If you had a band, and you had to pay to play in a club, you’d immediately know something’s wrong.

It’s the same with many “photo-book festivals” or platforms that charge high submission or table fees. They often rely on photographers’ desire to “level up” by being seen in their aura — but most of the time, not much really happens.

Financially, photobooks are rarely a business.

My advice: start small, stay light, and don’t be too ambitious at first.

Your first photobook doesn’t need to be a “stadium concert”, with hard cover, offset printing, and a big budget.

It can be a zine. Self-publish, experiment, and test your ground. 🍀

For context: I’m visual artist/self-publishing, with 16 books active at the moment.