Leica Akademie
Book Making Workshop – Ralph Gibson
Date: January 24, 2020
The photography book remains the foremost delivery system of a photographer’s vision.
In the book the sum equals more than the parts. In the world of photography all the leading practitioners have made their work and their names known by way of a major publication. For many serious photographers, however, the book is a goal difficult to realize. Often the technical steps in making a book remain a mystery.
This 3-day workshop and will deal with all aspects of the book making process. We will focus on the book “dummy” as an object in and of itself. An object developed to the level of presentation for final publication. Aspects of layout, design, double-page spreads, book cover impact and editorial thrust as well as binding, typography, separation for plate-making, distribution formulas and more will be addressed.
Workshop participants will have the opportunity to view books by Ralph Gibson and their hand-made dummies, created via this same process. Ralph’s position has always been that an accurate facsimile of the book intended for publication is the optimum approach.
Ralph strongly believes that these are the golden years of the photography book. This workshop is designed to help you explore the process with guidance from a true master of the craft.
Over the past six years, Janet Jarman has immersed herself in covering topics related to human rights and healthcare in Mexico. She is currently producing a book and a feature length documentary about this topic with the assistance of a MacArthur Foundation grant.
Through deeply personal stories, “Birth Wars” explores conflicting visions between midwives and medical professionals about how to provide a safe and dignified childbirth experience to women. Many claim that midwives can play a central role in achieving these goals, if only their work could be formally recognized by Mexico’s medical establishment. For the book and film, Jarman follows the experiences of traditional and professional midwives who are trying to make a difference, and of some innovative health officials who are trying to reduce the antagonism between doctors and midwives.
Artist Bio
Janet Jarman is a photojournalist and documentary filmmaker. Since 2003, she has been based in Mexico where she focuses on topics such as the country’s ongoing security issues, immigration, access to healthcare, and water resource challenges.
Jarman has worked for The New York Times, The Wall Street Journal, GEO, Smithsonian Magazine, nationalgeographic.com, Stern, Der Spiegel, amongst others. She has also worked for numerous international foundations and NGOs. Her photographs have been featured at Visa Pour l’Image, Perpignan and have received awards in Pictures of the Year International, American Photography, PDN Photography Annual, POY Latam, Latin American Fotografia, Communication Arts, and Best of Photojournalism.
In addition to working on editorial assignments, Jarman has produced various long-term photo and multimedia projects, including Marisol and the American Dream, a two-decade story that chronicles the life of one Mexican immigrant girl; Aguas Negras, which analyzes Mexico’s many water related challenges; and Chaos and Corruption, which focuses on the burgeoning movements throughout Mexican society to force authorities to become more transparent. Jarman began her career in South Florida after graduating from The University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill. She worked as a staff photographer at The Miami Herald, and later obtained a master’s degree in environmental issues at the University of London.
