How can you incorporate interviews into a photography book?

2 Prepare your questions

The second step is to prepare your questions and do some research. You want to ask open-ended, specific, and relevant questions that elicit meaningful and engaging responses. Avoid yes or no questions, or questions that can be easily answered by facts or statistics. Instead, focus on questions that invite your interviewees to share their opinions, feelings, or stories. For example, you can ask them how they felt when they saw or took the photo, what they learned from the experience, or what they hope the readers will take away from the book. You should also do some background research on your interviewees, their work, and their field, to show respect and interest, and to avoid asking obvious or inappropriate questions.

3 Conduct your interviews

The third step is to conduct your interviews and record them. You can choose the format and the medium that suit your needs and preferences. You can do face-to-face interviews, phone interviews, or online interviews, depending on the availability and comfort of your interviewees. You can also use audio, video, or text, depending on the quality and the style of your book. Whatever you choose, make sure you have the consent and the permission of your interviewees to use their words and images in your book. You should also use a reliable device and software to record your interviews, and test them before you start. During the interviews, be polite, attentive, and flexible. Listen carefully, follow up with clarifying or probing questions, and allow for pauses and silences.

4 Edit your interviews

The fourth step is to edit your interviews and transcribe them. You want to edit your interviews to make them clear, concise, and coherent. You don't have to use the entire interview, but only the parts that are relevant, interesting, and informative. You can cut out filler words, repetitions, digressions, or errors, but don't change the meaning or the tone of your interviewees' answers. You should also transcribe your interviews if you are using audio or video, and check for accuracy and consistency. You can use transcription software or services, or do it yourself. You should also format your interviews according to the style and the layout of your book. You can use quotation marks, italics, or different fonts to distinguish your interviewees' words from your own.

5 Integrate your interviews

The fifth step is to integrate your interviews into your book and complement them with your photos. You want to find the best way to combine your interviews and your photos, so that they enhance each other and create a cohesive and compelling narrative. You can use different methods, such as captions, sidebars, footnotes, or chapters, to present your interviews and your photos. You can also use different strategies, such as contrast, comparison, or connection, to relate your interviews and your photos. For example, you can use a caption to explain the context or the significance of a photo, a sidebar to highlight a quote or a story from an interviewee, a footnote to provide a reference or a source from an expert, or a chapter to showcase a series of photos and interviews on a specific theme or topic.

6 Review your interviews

The sixth step is to review your interviews and get feedback. You want to review your interviews to make sure they are accurate, ethical, and effective. You should check for spelling, grammar, punctuation, and formatting errors, and correct them. You should also check for factual, legal, or ethical issues, and address them. You should respect the privacy, dignity, and rights of your interviewees, and follow the guidelines and the standards of your genre and your field. You should also get feedback from your interviewees, your collaborators, or your readers, and incorporate it. You should ask your interviewees to review their interviews and approve them, or suggest changes or corrections. You should also ask your collaborators or your readers to review your book and give you their opinions, suggestions, or criticisms.

7 Here’s what else to consider

This is a space to share examples, stories, or insights that don’t fit into any of the previous sections. What else would you like to add?