Surreal shots of modern Britain

Surreal shots of modern Britain
A deeply strange place tbh — After struggling to find a publisher for his surreal imagery, photographer Stephen Leslie discovered Unbound – a UK organisation giving power and ownership back to writers.

As an artist or writer with print aspirations, the quest to get a book published can be long and often fruitless. Concepts too niche for mainstream publishers might stand in the way of bringing an idea to life, and there’s always the possibility of the next big thing simply not getting snapped up – remember how many rejections JK Rowling got before someone invested in the multi-million-pound empire that became of Harry Potter? 

In the face of publishing adversity, screenwriter and photographer Stephen Leslie found a different way of ensuring that his proposal made it to the page. Seeking to release SPARKS to the world, a compilation of over 20 years’ worth of street photography with a twist, Stephen found his saviour in Unbound, a UK-based publishing company established in 2011.

“I had an agent who initially pitched the book around to a few publishers, but none of them were willing to take a gamble as the idea is quite unconventional,” says Stephen. “Once we’d had a few knock backs from mainstream publishing, I decided to do things differently.”

Unbound works on the basis of crowdfunding: once an author has successfully pitched their idea to the company, the author must then raise the money for the publication of their book. This is the model’s key difference to self-publishing, since not a penny comes out of the author’s own pocket. Unlike other crowdfunding sites such as Kickstarter, there is no limit to the length of a campaign: Stephen notes that some writers have seen successful Unbound campaigns turn around in a matter of days, whereas for others it might be years.

“It’s a very simple yet sensible idea,” says Stephen. “By crowdfunding, you effectively prove in advance that there’s a market for your book. It’s just like pre-ordering: people invest in a concept and if enough of them do it then the book is made.”

Launching his campaign two years ago by giving a speech at Street London, the annual street photography festival now run by Hoxton Mini Press (which celebrated its most recent event just this weekend), Stephen found that: “There is a strong and enthusiastic street photography community [there], who are very supportive of good ideas.” Within six months, SPARKS had reached its financial target – and is now set for release on August 23.

But SPARKS is no ordinary photography book; Stephen has written a short story about each photograph it features. Decidedly unpacking (or indeed, building upon) the mystery contained within each snapshot, it is a unique and delightful blend of visuals and words. Perhaps it is this uniqueness which drew Unbound – who more commonly publish text-only books – to the work, enabling a hardback volume to encase each of Stephen’s carefully composed pieces.

Whilst this method of publishing is not without its issues, as Stephen points out the lengthy time between reaching the fund target and actually releasing the book, it could pave the way for future opportunities that fellow artists and writers never thought they’d encounter. If readers are given the opportunity to financially invest in the books they want to see on the market, the landscape of democratic publishing could be altered indefinitely – and for the better. 

The launch event for SPARKS is on 30 August at theprintspacegallery in Hoxton, and the book is available for pre-order here.

Enjoyed this article? Like Huck on Facebook or follow us on Twitter.

Latest on Huck

Kathy Shorr’s splashy portraits inside limousines
Culture

Kathy Shorr’s splashy portraits inside limousines

The Ride of a Lifetime — Wanting to marry a love of cars and photography, Kathy Shorr worked as a limousine driver in the ’80s to use as a studio on wheels. Her new photobook explores her archive.

Written by: Miss Rosen

Lewd tales of live sex shows in ’80s Times Square
Culture

Lewd tales of live sex shows in ’80s Times Square

Peep Man — Before its LED-beaming modern refresh, the Manhattan plaza was a hotbed for seedy transgression. A new memoir revisits its red light district heyday.

Written by: Miss Rosen

In a world of noise, IC3PEAK are finding radicality in the quiet
Music

In a world of noise, IC3PEAK are finding radicality in the quiet

Coming Home — Having once been held up as a symbol of Russian youth activism and rebellion, the experimental duo are now living in exile. Their latest album explores their new reality.

Written by: Isaac Muk

Are we steamrolling towards the apocalypse?
Culture

Are we steamrolling towards the apocalypse?

One second closer to midnight — While the rolling news cycle, intensifying climate crisis and rapidly advancing technology can make it feel as if the end days are upon us, newsletter columnist Emma Garland remembers that things have always been terrible, and that is a natural part of human life.

Written by: Emma Garland

In a city of rapid gentrification, one south London estate stands firm
Culture

In a city of rapid gentrification, one south London estate stands firm

A Portrait of Central Hill — Social housing is under threat across the British capital. But residents of the Central Hill estate in Crystal Palace are determined to save their homes, and their community.

Written by: Alex King

Analogue Appreciation: Maria Teriaeva’s five pieces that remind her of home
Culture

Analogue Appreciation: Maria Teriaeva’s five pieces that remind her of home

From Sayan to Savoie — In an ever more digital, online world, we ask our favourite artists about their most cherished pieces of physical culture. First up, the Siberian-born, Paris-based composer and synthesist.

Written by: Maria Teriaeva

Sign up to our newsletter

Issue 81: The more than a game issue

Buy it now