Target reached!
With additional funds I'll be able to embark on my follow up title, covering the pre...
Ancient Britain from Above
Frome, England, United Kingdom
Aim
I'm seeking funds to complete work on my book of photographs of prehistoric sites in Britain, taken from the air.
For the past five years I've been photographing prehistoric sites across the UK using drones. What began as a weird hobby turned into more serious endeavour last autumn when Thames & Hudson offered to publish a collection of my images and writing in a full-colour, 254-page book. Scheduled for release in September 2022, it will be entitled 'The Aerial Atlas of Ancient Britain'.
Separate chapters will be devoted to the Mesolithic, Neolithic, Bronze Age and Iron Age, with concise introductions to each era. Most of the sites will get a double-page spread featuring one large image and one or two smaller ones, as well as a write up explaining its distinguishing characteristics and how it fits in to the wider prehistory. Every corner of the country will be covered, from Orkney to West Penwith, and Lakeland Fells to Norfolk Fens.
Why Should I Buy It Now?
Placing an advance order will enable me to survive financially while I complete the project. This has been a tough year for freelance travel writers and photographers like me. All of my work dried up at the start of the pandemic and the small advance I was paid by my publishers was nowhere near enough to keep me afloat. Your pledge will help cover the costs of travel to the remaining 30 sites I need to reach in Britain, most of which lie in remote, inaccessible corners of the country.
By supporting this crowdfunding initiative you'll also be guaranteed the earliest possible delivery of the book after it rolls off the press next summer. In addition, if you buy it with the exclusive content offer you'll receive a monthly newsletter with articles about my recent adventures and discoveries, along with a selection unpublished photos. These articles will be more more in-depth and candid than the write-ups in the Aerial Atlas and my socials posts, creating a more rounded picture of my practise.
Finally, purchasing the book this way means I will earn more money from it in the long run. Thanks to the generous discounts they are able to command, retailers such as Amazon will typically net 15-20 times more from each copy than I will. This way I get to be my own retailer with a direct relationship to my community of readers and supporters - a much fairer deal, and one which will help me take my project further.
How much will the book retail for when it is published?
The RRP of the Aerial Atlas of Ancient Britain will be UK£30. Packaging and postage (to mainland UK addresses only) will work out around £9, which I've tried to account for in my pricing structure. The books will be mailed out directly from my studio.
Can I buy the book if I live outside the UK?
At present, I'm unable to accept orders from outside the UK. High postal charges and customs duties means you'll end up paying a lot more for it than you would otherwise.
Will there be a sequel?
It's early days yet - let's see how sales go on this book first. But, yes, I very much hope to do a follow up, featuring the ancient sites of Western Europe - Ireland, Brittany, Galicia, Portugal, Corsica, Sardinia and the Balkans. Again, buying the Aerial Atlas this way will increase the chances of the next one happening!
Thank you for considering this appeal.
David
This project successfully funded on 3rd July 2021