Calvendo self-publishers in conversation: Richard Sheppard

You could say it was a “lucky accident” that Calvendo self-publisher Richard Sheppard got into photography seriously. What do we mean by that? Well, just read on and it’ll all be explained! Plus, some really good Calvendo tips from a photographer who takes inspiration from what’s around him and never fails to see the humour in a picture.

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Richard, can you talk a bit about your background as a photographer and how and when you took up photography?

I took up photography seriously when I was about 17 – a long time ago now! My dad was a keen photographer (I inherited his Zenith E) and I think I caught the bug from him. When I was 23 I broke my leg while hang gliding and decided, as I lay in my hospital bed, that I was going to leave my engineering job and go to college to study photography. That was fun. I did go back into engineering however – and hang gliding! Now I shoot stock and do the odd commission but it isn’t my main source of income. Continue reading

Things to remember when designing a calendar

When designing your calendar, the most important thing to bear in mind is that great images only are not enough.

You need to make sure that the photos, illustrations or graphic designs you select work as a whole. Also, the overall layout of the calendar needs to be coherent so make sure that you’re not working with different images formats or edit them accordingly. Not to forget, establish beforehand that your image resolution is sufficient and check out required sizes.

One of the most common mistakes people make is not paying enough attention to their cover. This is, after all, the first visual impression potential customers get of your product. The image(s) you choose needs to be expressive and an eye-catcher, something that makes people curious. Images should also relate to the topic and title of your calendar, which might sound trivial but is often overlooked. Another thing: When it comes to the font size for the title, you can never think big enough since the product images on retail sites  are very small. In order to make it easier for you to design professional calendar covers, we have integrated design templates in our online editor for your use. You don’t need to work with them but they’re helpful! Here’s a step-by-step guide how to use them.
Take a look at our design section with lots more tips on how to get it right!
Plus: Always refer to our checklist. If you’ve never created a calendar before, it’ll give you some essential guidelines.

Gregor Self-Publishing Calendar Award 2017

For the second time, the Gregor International Calendar Award will be recognising outstanding self-published calendars in its 2017 competition and Calvendo self-publishers who’re interested in taking part can benefit from an exclusive 40% discount on the registration fee:

  • Fees for submitting one to five calendar titles – EUR 96 (approx. GBP 80) instead
    of EUR 160
  • Fees for submitting six to ten calendar titles – EUR 150 (approx. GBP 125) instead
    of EUR 250

Calvendo will take over the remaining cost for you!

Deadline for the competition and submitting your calendars is 12 December 2016. Continue reading