a white-on-white background with all white props. You might think this would emphasize the color in the glass and make the projects themselves pop. My editor thinks they're stunning and elegant. To me they just look flat, sterile and unappealing.

The book on mosaics that the publisher put out a couple of years ago has such lush, vibrant photography that every time I open it I get energized and enthused. I am going to be lucky if all the people do who pick up my book is go to sleep. I might as well work in beige. Do I look like a beige person to you?!?

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Nope, you look white to me. For beige, visit Costa Maya.

Brenda Griffith said...

Aw Bill, you always know just the right thing to say!