Name:Dana Mendonca
Location: London
Dana Mendonca's Blog
2008 Dec 15 Some people still regard self-publishing as the last option for otherwise unsuccessful writers or photographers to get their work into the public domain. But if we look closely at the impact new technologies have on the way information is shared and accessed we realise that the this opinion can no longer hold its ground. Internet technologies brought about a change in customer behaviour and customer expectations. Immense amount of information provided by infinite number of websites resulted in audience fragmentation. In order to attract audiences the provision of free download option is a must for any artist who wants to compete in today's information markets. Artists can expect to make some profit from the sales of their books but the primary gain of self-publishing becomes apparent if we look at it as a form of self-advertising. The positioning on the Long Tail becomes secondary to creating a reputation within your niche market. My book Teen Girls on Motherhood could be useful as a part of sex education for schools and help in establishing conversations between students. It could be recommended by teen magazines or become a starting point for teen blogs dealing with the subject of teen motherhood. Another advantages of self-publishing worth mentioning is the fact that it offers a unique chance to get one's work 'out there' without the editorial constrains and expense associated with traditional publishing. It not only promotes artistic freedom and democracy of sharing information but is regarded as the foundation for commons-based peer production. On-line galleries and libraries further promote the idea of accessible art to wider communities. Further benefits include the possibility of getting a free feedback on one's work. Admittedly, this feedback might not include the opinions of the industry experts but it will certainly supply ideas on how to improve the work. Relatively low costs synonymous with self-publishing allow for changes to be made even in the post-production stages. In addition, self-published books could also be used as prototypes that could be presented to conventional publishers in order to help them visualise your ideas. In my opinion, self-publishing represents an opportunity to become a recognised and successful photographer. http://stores.lulu.com/danamendonca http://www.lulu.com/browse/preview.php?fCID=4762275      2008 Oct 14 When looking at youth culture, we are immediately faced with media’s perception of teenagers. The views on offer are mainly focused at problems the new generation represent for our society. A high proportion of coverage is dedicated to teenage mothers and the impact of this growing phenomenon on girls, their children and in a wider context on communities and the country as a whole. Numerous studies have been dedicated to the examination of teenage sexual behavior, the factors that lead to teenage pregnancy and the issues that confront teenager girls when faced with the possibility of becoming mothers. My photo-book provides a platform for teenage girls express their own opinions on motherhood.
The book will be organized into four sections, each containing a series of photographs taken at the homes of four teenage girls. Interviews recorded during the photo-shoots will support the images and provide the reader with an insight of experiences of two teenage mothers and two teenage girls who do not plan to have children until later in their lives.
The movement of the book will come from the narrative sequencing of individual stories presented through images and text as I encountered them. Further movement can be initiated by the readers skipping through the four sections of the book looking for differences and similarities between the girls. The four parts of the book will be linked together through the repetition of graphic elements and the subject they discuss. Photographs will be landscape orientated with the exception of one portrait orientated image of each girl. This will strengthen the relationship between the images across the book. Strong connection between the text and photographs is firmly established already as the intention is to find out what the participants are thinking not only what they look like.
The cover features images of the girls and provides a brief introduction to the content of the book. The visual structure of the book is based on the 'pattern' of teenagers; not everything in their lives is settled into one single routine. Things shift, many problems are tackled for the very first time. I want to draw attention to the process of growing up, of a fresh perspective by using different formats of the images and by varying the text/image layout. The repetition of formats throughout the book will draw attention to similarities between the girls but the reader will be left feeling unsure of what to expect on the next page. This mirrors the uncertainty most young people feel when facing their adulthood.
The photographs would be best described as snapshots of the girls in their homes. The aim is to capture their reactions to my questions. The cropping of the images allows the reader to get to know the girls through their surroundings.
I choose a large format of the book in order to ensure that the text is readable. Because of Lulu's limitations I will substitute A4 format originally planned for this project with a large square 8.5in x 8.5in. The interviews will be printed in two different styles, questions in italic, answers in regular style. This should provide a visual differentiation between interviewer and interviewee and help the reader absorb the text easier. Accommodating for Lulu's printing capabilities I decided that I should use the font Myriad Pro.
2008 Oct 14 2008 Oct 07 My room: Teenagers in their bedrooms by Adrienne Salinger The book was published in 1995 by Chronicle Books, San Francisco ISBN: 0 8118 0796 7 At the first glance, this book resembles a series of snapshots of the lives of forty three teenagers. Looking at the individual photographs of these young people in their bedrooms we enter their private world and let our eyes examine their possessions, posters on the walls, cuddly toys or even pets. We see what hobbies they have, what music they listen to, what clothes they like. We focus on their faces, some smiling, but most of them serious, as if trying to tell us that being a teen is no fun. The images themselves are in no way disturbing or tragic. We become reminiscent about our own teenage years, the good times, the fun we used to have living this ‘care-free years of our lives’. It is when we read the interviews that we are reminded of our own struggles and anxieties we experienced while growing up. We realise that most young people experience a real drama in their lives, often unable to influence the outcome of situations they find themselves in. We remember the times when we were old enough to perceive problems life presents raging from boyfriend troubles to parents divorce, sickness, death or abuse within the family. We remember how inexperienced we were, the mistakes we have made, the facts of life we had to face for the first time. We remember how strongly we felt about saving the planet, how much we hated school, how much we disagreed with our parents. We remember the temptations we faced: drugs, alcohol, sex and how we dealt with them. We were young enough not to be taken seriously, old enough to feel that we should be in control of our own lives. The success of the book lies in the fact that Salinger manages to present a comprehensive cross-section of teenagers with their own stories to tell. Images that appear to be arranged randomly refer to each other; make us compare the differences and similarities between the individuals featured. Each of them is represented with one image that dominates the page, mirrored by a page printed with extracts of interviews recorded during the shoot. The interviews not only compliment the images but reveal what the photographs leave unsaid. Although each two-page spread introduces a different teenager and their story, a strong narrative of teenage existence develops throughout the book. Everyone and anyone can find themselves in at least one of the stories and will ultimately sympathise and come to understand each teenager’s reality.       
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Print: $23.81 Download: FREE This photo book represents the opinions of four teenage girls on motherhood. Images accompanied by interviews highlight the differences and similarities of life experiences between two teenage mothers and two girls who do not have children.
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