Self Publish, Be Happy: A DIY Photobook Manual and Manifesto

Good insight to different approaches of photobooks, but fails to tell you how to actually make your own. Gives maybe 10 bullet pointed considerations without actually explaining them.Pretty pish book overall, but it does have some pretty pictures.

Postmodernly brash and cheerful!

Seems perhaps a bit outdated ...

The Self Publish Be Happy book is a manifesto for people interested in publishing their own photobook. It features a nice selection of some of the best self-published photobooks in the SPBH library, a fascinating text by the head of MoMA’s book section that puts self-published photobooks in an art-history context, and the author’s 10-point guide to making your own photobook. Do not expect a sort of "Photobooks for Dummies" with hold-your-hand, step-by-step instructions, though; this is rather a book that aims to fire your imagination and inspire you to do it yourself. And on that score it certainly succeeds.Beautifully designed and produced, it comes highly recommended for photographers looking for innovative ways to get their work more widely seen and appreciated.

I love this book, its beautifully designed and written with humour. The first time I flicked through it I was stuck with an idea as a direct result of the 'just do it your self' ethos and actually produced my first photo book a week later. Its a good read even if you just like photography and have no intention of doing your own photobook. But I challenge you to read it and not want to create your own book immediately afterwards.

Quite interesting to see what others have done with their freedom to publish. Horrible production in terms of paper type and weight and reproduction - screen values not print values. Doesn't work for me.

This book provides exactly what it says on the tin, and more.At over 500 pages this manual is excellent value for money. You get "Instructions for use" a very practical and insightful "Manual" and hundreds of photographs from dozens of self publish success stories, including handy tit bits, personal experience and advice from the individual book publishers, as well as all the stats related to each book and information of printers and costing guides for each book. This personal insight and experience is invaluable, its like being at a private party with all the publishers and getting all the professional gossip first hand.I love the magazine feel of the book and the wooden coffee table background on which all pics are taken. If anyone is expecting a top-end glossy photo book at this price and with over 500 pages then they are living in la-la-land. It is a manifesto/manual/reference book of a high quality and excellent value, especially if buying from Amazon.I would recommend this book to anyone who is creative and interested in self publishing and wants to do it their own way. This book is not a methodical step-by-step manual for those without imagination or ideas. Rather it is a distillation of the experiences of others who have paved the way before, with some basic pointers to trigger your own imagination. It really got me thinking, and that's only after a first glance. Highly recommended !!!

It's title implies it's a self-help book for anyone interested in self publishing. You might think this would involve practical advice, useful addresses etc.In fact it's just a poorly printed collection of excerts from various self published photobooks, most of which are, frankly, rubbish, coupled with a hot of hippy nonsense. Very disappointing.