The Proposal

For my photobook project I made so called ‘template books’. Everyone can make a photobook, specialty online. There are many companies with photo service, and software, to make your own photobook, and in the end to order your creation. Also they provided you with a template to give you an idea for division of your photos. I want to print the template what the companies provided for you. So I print the different kind of divisions in a physical book. First I have to make screenshots of the template, otherwise the pages become blank when you order it. After the screenshots is place them at the exact place of the template example. The book consist of images of the template.

Some companies use the same software so they have the same templates. (Like Kruidvat, Lidl, Cewe, Pixum, Bol) I try to find different templates, so I order at:

• Kruidvat

• Hema

• LuLu

• Albelli

• Fotofabriek

• MyPhotobook

The similarities of this photobook are not only the looks, or feel, but the signs that they use. The icon of ‘two mountains’, that represent the 'empty placeholder'. What does that say? What are the signs and the meaning of does icons? What kind of language is it? What if I present the icons in a different way, like a landscape painting or installation. It’s NOT just a sign. It becomes more than that and more than a photobook, it starts a conversation. I going to question the book, if it’s just and template or could it be more?

I want to change the context of the book, the context of the icons and the point of view.