Dear friend, get out of the Instagram and Facebook ghetto, and instead, build your own platform, build your own kingdom (start your own website and blog). And to innovate, make PDF books (ebooks, art books, and more)!

New: FILM NOTES: Mobile and Print Edition

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For example make a PDF EBOOK of your best photos with iBooks author, like what I did with my SUITS and ONLY IN AMERICA series. This way, your photos will live on forever, are easily shareable, and look good on all devices; regardless if laptop, desktop, phone, or tablet.

Cut through the noise

The benefit of PDF: it is easy to share.

The beginning of the internet thrived because it was easy to share files and websites. I’m sad with Facebook and Instagram, the concept of the internet is becoming a more shitty version, like AOL 3.0. There’s a news feed of things you might like, just like how AOL used to have splash pages!

If you post your photos to Facebook or Instagram, I’d recommend packaging your best photos into a PDF and posting it to your website, blog, or emailing it to your friends. The PDF is the ultimate self-contained and inherently “viral” format.

Also, no DRM (digital rights management). Keep your files open, free, and easy to share.

Of course you can charge money for PDF books. But my suggestion is this:

Charge money for your PDF EBOOKS, but encourage your buyers to share it with their friends and family after they purchase it.

Remember when you used to buy books (soft cover or hardcover), and you could lend it to a friend? Or when you had a CD of music, and you could burn your own songs?

Let’s take back the power. Make PDF books, and share and let’s make the future of photography brighter, more open, and epic.

BE BOLD,
ERIC

For inspiration check out my new ebook,

FILM NOTES: Mobile and Print Edition