Musings of a Landscape Photographer
Crowdfunding Campaign
15 years in the making, it’s finally complete. “Musings of a Landscape Photographer” is my forthcoming book containing pensive, thought-provoking essays about landscape photography.
In 5 parts, titled ART, LIGHT, LAND, MOMENT & ADVICE, you will gain insight into my psychology, that is so crucial to the way I envision, photograph and post-process my images.
It’s 154 pages long and contains over 100 high-resolution images that I feel best describe my fine-art landscape portfolio.
Preview
Here’s a preview of a few pages taken from the book. Mind you that this is a so-called mock-up and not photos of the printed version. The resolution is intentionally lower in this preview.
Crowdfunding the Print
The design is done. And it’s looking spectacular if I say so myself. Now on to the most expensive part: having it printed and bound.
The finishing touch is creating a hardcover book, bound in a dark teal linen cover, with a silver foil title.
The estimate I got from the press is 50 books for € 3000.
I’m choosing to crowdfund this project, because it’s only viable if there is enough interest in having it printed. Here’s the current funding graph.
3 Versions
Help to reach the funding goal of €3000, by claiming one of the following rewards.
Print Only €65
If the book gets funded, you will receive the hardcover book before the Holidays 2024.
Special Edition Bundle €99
Download the e-book version now and help fund the printing of the hardcover book! If the book gets funded, you will receive the hardcover book before the Holidays 2024. PLUS: 3 signed A4 fine-art prints of “Forest Dweller”, “Ectopuzzle” and “Unfurl” (receive with the book if it gets funded).
E-Book Only €35
Regardless if the printing gets funded, you will receive the e-book directly.
Betaalverzoek? LEAVE YOUR EMAIL IN THE COMMENT!
Rewards
E-Book Only
You can download the e-book straightaway. It’s the same as the print version below, but without the paper.
Hardcover Only
154 pages, 38 thought-provoking essays, 100+ high resolution photos, some of which never before shown online.
A4 size: 210mm x 297mm (8.3” x 11.7”).
Hardcover, beautiful paper quality.
Linen cover, embossed & silver foil text.
Special Edition Bundle
Get the special edition bundle and get the e-book now, the hardcover print when the funding goal is reached. In addition to both versions, you will receive three of my personal favorite images on gorgeous fine-art cotton fiber:
FAQ
About the Book
What’s the book about?
Here’s the “sleeve print”, what’s usually on the back of a book:
In “Musings of a Landscape Photographer”, professional landscape photographer Daniel Laan takes a different approach to teaching. Instead of the more literal approach to photography that often goes “change the white balance like this, then push this button”, Daniel takes you on journey inside his mind. Through 38 essays written over the course of his 15-year career as a landscape photographer, you’re getting the sense that there is much more to the fine-art of landscape photography than gear, settings and sliders in Lightroom. Instead, there’s a wealth of information about the artist’s psychology. This gives you a much deeper understanding, not about how the 100+ images in the book have been photographed and edited, but why.
The deeper truth in this book is that the artist creates the images, not the camera, nor the software. A truth that we tend to forget in the fast-paced marketing-driven reality of today’s world.
There are essays on art and artistry, light, the landscape as a unique subject, finding stillness in the perfect moment, becoming a professional landscape photographer today, the landscape of social media, what drives you to photograph and much more poignant subjects.
“Musings of a Landscape Photographer” is Daniel’s second book in print, following Dutch and German acclaim after “Woodscapes” / “Praxisbuch Wälder Fotografieren” and also Daniel’s 4th e-Book, following “Woodland”, “Call of the Mountains” & “Glowing Mushrooms”.
Specs of the book:
154 pages. 158 if you include the intentionally left blank first and last spreads.
38 essays. Some shorter, others span multiple pages.
100+ high resolution prints.
If printed: A4 hardcover, dark teal linen cover with silver foil title.
Only in English?
Yes. My second language is English. Dutch is my first language, although I hardly read, write or think in Dutch anymore. I’ve become too international to be a good conversationalist in my native language. Weird how that went, but it is what it is.
I’ve decided to write the book in English from the ground up and not translate it. English is widely spoken in the world, but I’m sorry you can’t read this book in your preferred language. I have no plans for translating it in any language.
Payment & Shipping
Which payment methods do you accept?
I accept most credit cards, Apple Pay and PayPal. This is due to the limitations of the platform I’m using. I also offer betaalverzoek (tikkie) for customers living in the Netherlands. You can pay with every Dutch Bank. A page by ING should open if you click that link underneath. The book and e-book are still in English though!
When can I download the e-book?
Right after you’ve paid using most credit cards, Apple Pay and PayPal. If you decided to pay through betaalverzoek, I will contact you through the email you’ve left in the comments. If you forget to do this, contact me here. Never contact me through social media. I will not respond there (because I don’t read it).
When are you shipping the book?
When it’s printed and in stock at my home address. I’m doing everything I can to have it ready before the December holiday season, but at the earliest it will be October 1st, 2024; one month after the crowdfunding campaign ended successfully.
Does the price include shipping? No. Shipping costs will be calculated upon checkout automatically and they depend on your location. I’m based in the Netherlands, so naturally the closer you are to my country, the cheaper it is.
Refunds
There are no refunds on the E-book version.
There’s a full refund on the hardcover version if the funding goal has not been reached by September 1st, 2024*.
There’s a partial refund on the special edition. Everything but € 35 will be refunded if the funding goal has not been reached by September 1st, 2024*. The e-book that you paid for and downloaded is non-refundable.
*That includes shipping costs.
Crowdfunding
Why not Kickstarter or Indiegogo?
For the same reason that I’m self-publishing. I want to be in complete control and not spend additional money or time on these crowdfunding platforms.
What is Crowdfunding?
Crowdfunding is a way of helping to fund projects that are otherwise too expensive to pay the upfront costs for. Printing this book means that I have to cough up €3000,- before any book sees the light of day. This is much more than I have in savings. Besides, I don’t know in advance how many people are actually interested in this book. Dozens of fans, followers and readers have let me know that they’re keen on seeing the result, but when a book costs money, most turn away. Let’s see if we can get the upfront costs together.
What if the funding outperforms the funding goal?
Awesome! Then I can have more books printed.
What are your earnings?
About €5 bucks per book… It’s a passion project and basically all of it goes to having this book printed.