This one-day workshop offers an introduction to key topics in photographic book production. It is aimed at professional and amateur artists and photographers who are interested in photobooks in the context of their own practice, as well as people from the fields of graphic design, writing or curation, who are curious to discover more about the specificities of this medium.

During this introductional workshop, we will focus on the reflections an artist needs to do in order to start thinking about the publication of a book: At what stage do you need to start working with other individuals? Is it important to do a dummy? Who is my public? How to find fundings? What criteria should be considered when choosing a publisher? How to design and sequence my book?

The lecture will be based on theoretical studies as well as key studies on produced books, taken as examples for both their processes and outcomes.

Swiss photographer, graphic designer and publisher, Nicolas Polli (1989) studied Art Direction at the Ecole Cantonale d'Art de Lausanne (ECAL). In 2012 he co-founded the photographic magazine YET with Salvatore Vitale. In 2016 he began developing an independent studio, Atelier CIAO, specialising in editorial design and still life photography with a focus on design and luxury. In 2018, after experiences with several publishers, he founded his own publishing house CIAO PRESS. He teaches photography and photobook design in various universities. Since 2021 he has been an artist in residence at Atelier Robert in Biel.