This unit is designed to introduce you to a set of photographic cultures identified as self-publishing, amongst which the photobook occupies a central stage. The photobook has been developing since the conception of photography, and has been strongly associated with the artist’s book. It is characterised by an “authorial” attitude and an independent mode of production and distribution. It has been described as “an event” in itself or as something “between a film and a novel”, as a result of its strong visual structure. And as printing technologies develop towards a networked model, photobook makers also adapt their practices to make use of the advantages offered by print on demand (pod) publishing models. In this unit, you will be encouraged to examine the concepts of artist’s book and photobook and its relation to printing technologies, through theoretical texts, case studies and presentations. You will also produce a photobook and make it available on a print on demand platform.

This unit is designed to introduce you to a set of photographic cultures identified as self-publishing, amongst which the photobook occupies a central stage. The photobook has been developing since the conception of photography, and has been strongly associated with the artist’s book. It is characterised by an “authorial” attitude and an independent mode of production and distribution. It has been described as “an event” in itself or as something “between a film and a novel”, as a result of its strong visual structure. And as printing technologies develop towards a networked model, photobook makers also adapt their practices to make use of the advantages offered by print on demand (pod) publishing models. In this unit, you will be encouraged to examine the concepts of artist’s book and photobook and its relation to printing technologies, through theoretical texts, case studies and presentations. You will also produce a photobook and make it available on a print on demand platform.