The road of a photo book

It just takes time.
To do a worldwide photo project and to see as a result a photo book.
It is a process that decides its own speed.
The road to the destination winds its own ways.

Originally, a French publisher was involved with the ambition to produce and market the photo book of the project “The most beautiful people in the world”.
It went even as far as a book design that was made and prototypes were produced.
And a Paris lady was in charge of finding sponsoring for the worldwide publication.

But last Summer this whole enterprise collapsed and the French publisher cancelled his involvement.

This had a devastating effect on the morale but a good friend from Amsterdam managed to get the project “The most beautiful people in the world” back on track.

He went together with another friend to see an international photo book publisher in Amsterdam, the Netherlands to present “The most beautiful people in the world”.
There has been a long conversation between the gentlemen who were discussing the different aspects of “The most beautiful people in the world”
It is not a common but rather an unusual photo project.
It has in many ways a lot of potential but for this to flourish it must be presented in the right manner.

How to do is, is unexplored territory.
There are no similar projects that can be of guidance.

A major issue is how the present the results of “The most beautiful people in the world” in a photo book.
The French publisher and designer decided to make it a coffee table book and publish the pictures on two pages in one line.
Like this:




The consequence is obviously that a lot of white space is surrounding the images that make them float in a kind of nothingness.
And the truth is, that it is rather uneventful.
Not very impressive.
The images are not coming strongly to the reader of the book.
A prototype of this design was send to China and presented to publishers to see if they would like to get involved for a Chinese edition.
And it was exactly for the way the book was designed that they were not interested in collaboration.
They said the design was too boring.
The Chinese were right.

After the French experience and learning from the meeting with the Amsterdam publisher, the decision to make was to find a designer who would be able to come up with a way of presenting the results of “The most beautiful people in the world” in an exciting and convincing way.

Again, the good friend from Amsterdam introduced the award winning photo book designer Teun van der Heijden to “The most beautiful people in the world”.
He saw the results of “The most beautiful people in the world” and felt challenged to get involved.
An agreement was made and for the last two months we have been working on a new book design for “The most beautiful people in the world”.

The result recently ready is amazing.
Teun van der Heijden came up with a brilliant idea.
To make a book with folding pages.

It works like this.
The book is put lengthwise.
It is opened and one sees an image of an interior on the top page.
The down page shows the text: the explanation of the person why he or she is the most beautiful and personal data.
Next, this down page can be folded open downwards.
To reveal all three pictures with the portrait in the centre.




Here are some other examples:

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As we can see, this way of presenting the work is very effective.
In an optimal way we are faced with the most beautiful people.

The cover of the book is ready also.
Preferred loyal and fervent blog readers get a copy of the spectacular cover of the photo book "The most beautiful people in the world" send by e-mail.

There is still a long way to go before this unique photo book will be on the market.
But every step of the way is exciting and interesting.
And that is what it is all about.






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