7 Steps for Photographers to Create Their Own e-Book

If you’re reading this and you are a photographer you must be asking yourself right now why you would need an e-book. I thought long and hard about this article for photography and e-books and thought of the advantages to a photographer to have an e-book. I could think of no disadvantage other than the time involved in putting an e-book together.

What are some of the advantages for photographers? Well quickly they allow you to become an expert in your field or what the internet gurus call an authority. You can write about your photographic style, how to articles or for more grounded photographers who do weddings or commercial product shots it could be a downloaded portfolio that acts as your silent salesman.

If you are a good photographer and want to draw fellow local photographer to a 1 day course on lighting or composition you may publish an e-book for prestige. You will be known in the local camera clubs as the only person they know of to produce a book, even though it is a self-published e-book. This can lead to sales. You contact information will be thought the book and most of the time e-books are not deleted so you have a long term sales tool.

If you want to teach photography at a higher level you probably want to develop authority so prospects will sign up to be students. You probably want in excess of a thousand dollars for the 3-5 days for the time a small group of students will spend with you. You put out magazine ads and internet ads. People casually look at the ads and think maybe someday. Then, with the flip of the page or the click the next link and your advertising is gone. What if you offered an e-book that had some substance to it and allowed it to be downloaded for free in exchange for an email address? The e-book could deepen your marketing to that consumer. While the prospect is looking though the e-book he comes across a link that offers some of your prints. You ask a high price for them and the student loses the feeling of sticker shock for the course and sees that your photography is excellent and commands a good dollar. You put in further links to your courses and maybe even a code for a course discount.

If you are a top photographer in your field an e-book becomes your portfolio (for commercial work or wedding and portrait photography) and is downloadable from your website. It could save on weeding out people who don’t know your work that well and have a lot of general questions. Your e-book can include a Q&A for brides as an example. When people call you can expect to hear more questions like “What dates are you available?”

Now you are probably thinking about the length of time required to write an e-book. It can happen in a couple of ways. Write it all at once if you have the time and ambition or set aside a few hours on a regular basis to get through it. The manuscript does not have to be a tome. It just has to have enough to get you point across. You will fill it with photographs as well. White space, words and photos do not need to exceed 30 pages and may be as few as say 12.

• The Introduction - includes location and a note from the photographer on his/her business.
• Artists/Photographer’s statement – something about your stye.
• Background – if it is strong put it before your photos or, if you feel your background is not strong enough leave it for last
• Photos - place photos and intersperse testimonials throughout. Have enough photo pages to make the reader feel adequately satisfied with your work.
• Q&A - Have a questions and answers page. Write them to your market (e.g. wedding market, commercial market)
• Call to Action - Offer a consultation; include any discounts or ancillary offers that make them want to call you.
• Business location, telephone, email

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