An end-to-end six-month program guiding a small cohort of photographers through the curation, design, on-press printing, and public launch of a fully realized photographic monograph — produced alongside Mark de Paola, dePAOLA Pictures, Brilliant Graphics, Camera West, and Leica Store San Francisco.
Participants leave with a published, professionally printed book — and the experience of having shepherded it through every stage of the publishing process: image curation, sequencing, design, paper and binding selection, press checks at Brilliant Graphics in Pennsylvania, and a public book signing event in San Francisco.
The program is structured in two parts. Part I (July – August) focuses on curation, sequencing, and design. Part II (October – December) covers production, on-press printing in Pennsylvania, and a public book launch in San Francisco.
Lectures and participant introductions, followed by individual meetings to review each body of work. An overview from Brilliant Graphics covers process, design, print, binding, fulfillment, and paper — and the three questions every monograph must answer.
A group session with Brilliant's printing team, followed by one-on-one curation and image editing (~2 hours per participant) and individual design consultations with the printer. Each participant can decide whether to attend online or in person.
Dedicated one-on-one sequencing sessions focused on structure, pacing, and format. Submit special thanks, dedication, image titles, and required book text in advance.
One-on-one sessions with Mark de Paola and production. Finalize title, artist credit, and all book text alongside any remaining image and file updates.
One-on-one meetings with Mark, production, the printer, and the design team. Review creative direction and transition all materials to your dedicated book designer.
Finalize promotional assets and written materials. Submit final InDesign roughs complete with copy and high-res TIFFs, with pagination and notes for design and production.
Review design progress with sample spreads, font choices, and cover directions. A pivotal moment to align on the visual identity of your book before final design.
Completed design PDFs reviewed with dePAOLA Pictures and Brilliant. A group presentation of all eight finished designs closes Part I.
Finalize materials and approvals with Mark, production, and the printing team. Estimates must be approved to order materials and meet press deadlines.
A two-day, in-person experience at Brilliant Graphics. Walk through the printing process, conduct individual press checks and final approvals, sit for filmed interviews, and collaborate directly with the print and production team.
Printing, post-press finishing, and binding. Books ship together to San Francisco for the launch, with advance copies arranged directly to artists as they come off the binding lines.
Present your completed book at an official launch and signing event alongside Mark, Camera West, and Leica Store San Francisco. Participant documentaries are screened and books go on sale for the duration of the launch event.
New York City based fine art and fashion photographer with over thirty years of experience shooting campaign and fine art commissions for Vogue Spain, Vogue Mexico, Gucci, Oscar de la Renta, Prabal Gurung, Roksanda, and Saint Laurent.
His fine art work is held in public collections including the Museum of Modern Art in New York, The Getty in Los Angeles, the San Diego Center of Photographic Arts, and the TOP Museum in Tokyo. His monographs Recent Work I (2018), Recent Work II (2019), and Five Years and Sixty Seconds (2020) are carried by Leica Camera retailers worldwide.
More than ten years producing for Mark de Paola and dePAOLA Pictures. Sage has sequenced and curated more than ten fine art photography monographs, curated solo exhibitions in cities and venues around the world, and produced global fashion and beauty campaigns and editorials.
Most recently, she produced and edited Mark's forthcoming feature film A Stab At Heaven.
Founder of Brilliant in 2000, Bob has worked in printing his entire life — first on a small press at age 12, later studying at RIT, GATF, and the Heidelberg School in Germany. A second-generation printer and member of the Soderstrom Society, his notable photographic projects include collaborations with Steve McCurry, Ralph Gibson, Sally Mann, George Tice, Mark Seliger, the Andy Warhol Foundation, LACMA, and the Albuquerque Museum.
Camera West extends their support to include distribution of your monograph — marketing, e-commerce, and logistical expertise to showcase the work you create.
With over twenty-five years of experience in photography and print, Peter established Brilliant's Photography Department and brings deep expertise in color management and image reproduction. He holds a BFA from Tyler School of Art and maintains an active practice as a fine art photographer. Book design is led by the design team at Brilliant.
120 pages or fewer. Printed edition must not exceed 2,000 copies. From a soft-cover, singer-sewn 5×7" edition of 50 to a hardbound, cloth-cover offset edition of 2,000 — and everywhere between — we are here to bring all visions and printing budgets to life, artist first.
Tuition is due in full upon registration.
$1,500 of tuition is nonrefundable. Cancel more than 30 days before program start and 50% of the remaining $8,495 is returned. Within 30 days of program start, tuition is nonrefundable.
Applications are reviewed on a rolling basis. Please allow up to seven days for review. The team may follow up with additional questions or request a brief call as part of the final admission process.
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