Author Archives: Calvendo Team

CALVENDO self-publishers in conversation: Dave Knowles

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He loves wildlife, in particular owls and birds of prey, and has a lifelong infatuation with photography: Dave Knowles tell us how his photographic life has evolved over the years and why trust and patience are key when taking pictures of animals.

Dave and his Great Grey Owl 'Midnight'

Dave and his Great Grey Owl ‘Midnight’

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

I’m a lifelong photography fan, starting with a foldout 120 camera given to me at the age of seven, through to a 21/4 square Rolliflex, followed by 35 mm cameras starting with a Zenith B, then Practica, then onto Canon – all in film then slide and then digital as they evolved. I’ve also had my fun with Polaroid and the initial embryonic digital cameras. I’ve had my own darkrooms in various makeshift locations such as the bathroom, developing and printing my own prints. I was also a member of the school camera club and joined the local camera club.

I’ve been using Canon since my first ‘L’ series lens (100-400) initially with an EOS 100 film camera. After coming back from a safari in Africa in 2000 with 40 rolls of film, I decided to buy a Canon EOS 300 digital SLR and now via a range of EOS bodies (20D, 5D, 5Dmk11) evolved to an EOS 1DX. I also have a wide range of ‘L’ series lenses and other equipment to match. Prior to my retirement from the NHS where I was an Intensive Care Charge Nurse, I started a small business which continues in a small way, and I sell images from various websites. I’ve given talks for various groups on wildlife photography, which is my main photographic love, and I’ve also led introduction to photography classes. I edit all of my images on a Mac and primarily use Lightroom since it has been introduced and occasionally also Photoshop for all processing.

I’m continuously improving and honing my techniques in wildlife and other aspects of photography. I attend many study days and subscribe to various websites and photographic forums. I also frequently meet up with like-minded photographer friends, and we use day trips to practice new ideas or processing techniques to build experience and portfolios.

'Just Flamingos' calendar

‘Just Flamingos‘ calendar

How would you describe your style and approach as a photographer? Continue reading →

Calendar publishing platform all set for growth

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Hooray, just wanted to share some good news with you: Less than a year after its UK launch, the Calvendo publishing platform has reached the 1000 registered user mark. It’s great to see that so many English-language photographers and artists are already creating and publishing calendars with us: “We see a similarly successful development as when we initially launched in Germany in 2012 and are excited about our platform’s development for the upcoming calendar season,” says Calvendo Managing Director Hans-Joachim Jauch.

Calvendo’s UK division now has almost 1100 registered users and a good 4500 calendars with UK ISBNs in its list. And we’re always looking for good content, be it from individual or corporate users, and happy to consider a wide range of topics for our calendar programme. Here’s some more info on calendar themes. Take a look and let us see how creative you are!

 

 

Why you should (really) invest time in your product description

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Creating a calendar is a very visual business, yes. However, there’s more to it and since we like to make sure their your products have as good a chance of selling as possible we’d like to draw your attention to a check list we’ve put together that will help you improve your product description (link below). Here’s why this element of your calendar is so vital for your success as a self-publisher:

So, you’ve finished designing your calendar. Everything is really looking good. You’re happy. However, you’re not quite done yet because words are no less important than the visuals. In order to turn you project into a product that can be sold successfully, a convincing product description is needed.

This calendar element is made up of your short description, your advertising blurb and your keywords. Together with the thumbnails, these three components are the most important information that we transfer to the central book trade catalogues and retail platforms. Search engine exposure and making your calendar visible on the web largely depend on a good product description.

Our advice therefore: Don’t rush through this bit and take some time to get it right. After all, this is your chance to attract potential buyers’ attention and let them know why your calendar is special and just the thing they should be hanging up on their wall!

Click here for our lowdown of product description dos and don’ts