Your Legacy in Print: A Custom-Designed Photobook by Steve Simon

Your Life's Work Beautifully Bound

Steve will Articulate, Refine & Encapsulate Your Photographic Vision Into A Photo Book

Every photographer dreams of holding their work in a beautifully printed book—a complete, cohesive body of images that tells their story with clarity, power, and heart. Whether it’s a career-spanning retrospective, a long-term personal project, or a portfolio showcase, a well-crafted photobook becomes a tangible legacy—a work of art that will outlast hard drives, websites, and fleeting digital trends.

I will personally edit, sequence, and design your photobook—collaborating with you every step of the way. Starting with up to 1000 of your strongest images, I’ll help you see your work with fresh eyes, distilling it down to its most compelling and resonant photographs.

"Editing and sequencing of a photo book is like kneading bread dough. Massage and re-massage. Let it sit and go back to it. It's an ongoing process before you 'put in oven and print'."  Bruno Ceschel, Publisher

Even the legends of photography have relied on trusted peers to help them edit, cull, and sequence their work—because no matter how skilled you are, you are not always the best editor of your own photographs. We’re simply too close to our images. The “emotional metadata” that clings to each frame—the memories, the circumstances, the feelings we had when we made it—can make it hard to see the picture as others will. 

My role is to bring a fresh, objective perspective, uncovering the photographs that speak the loudest and fit together in ways you might not expect. Together, we’ll craft a visual narrative that not only honors your voice but amplifies it—combining images and words in a way that makes your story unforgettable.

You’ll benefit from my decades of experience as a photographer and author of five photographic monographs, plus my proven approach to the photobook-making process—one that professional photographers and passionate amateurs alike have found transformative. This includes private Zoom sessions to refine the edit, write your introduction or afterword, and finalize the sequence, pacing, and design until the book feels exactly right.

Testimonials

While putting together my street photography book, I felt I needed an editor that I could trust because I knew they would be helping me with my decision-making process.  I was familiar with Steve Simon because I used to listen to ‘This Week In Photography’ religiously when I first started getting into taking pictures.  He was my favorite personality on the show because he always seemed to have such a thoughtful and empathetic angle to the topics of the day.  That lead me to read his book, “The Passionate Photographer,” (also great) and I have tried to incorporate what I learned from it into my approach as an artist.  Finally, it was Steve’s eye and impressive work as a street photographer himself that solidified my choice to use him as a consultant for my project.

I’m so glad that I did!  Steve was as gracious and thoughtful as I always imagined he would be.  He was able to look at my work and shake up how I viewed it.  I told him all sorts of wild theories and wonky philosophies about how I saw my work, and he as able to sort through all the fluff and get me to focus on the core of my message.  He did this with sensitivity and tact.

And through it all, he was more amiable and responsive as I could have reasonably expected.  I ended up paying for five separate sessions because his input was that valuable.  Our conversations allowed me to save countless hours debating random minutiae with myself (that would have probably ended up nowhere and being a big waste of time), and our time together fostered an accelerated growth in me as an artist.  In less than a month of interaction, I feel like I am in an entirely different place as a photographer, and I feel that Steve is a significant reason for that. 

I can’t recommend Steve highly enough!

Tony Le

I started working with Steve because I wanted to move from making individual pictures to working on photographic projects. Our first couple of sessions had an immediate impact on my photography in two ways.  First, Steve looked at a sample of my work, selected several strong images, and showed me what made them work.  We also talked about the images that didn’t work as well.  We dug into my picture making process and explored what I could do differently to increase the number of strong images I make. The sessions are interactive, so I can ask questions to be sure I understand Steve’s feedback.  Second, Steve looked at the strong images as a group and showed me how they could be the start of a coherent body of work. I really appreciate that he helped me begin to identify and develop my personal vision.  HIs questions and comments helped me sharpen the focus on what my project can be. In each session, Steve’s thoughtful suggestions and encouragement are helping me make steady progress on my goal of being a better photographer.  

Larry Felton

Steve Simon is a gifted instructor and also has the amazing ability to help you understand what you have unconsciously captured but may not have seen. You can then embrace that visual voice/style with direction and clarity. He is genuine and focused on your growth as a photographer … which is why I and so many others come back to his workshops and mentoring sessions.

Denise Pensky

It is said that people tend to emotionally support and defend that which they have created. Nowhere is that truer than for photographers in the pursuit of intended audiences for their photographs. We can subconsciously become prejudiced arbitrators when it comes to evaluating, editing, selecting and sequencing our own images. The private mentorship and critique sessions I’ve participated in with Steve Simon have been invaluable in helping me to cast off the emotional baggage attached to my photos allowing me to see them as they are and how they may relate to each other to form coherent collections greater than the sum of their parts. 

 Owen Seidenberg

I would never be where I am professionally without great mentoring.  Thus, I knew the very best way for the quality of my photography to progress was to find an exceptional photographer as a mentor. Steve Simon has delivered big time…..with insight, skill, incredible editing ability and, of course, passion for the art.  Give him a try, it is a great investment.  

Jeff Carson

I participated in one of Steve’s Havana workshops, and recently had a online zoom discussion with him.  He has a comprehensive knowledge of Nikon’s equipment as well as the best photographic techniques to capture great images. Moreover, he is an  easy and fun guy to talk with because, clearly, he is genuinely interested in helping others enjoy photography.   

Stephen Handley

“A picture is the expression of an impression. If the beautiful were not in us, how would we ever recognize it?”  

– Ernst Haas