'The Book'

Exploring the Infinite Possibilities of Photography Through the Photo Book

Do you want to make a photo book?

Perhaps you have an idea but not sure how to turn it into a book

Maybe you question if your images are worth putting in a photo book

Or you might be struggling to understand the history and possibilities of the photo book as a medium

Imagine how you would feel if you could:

Have a toolset that allows you to develop your idea and turn your photo book into reality

Understand the art, history and endless possibilities of the photo book format

Explore concepts, projects and photo series; and what is needed to develop them into a coherent photobook

Welcome to our new online workshop, ‘The Book’.

"The Book" is an online workshop led by Rob Knight, featuring guest presentations by experienced handmade photobook creators Paul Gotts & John Ash and Photo book aficionado Euan Ross (Circa 35mm / Biblioscapes). It aims to build your knowledge and confidence in crafting photobooks of various types, offering fresh perspectives on utilizing the photobook format to evolve and showcase your photographic work.

What makes this workshop different is that we focus on the why as much as the how. There is plenty of teaching on how to make a photo book. But there is little that covers the approach and the intent of, the skills, the artistry and the why of photo book making. The Book fills this gap.

“A book is a sequence of spaces.
Each of these spaces is perceived at a different moment
– a book is also a sequence of moments."
” – Ulises Carrion

"It was relaxed and thought provoking discussion, suggesting new ideas to consider, alternative ways to consider things (be it right or wrong) and generated good discussion." - Euan Ross (Biblioscapes)

THE WHAT?

The course will help to develop your understanding, ability and confidence to express yourself through and create unique photo books that are representative of your work. Be that landscape, abstract, expressive or any others means / form of photography. Ultimately, we'll take you on a journey of understanding what a photo book is, it's history as a format, how you may use this as a vehicle to express your photography and very practically we'll show you various ways to explore and create in the photo book medium.

What characterises a ‘photobook’? According to Martin Parr and Gerry Badger’s categorisation, the primary criterion that defines a photobook is that ‘it should be an extended essay in photographs’. Parr and Badger do acknowledge the importance of other features – text, design, binding, typography, paper, printing processes – but the photographs and photographic sequences are the building blocks of the ‘special’ photobook examined in their study.

(The Photobook: A History (Volume I) Martin Parr and Gerry Badger)

Here are some of the things you learn in The Book

An introduction to the origins and history of the photo book

What makes a photo book as opposed to a book of photographs

How experienced photographers & artists have developed photo books

How to analyse a well made photo book and understand what makes 'it work' so well

We'll explore a variety of well known photo books by photographers

Planning out a concept for a photo book

Explore multiple photo book formats (digital and physical)

The importance of applying deconstruction and reflection to your images / books (and other peoples’)

How to create a digital photo book

How to create a physical 'zine' style photo book

Where you may use to create a photo book / zine (affordable options)

The magic and control of self publishing

An introduction to hand made photo books

How to create a simple concertina / folding book or zine

By the end of the workshop we will make a collaborative zine, have it printed and you will receive your own copy

THE WHO?

The course is for anyone working digitally or analogue, with a camera or with a smartphone, who has an interest in exploring their own creative pathway and understanding a little more about their own creative motivations and intent...... the why of photography.

It is for anyone who wants to take their work from the computer or box of prints, develop an idea and produce a coherent and linked output as a means to express themselves.

Beware! This course is not for everyone....

It’s not for those who don’t want to spend a little time each week pushing their boundaries and trying out some new ideas to develop a means of making the photograph a physical embodiment and a delightful artefact

It’s not for those who aren’t prepared to work in a supportive group environment

But if you are looking for inspiration on how to start exploring photo books in new visual ways and to broaden the horizons of your image making, this workshop could be just what you need.

Even if you have made photo books before, this workshop will help you develop your photo books in a more intentional and informed way.

