164 ☼ Choosing The Final Touch for a Book
164 ☼ Choosing The Final Touch for a Book
GIVEAWAY: $150 gift certificate for the Moment shop
Dear friends,
In this week’s newsletter: a visit to Europe’s top art book printer to select the final materials for my upcoming book, plus an update on my project The Best Medicine.
I had originally planned to also write about how and why to create a press release for your project or book, but I'll save that for a future issue in a few weeks once press starts coming in for 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.
Housekeeping
Process Photo Walks — Last week’s walk in Madrid was absolutely wonderful. We started at Carmencita Film Lab and were joined by my talented friend Erea Azurmendi. Group picture below! Up next, Paris (Nov 10), and London (Nov 16). RSVP to reserve your spot.
Mentor Sessions — Mentoring is one of the most rewarding parts of my work. 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.
The Final Touch: Choosing the Perfect Thread for NOTICE Journal
This past week we took another important step in the making of Notice Journal, Volume One. I made my way to RobStolk once again, this time to pick out the thread that will bind the book together. I met with Jacqueline, who has been a dream to work with throughout this process. Her expertise is unmatched—not just in the technical details of bookmaking, but also in her deep understanding of design. Having her on board feels like we’re both pouring everything we’ve got into this book. It’s been a joy to work with someone who genuinely cares about every little detail.
We had already chosen the papers, see Process 158, but now it was time to select two different threads for the binding. The first is a gorgeous dark blue thread for the regular edition, matching the color of the printing on the cover. For the special edition, limited to only 30 copies, we picked a bright red thread that matches the cover of the special edition of my previous book, NOTICE.
I took some photos of both threads laying across the book—another small but meaningful part of the process that gets me more excited with each step.
As we wrap up these final touches, I’m counting down the days to the preorder launch next Sunday, October 20th at 1pm CET. There will only be 500 copies available, and I’d love your support in making this book a success. The special editions and all the details will be announced next week, so stay tuned. The coming week will be a whirlwind as we prepare for the launch, and I’ll be writing more about that soon, too.
The Best Medicine — Project Update
In other news, I’ve been deep into a personal project that has been both incredibly fun and creatively fulfilling—The Best Medicine. I first described the project and why it means so much to me in Process 135.
In a nutshell, I’m documenting the English-language comedy community that’s been thriving in Amsterdam, capturing portraits of 100 standup comedians, sketch writers, improvisors, and the folks who work behind the scenes. We’re working out of Studio 13 with an amazing team, and the energy has been nothing short of infectious.
Above is a behind-the-scenes shots, courtesy of Alain Galje, shot on set yesterday. We wrapped the first day after 48 portraits, and studio manager Karim Sahmi captured a great group shot to mark the moment. (See below.)
I also want to give you a sneak peek of the project—a portrait of the incredible Anna Mac, a standup comedian who’s been lighting up stages here in Amsterdam.
This project is a way to shine a light on a community that’s been growing, full of creative people who, are using their voices to bring a little joy and connection into the world. I’ll leave you with that for this week.
But next week…WE LAUNCH NOTICE JOURNAL ONE!!!
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 member of the Process Photo Club:
NEXT WEEK: Did I mention that next week we launch the preorder of NOTICE Journal, Volume One?!?!
Keep shooting and take good care of yourselves and others. <3
Wesley
PS 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: Fujifilm GFX 100S, Fujifilm XH2-S with a Viltrox 13mm 1.4 lens, iPhone 12
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.
For me, getting grounded and staying focused is directly related to a daily ritual of some sort of physical movement outside. Whether it's riding my bike or going for a walk with my dog, I've never come back and regretted doing it!
I am a retired photography teacher and used to be surrounded by art colleagues who kept me focused and inspired. It has been difficult to stay challenged and engaged with my photography without daily conversations about photography and art and to be honest my teaching. To stay focused, I try to grab my camera every day, head out for a walk, and shoot no matter what the weather. I produce a weekly PDF newsletter for family and friends filled with photographs I have taken each week. I need to push for new content weekly, and it keeps me going.