Creating a photobook with impact, with Canon hdbook: David Noton reveals all

Veteran landscape photographer David Noton has published five printed photography books, along with educational e-books and his online f11 Photography Magazine. Unlike the fleeting clicks and likes garnered via social media, a book is tangible, permanent and – as such – deeply rewarding, says David. If a book is done well, publishing your work can also bring professional benefits.

In his 34 years in the business, David has built his career travelling to faraway corners of the globe to capture jaw-dropping vistas. "And yet," he says, "some of my strongest images are shot within a few miles of home". For his latest publication, Home Patch, David turned his attention to the Somerset-Dorset border, the area of England where he has lived for 25 years. It's a place that offers a continual source of creative inspiration. "You don't need to travel to New Zealand or wherever; there are stunning pictures to be had on your doorstep," he says.

Here, David tells us about creating this photobook, explains the benefits to pro photographers of creating photobooks, and how to make one yourself with Canon's hdbook service.

1. Boost your business

Ultimately, says David, a photobook fulfils three main criteria for a professional photographer. "Firstly, it's a great display item. At The Photography Show [a large photography trade show in the UK], during four days of networking, I was able to say to people, 'Look, this is my latest book,' and put it in front of them," he explains. "People respond differently to prints, or to a book, than they do to pictures on a screen. It's a very powerful tool and worth doing for that reason alone."

Alternatively, you can download the free hdbook software for a fast way to create a photobook using a range of pre-existing page templates. To use these, simply install the software, navigate to your photos and create your hdbook using a wide range of templates and easy-to-use editing tools – or use auto-flow to populate your layout quickly. Once you have finished, you can order online and have your book delivered to your door or collect it from your preferred local partner.

You may order as many books as you need. David orders five at a time. "Each book is messaged and signed by myself, so they come here to be personalised before being sent to the buyer," he explains.

2. Go big and beautiful

David was giving a talk on the Canon stand at Photokina 2018 when he first had the idea to publish Home Patch as a photobook. "I was showing my images on an 8K super-high-resolution, super-wide screen, and the quality was amazing. I'd never experienced anything like it before. I create these images, and I see them big, but sometimes no-one else does. This was an opportunity to go large with my panoramic shots."

Canon hdbooks are available in A3 landscape, A4 landscape, A4 portrait or square 21 x 21cm or 30 x 30cm formats. David opted for the largest available format, A3 landscape, so he could stretch his panoramas over double-page spreads. "Initially, I was worried about the impact of spreading them across the divide, but thanks to hdbook's FlatSpread binding feature [which means you don't lose any of the photograph in the gutter between the pages], it works."

4. Expand your audience

One of David’s aims for the book was to share some highlights from f11 Photography Magazine that would impress new and existing readers, so alongside each shot he included extended captions with technical information detailing not only the camera and lens used, but also the time of day, the precise location and the direction of the camera. "I was trying to illustrate the amount of planning that goes into a shoot. People think landscape photography is about wandering out the door and stumbling across great vistas, but it never happens like that. There's a huge amount of preparation."

David also added graphics to further enhance the informative feel of the book. As part of the bespoke service, Canon provided Adobe InDesign base files that were already optimised to meet Canon's production requirements. This meant David's creative team could insert these graphics alongside his photographs and captions without delay or hassle.

"Almost every picture in the book is accompanied by a graphic and a map showing the direction of the sun and which way the camera was pointing," David explains. "That really lifted the book, making it more than a photo album."

5. Do your work justice

David felt that the incredibly high quality 2,400dpi resolution afforded by Canon hdbook's Inkjet printing technology was perfectly suited to his sweeping landscapes. "The depth of colour is just beautiful. When you hold the book in your hands, it's a wonderful experience, so different to looking at pictures on a smartphone or tablet."

Hdbooks are printed using Canon's Inkjet photo printing technology, as opposed to conventional silver halide technology. Micro-nozzles in the FINE (Full-Photolithography Inkjet Nozzle Engineering) print head work by spraying microscopically small ink droplets, ensuring phenomenal print accuracy and smooth gradation of colours. The 7-ink system employs CMYK as well as photo cyan, photo magenta and grey inks, creating vibrant images with a wide colour gamut and precise colour control.

This printing technology is complemented by Canon's specially formulated double-sided premium photo paper. Ink can be received into this paper evenly, preventing any smudging and further ensuring accuracy of the print. David chose Canon photo paper with a smooth, high-gloss finish to give his images "the ultimate colour saturation and sharpness" and a high-end feel. Topped off with a beautiful hardback cover and FlatSpread binding, David's handcrafted photobook has been an asset to his business.

"This was a voyage of exploration for me. I didn't know how it was going to go," says David. "It's the biggest format book available and it's got quite a few pages. I knew it was going to be expensive, but I thought, 'Let's just produce the best book possible and see if anyone buys it'. And they have!"