William Geddes: Portfolio Books

Challenges With his newly established brand created by MSLK, William Geddes needed a printed portfolio book to send out to potential clients. The book would have to be refined yet easily producible and cost-effective. Although we live in a digital age, there is still a place for printed books on the art director’s table. After all, books are the only place where high-resolution imagery can be displayed, allowing viewers to see the nuances in the work. Strategy We chose to use an online service that allows anyone to upload files and get their books printed and bound. The solution is cost-effective because the books are printed digitally, and users can order one book at time. Aligning with the system that we set up, we split William’s portfolio into two books, Life and Style. These are combined into one package by having a rubber band imprinted with his name wrap around them. The solution is minimal and is meant to stand out among the overblown, high-production books of other photographers. Design Taking cues from the website and direct mail, the covers of each of the books contain a large image that represents either of the two portfolio sections, Life or Style. These images sit on top of large background stripes that serve to define the book’s category. Additionally, we color-coded the spines according to each category, making it easy to quickly distinguish one book from the other. Success The portfolio books have been very well received by prominent art directors and editors. As William stated, “I could tell the editor totally ‘got’ how the package was presented, and he loved the individual books as well. My identity is clearly communicated in this package, which means I have less to explain.”