"I loved every aspect of the workshop and the amount of effort that Rob obviously put into the creation and running of the course was extraordinary. I loved the fact that everyone was encouraged to participate - which cannot have been easy because we all came with different requirements. I loved the fact that you changed tack after the first group session to make sure things were more time limited and comprehensively covered. In other words you flexed to the needs of the course and participants. In the future just carry on I would say." - Paul Gotts

THE HOW?

The workshop will utilise different models of learning including:

Scheduled online one to one sessions, starting with a getting to know you and objectives.
Pre-recorded and curated video content that will form ideas for discussion and reflection.
Group online video/audio discussions sessions led by the tutors where we will discuss your personal approaches as the weeks progress.
Live discussion sessions to collaborate and learn from tutors, but importantly for peers to consider alternative viewpoints and potential for photographic development..
Practical assignments to help shape our thinking and creative output.
Structured feedback both group based and individually throughout.
Independent study around key texts to help inform tutorials.
Collaborative and peer-to-peer working to further develop ideas around your photo book / zine making practice.
We’ll explore how you may use collaboration as a means to drive your own creative development.
You will individually keep a reflective notebook / journal throughout the workshop to develop your ideas and as a means of ‘talking to oneself’ to refine and shape these ideas. This will go with you when you leave the workshop as a very practical embodiment of the creative and reflective processes and your personal toolkit to take away.
We will collaboratively plan, curate, design, layout, critique, refine and produce a group photo book / zine by the end of the workshop. You will receive your own copy of this book.

"Rob was able to draw on a wide range of experience and reference sources. He is also very relaxed and encouraging of people to find their own way
" - Darren Rose

THE COMPLETION

On completion of the workshop each participant will receive a summary of their development. Each
participant can (if requested) be issued with a digital credential to demonstrate workshop participation.

On completion of this workshop, you will be able to:

Understand the history, possibilities and opportunities of the photo book as a format

Develop an explorative mindset to subjects

Embrace a wide variety of visual approaches

Understand how a photo book is conceived, planned, designed and put into practice

Apply your learning to the creation of a number of photo book formats across the workshop

Reflect on and explain the intent behind your work, your part in the collaborative book and how you may take this forward to produce your own solo photo book or zine; printed or digital.
How to create a simple printed concertina book of a short series of your images
How to create a digital photo book that may include images, text, design elements and multi media elements to engage your viewer.
How plan, create, design, layout, refine and finalise a fully fledged printed photo book / zine.
Know where to go for various formats of self publishing and about the best format v's cost for your project.
Understand what an ISBN is and when you will need one for your publication as well as where you can purchase them from.
How you may reach out to a publisher for your format, what you will need to pitch and the commercial considerations involved in working with a publisher.
An understanding of design principles, when to self design and when to engage and work with a graphic designer.
Selling and marketing your photo book / zine and how to engage your audience.
How a photo book / zine may work with and be an integral part of an exhibition or multi format presentation of your work.

This new and exciting workshop will be offered online and delivered via our
dedicated online learning platform, video live group sessions and innovative collaboration tools where we will facilitate an engaging, positive and challenging learning environment for all participants.

‘The Book' has been designed to work effectively as a stand-alone workshop, but may be taken and
linked alongside our innovative and highly regarded, ‘The Sequence’, 'The Project', The Word and 'The Vision' workshops.

Whilst all workshops work well individually and in any order the participant may wish to consider them as a photography and personal development learning pathway that we guarantee will deliver results and put you on the right track for many years of personal explorations with your photography and creativity.

For anyone wishing to explore the learning pathway approach (The Photographers Eye) and take all courses in a set order then you may wish to consider this order:

1. The Vision

2. The Project

3.The Sequence

4. The Word

5. The Book

The normal cost to take all of the workshops individually would be £2,425, we can offer a special offer for anyone wishing to take the 'The Photographers Eye' 5 course learning pathway above for only £2,000, which is a saving of almost one complete course. The expected duration for anyone taking all of the 5 week courses as the learning pathway would be spread across a calendar year with the courses starting in 2025 with individual courses in January, April, July, September and November.

Please contact us if you're interested in the complete learning pathway in 2025.

