163 ☼ Staying Focused On What You Can Control
GIVEAWAY: $150 gift certificate for the Moment shop
Dear friends,
In this week’s newsletter, I talk about staying focused on what we can control. Also, I am asking for your help with NOTICE Journal, Volume One.
Also in this issue, a Process Giveaway in partnership with Moment! One lucky winner will receive a $150 gift certificate to their online photography shop.
Note: To break up the text I will show some street photography I shot on the Pentax 17 in recent months.
Housekeeping
Process Photo Walks — Today, 60+ Process readers are joining me for a walk in Madrid. Up next, Paris (Nov 10), and London (Nov 16). Make sure to RSVP to reserve your spot.
Mentor Sessions — Mentoring is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. I’ve just updated my mentoring page, and a few spots are still open for November and December. Prices go up in January, so if you’re considering booking a session, now’s the time. More info here.
Staying Focused on What You Can Control
The other day, I came across an interview with Josh Johnson, one of my favorite stand-up comedians of the moment. I had the chance to photograph him when he performed in Amsterdam last year and the photo made it into the Volkskrant, a national newspaper here in the Netherlands. I have been following his relentless output ever since, usually in the form of topical standup sets, but this time it was an interview.
In this interview, Josh discusses mental health from the perspective of a comedian, but I think what he said would resonate deeply with most of us independent creative folks. He mentioned something that really hit home for me and reminded me of one of the many times I’ve re-learned that lesson myself:
“Anything that’s not up to me shouldn’t be a goal.” — Josh Johnson
It's a lesson I've touched on before, back in Process 100, where I shared how, early in my photography career, my goals were misguided. I thought that getting my work into major publications would be the ultimate mark of success and validation. As a New Yorker, the New York Times was at the top of that list. I poured time and energy into networking and pitching, trying to get my foot in the door. Most of my efforts were met with silence, which left me feeling frustrated and unseen.
But when I eventually let go of that external goal and focused on becoming a better photographer and self-publishing work that I cared about for several years, opportunities like my first New York Times story, and even a National Geographic feature, came to me organically. This wasn’t because I had forced my way in, but because I had shifted my energy toward something I could actually control—my craft.
I’ve been thinking about Josh’s words as I get closer to releasing my upcoming book, NOTICE Journal, Volume One. I’ve spent the last three years pouring everything into creating this body of work, and the last nine months have been dedicated to turning it into a book I’m genuinely proud of. With the help of some incredibly kind and talented friends, it's finally ready to go up for pre-order in just two short weeks. That’s the scary part—the moment it becomes real and leaves my hands.
My first book, NOTICE, sold out nearly its entire first print run of 1,000 copies during the pre-order phase. I eventually did a second print run, and to this day, a few copies still sell each week from my web shop. This next book has a smaller print run—only 500 copies—for reasons I discussed in last week’s issue.
If there’s one thing I’ve learned from all this, it’s that the success of this book is not something I can control. What I can control is the effort I put into making something meaningful and telling the story behind the book in the best way I know how. I can also control how many people I reach out to—from podcasts to YouTube channels, newsletters, and print media—hoping they’ll share the book with their audience and it resonates.
What I Hope To Achieve With This Book
Let me share what I hope NOTICE Journal, Volume One will achieve. The central theme of the NOTICE Journal series is about intentionally finding beauty in the world around us. It's about slowing down, paying closer attention, and realizing that even familiar surroundings can still surprise us if we don’t take them for granted.
With Volume One, I also want to show how photography can be a form of therapy and meditation. These images were captured over three spring seasons, and for me, spring became a metaphor for rebirth after a dark winter—both literally and emotionally.
I want to demonstrate that photography can ground us in the present, pulling us out of our own heads, and encouraging us to engage with the world on a deeper level. That’s the inspiration I hope this book will offer. Lofty? Maybe. But I’ve seen this approach resonate with my previous book, NOTICE, and it’s something I believe in.
In the end, I can focus on what I can control: the work I’ve put into this project, the clarity of the story I tell, and the effort I make to share it with as many people as possible.
