It is so splendid to receive great news as I just did from Dr. Susan K. McConnell, photographer and Professor of Humanities and Sciences at Stanford University:
Dear Jain: Yesterday I spoke with the senior photography editor at [a nationally prominent] magazine and I now have an official, contract-bound, paid-up-front honest-to-God assignment for the story in Namibia that we discussed earlier this year!!!! Whee ha! Too exciting! Your help was instrumental in enabling me to prepare a website to pitch my ability to shoot this story. I am so grateful! With thanks and all best wishes — Susan
When I reviewed Susan’s photography in February, I felt she had many elements of her story ideas ready to go. Then, putting her materials together with just the right “slant” and presentation were necessary keys to landing the assignment. Whee ha, indeed. Way to go, Susan! I am thrilled for you and looking forward to seeing and sharing everything after publication (per Susan’s contract, we can’t name the magazine until after the story runs).
We first approached Jain with our book idea because my business partner had spoken with her previously on an unrelated matter and had a good feeling about her. At that point, we had been working on A Journey Through Literary America—an appreciation of twenty-eight of America’s great authors and the places that inspired them—for about a year. We had taken a booth at the Book Expo America, which began in a matter of weeks. It was a critical time for us. We wanted either to find a publisher or to publish this book, which we felt so strongly about, ourselves.
We could not have made a better call. Jain came prepared. She has a grasp of coffee table book publishing and marketing that is a product of experience, no doubt, but that also seems instinctive. She made the machinations of selling a book comprehensible and achievable. She was enthusiastic, charming, never talked down to us, and impressed us with her sincerity. We went to the Book Expo with all of the information and materials that Jain had helped us to produce. But most of all, we went there armed with confidence.
Upon arrival, we found that if the Book Expo in Los Angeles were a map of the world, our booth was in outer Siberia. And yet, despite that handicap, our presentation drew positive responses from Barnes and Noble and other book buyers, members of the press, and other attendees. During the show, Jain took time out of her activities to visit us and it was actually her visit that spurred the chain of events that led to our book deal.
We walked away from the Book Expo America 2008 with an agreement to sell the book to David R. Godine, one of the most prestigious publishing houses in America. I would give much of the credit for that coup to the expert guidance of Jain Lemos.
I would highly recommend her to any person with a well-developed book idea and a desire to get published.
Sincerely,
Thomas Hummel
A Journey Through Literary America
In January 2007, The North American Nature Photography Association (NANPA) held their 13th Annual Summit in Palm Springs. Along with colleagues Danita Delimont and Rosamund Kidman Cox, we gave a well-attended collaborative seminar on pitching photo projects and promoting your photography. We also provided portfolio reviews for photographers with varying levels of expertise.
In our seminar, we examined these questions: How can you make it easier to get your foot in the marketing door? Once you are in the door, how do you keep the client’s attention? What are some proven strategies for attracting publishers and photo buyers? How can you get clients to come back to you for more work?
My services including providing photographers and agencies with answers to the above!
I mentioned I also provide portfolio reviews. At the conference, my reviewees rated the various aspects of my review as 100%/Excellent/Above Average. This is as good as it gets! The organizers told me I tied for the highest number of positive responses.
Here are some of their comments:
…direct …on task…great ideas…”
“She made me feel important…”
“Very Helpful.”
“The BEST reviewer.”
“Really helped me find a focus…”
“Fabulous.”
“Full of great ideas.”
“Extremely helpful and encouraging. My hour spent with Jain was the highlight of my Summit experience.”
“Suggested new and insightful marketing ideas personally tailored just for me….”
For more information about future NANPA conferences, please contact NANPA: (303) 422-8527, www.nanpa.org.