"I learned a huge amount from Rob, as always, and am always in awe of his vision and perceptions." - Claire Carroll

“Imagination will often carry us to worlds that never were. But without it we go nowhere.” – Carl Sagan

Your Tutor

Rob has been a professional photographer and educator for over 25 years, he's exhibited solo at the esteemed Joe Cornish Gallery in North Yorkshire and the Patchings Art Centre in Nottingham.

Rob is a visual storyteller who explores ideas and concepts over longer form, often projects over many months and even years like his 'Dark Visions' and current ongoing 'Ardnamurchan Spirit' projects.

Rob has produced and released a number of books & zines, including 'Dark Visions', 'Ardnamurchan: pt.1' and 'Life's and Ocean' and is currently working on two new zines; 'Intertidal' to support his recent project and one in conjunction with Derby County Football Club (for charity) around his and his daughters pitch side and behind the scenes photographs documenting the 2023/24 promotion campaign. He has a series of new books in planning as a box set to bring his 'Ardnamurchan Spirit' work to completion in a few years time.

Rob's an experienced teacher, coach and mentor; he's an accredited Adobe Education Trainer, Microsoft Certified Educator and has undertaken extensive professional development training to support his teaching practice.

Rob has a long-established professional background in education and learning at both degree and master's level.

Rob is the organiser of the #Connected Exhibition and also facilitator of two arts and wellbeing photography groups; 'The Image Club' for the Royal Derby and Sheffield Northern General Hospitals.

Hear Rob's Biblioscapes Interview: In Discussion with Rob Knight - Biblioscapes

Hear Rob's Sunny16 Music & Photography Podcast interview: Sunny 16 Presents Podcast - Music and Photography #13 Rob Knight | Free Listening on Podbean App

"Wasn't too prescriptive, knew when to let us do our own thing but also asked some really important questions to make us think about our own work and processes and encouraged conversation and critique among the group." - Chris Dale

"I like and appreciate that Rob is very clear in what he says and has a very easy and relaxed manner. At no time was I made to feel that I wasn't an equal member of the group and my opinions/contributions were as valuable as everyone else's. This is a skill not all trainers possess." - Celia Waldron

Each week of the five week course will be a mixture of 1to1 sessions online, reading and reflective comment / discussion in the learning portal, live online group discussion sessions and reflective sessions to explore your own creative development and group collaboration across the course. Weeks two and three will be intense enough to develop your thinking and as a group challenge everyone to collaborate and discuss individual approaches to working on developing their working practices and reflecting on the journey to understand more about our personal motivations for making photo books. Our key focus across the five weeks will be extremely practical and experiential in leading your through individual creative thinking, confidence and competence, ideation, inception, development and reflection of your thought processes and images to explore, create and refine approaches to working with individuality and on a personal pathway or journey.

Across the workshop our practical approaches will see us create three different types of photo book as well as understanding more through analysis and reflection of some well known and lesser known photo books.

"Its obvious that A lot of time and effort has gone into the development of this module. Plus having a second tutor added another dimension to the course and led to some mind opening sessions that really took me to another place regarding these photographs." - Martin Arrowsmith

This workshop is highly participatory and will develop an effective toolkit with which you can frame your approach individually with photography moving forward. You will be empowered to conceptualise, plan, design and complete photo book output of your work and projects long into the future. We will help you create a physical embodiment of your work and develop your creative and photographic legacy.

BOOKING

To sign up for this new course please complete THIS form.

We guarantee this course will both enable and empower every attendee moving forward with their creativity, photography & photo book making as well as your personal creative journey no matter what your previous level of experience.

COURSE DATES: 05/01/25 (5 weeks with 1 week reflection / consolidation midway)

Course price: £485 per person

The workshop will be limited to strictly 12 participants to ensure the cohort size is large enough for vibrant discussion and small enough for 1to1 time, coaching and mentoring across the duration.

"Rob and his co-tutor gave each of us a generous amount of time as well as the group sessions. I enjoyed their depth of knowledge and the individual recommendations for reading/photographers to follow up on" - Sarah Lloyd