How You Can Help
If you’d like to support NOTICE Journal, Volume One, beyond sharing the news when pre-orders launch on October 20th, I’d really appreciate any connections or recommendations to help bring more attention to the book.
Whether it’s a podcast, YouTube channel, magazine, blog, or Instagram feature account—no outlet is too small. The same goes for any bookstores or photo shops that might want to carry the book.
If you have a suggestion, just email me at hello@wesley.co with the subject line "NJV1 Press." Include a link to the press outlet and your connection, and I’ll get back to you right away. If you don’t have a connection but want to recommend a press outlet anyway, that’s ok too! I’m managing everything myself with the help of two fantastic interns, so any help getting the word out would mean a lot. Let me know.
Mark October 20th on your calendars, and I can’t wait for you to hold this book in your hands and find a special place for it in your home. <3
How To Make A Book — In 15 Steps
In case you’re new here, I’ve been keeping track of the entire process of making my upcoming photo book. I’ve included all previous steps below.
Step 1 ☼ Finding The Right Concept to Build a Book Around
Step 2 ☼ How To Select and Organize Your Images
Step 3 ☼ How To Sequence Your Images and Build a Narrative
Step 4 ☼ Designing A Layout (As A Non-Designer)
Step 5 + 6 ☼ How To Make A Photo Book Dummy + Revise/Edit
Step 7 ☼ How To Write and Use Text In Your Photo Book or Zine
Step 8 ☼ How To Make Smart Design Choices For Your Photo Book
Step 9 ☼ How To Design A Book Cover
Step 10 ☼ Choosing your printer and your materials
Upcoming Steps:
Step 11 — How to talk about and market your book
Step 12 — How to launch a preorder
Step 13 — Press coverage and partnerships
Step 14 — How to launch your photo book
Thank you for reading. Process is the result of collaborative creativity. It’s written by me and supported by you—whether you read, share, comment, buy my books, hire me for portraits or mentoring, or become a paid subscriber and a member of the Process Photo Club:
NEXT WEEK: A recap of the Process Photo Walk in Madrid, and how to write a press release for your project, book, etc.
Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others. <3
Wesley
PS To watch the Josh Johnson interview I mentioned, go here.
PPS If you’d like to support what I do here, consider ordering the brand new Process Work Book (free for members, €8.99 for non-members) and my photo book "NOTICE" (€39 for members with use of their Process Photo Club coupon, €69 for non-members).
Gear & Tools Used
Camera: Pentax 17
Film Stock: Ilford HP5, Fujifilm Across II, Double X, Palm Panchromatic 400, Kodak Ultramax 400
Shout out to MPB.com, my go-to place to buy, sell, and trade used cameras and lenses. I love their service and am a paying customer. MPB caters to over 625,000 visual storytellers and provides a 6-month warranty. Thanks for the support, MPB! <3
Lab: All my analog work is developed and scanned by my friends at Carmencita Film Lab. They’re my favorite lab in the world. Use code “PROCESS” to get a free upgrade.
Process x Moment Giveaway
My pals over at Moment are back for a generous giveaway! One winner will receive a $150 gift card to buy whatever you wish including film, bags, a course, and more.
To enter this week’s giveaway answer the following question in the comments:
Q: What’s one thing you’ve found you can control that helps you stay focused and grounded?
In my case, it’s the amount of care and intention I put into telling the story I want to tell as clearly as possible through my photography.
ENTER THIS WEEK’S GIVEAWAY before 11 a.m. EST on October 19th.
The winner will be randomly drawn. This giveaway is for Process subscribers only.
Can’t get enough Process? Browse the Process Archives.
Visit the Process Photo Club members area for perks and more.
Preparation is the key to releasing control for me and it results in better focus and feeling grounded. My desire for control is typically based in insecurity, defensiveness or fear of the unknown. When I am prepared to face multiple scenarios or the unknown in general, I’m more confident and that confidence shows itself in patience. The goal for me is giving up control. The only way for me to truly observe is to stop looking for what I want to see.
I can feel your excitement in your post this week! All the best for success — especially with all those things you can’t control, asiIt seems like your whole journey has been well-thought through, crafted lovingly and with hard work, and an eye to all of those details you can control.