Hummingbird monograph sponsorship opportunity...anyone? (1 Viewer)

[birdboybowley]

Yeah, that style wouldn't work for a monograph - that would stay the usual format of course - but it was more the marketing idea that I found quite innovative

 

[tomjenner]

The marketing idea sounds great. How much sponsorship do you think you would need in total/per bird? If it was a reasonable price I would be up for sponsoring one or two of my favourites from my time in El Salvador. I think you would find many other people with happy memories from travels to Latin America who would want to chip in. You could perhaps ask for a bit more sponsorship for the North American ones because many people or companies would want to sponsor them.

Tom

 

[birdboybowley]

That's encouraging Tom. I think I'll re-approach a couple of editors and see how they'd feel about maybe coming up with a workable method of trying it this way

 

[njlarsen]

I am likely to buy such a book, even if I am currently reserving my position on whether to sponsor one. I would really have thought that hummers would be a relative no-brainer sales-wise compared to some of the groups that already has a monograph.

Niels

 

[dantheman]

I'm sure that any number of organisations would possibly be interested in sponsoring such a book, especially if a certain percentage of profits went to relevant conservation work.

(They even sponsor roundabouts around here.)

 

[birdboybowley]

I am likely to buy such a book, even if I am currently reserving my position on whether to sponsor one. I would really have thought that hummers would be a relative no-brainer sales-wise compared to some of the groups that already has a monograph.

Niels

Me too - I really can't see the problem as the book would sell regardless. The new Cotingas book is out and that has a guide price of £60 and I'm sure quite a few will be shifted, esp with Xmas coming up so birders will pay high prices. But apparently the two forthcoming photo guides will saturate the market too much (why are there two coming out then??) and make the need for an illustrrated guide null and void.....pity

 

[seaspirit]

I'm sure that any number of organisations would possibly be interested in sponsoring such a book, especially if a certain percentage of profits went to relevant conservation work.

I agree that there are individuals and organizations out there that would sponsor publication of books like the one in question, IF publication is on the horizon within a certain time frame.
With just a proposal and not much else to show, and most important no firm deadline or at least one in the distant future -good luck!

Ulli

 

[chris butterworth]

The sponsorship idea is a cracking way to go. The latest Cheshire and Wirral Bird Atlas was financed that way - divvy up some cash to sponsor a species and get your name up there for all to see. Perhaps I may survive long enough after all.

Chris

 

[fbeeldens]

The sponsorship idea is a cracking way to go. The latest Cheshire and Wirral Bird Atlas was financed that way - divvy up some cash to sponsor a species and get your name up there for all to see. Perhaps I may survive long enough after all.

Chris

I'd sponsor gladly! Them hummers are pretty much my favourite family. A Helm style monograph would definitely get it's place on my bookshelves.

Here's hoping it eventually gets on track!

Oh, and illustrations over photographs for me. (though I could settle for both <grin>)

Cheers,

filip

 

[Nick Elliston]

I would really have thought that hummers would be a relative no-brainer sales-wise compared to some of the groups that already has a monograph.

Niels

Would agree with you to a certain extent Niels, but the sheer number of species, females, juvs etc as already pointed out by Richard would make this a huge task. In turn would require significant sales. The funding idea put forward by Birdboy is interesting and would certainly work for the more popular species. Would it work for the little known?

 

[njlarsen]

Nick, I am not sure it is that much more than for example the thrushes that have come out. Of course, hummers only occur in half the world, but a good number of people outside that area are also fascinated by the hummers. I would therefore still think that if Thrushes could earn the cost, Hummers should as well.

Re sponsoring: if you imagine an eastern Caribbean page with four species (Purple-throated, Green-throated, Crested, Blue-headed), then the page could possibly be sponsored by the group that has done a lot of work on the first of these and thereby bring the others in. However, those are just loose ideas, and the organization might be completely different.

Niels

 

[Nick Elliston]

Nick, I am not sure it is that much more than for example the thrushes that have come out. Of course, hummers only occur in half the world, but a good number of people outside that area are also fascinated by the hummers. I would therefore still think that if Thrushes could earn the cost, Hummers should as well.

Re sponsoring: if you imagine an eastern Caribbean page with four species (Purple-throated, Green-throated, Crested, Blue-headed), then the page could possibly be sponsored by the group that has done a lot of work on the first of these and thereby bring the others in. However, those are just loose ideas, and the organization might be completely different.

Niels

Good point re Thrushes Niels. I have that book and it does contain a lot of species.

 

[birdboybowley]

Hey all,

Just bumping this up, as the sponsorship idea has gotten some interest from those that matter....so, seriously, this will be the only way to get a 'proper' illustrated hummer monograph on the shelves. Basically the sponsorship money would pay for the illustrations and the sponsor would then get to keep the original after printing, etc. So, who wants to put their money where their mouth is??

 

[MJB]

Hey all, Just bumping this up, as the sponsorship idea has gotten some interest from those that matter....so, seriously, this will be the only way to get a 'proper' illustrated hummer monograph on the shelves. Basically the sponsorship money would pay for the illustrations and the sponsor would then get to keep the original after printing, etc. So, who wants to put their money where their mouth is??

Adam,
Try googling 'hummingbird' and related words & text - it's surprising just how many potential sponsors there are with 'hummingbird' in their names, designs or logos...:t:
Happy New Year!
MJB
PS Wish I was still in Oz:C

 

[njlarsen]

Hi Adam,
Maybe you should make a special page on your homepage to function as a sign up page?

Niels

 

[birdboybowley]

Hey all
OK, the hummer monograph has gotten the go-ahead in principle....it all depends on getting sponsorship to cover the majority of the plates. So, how serious are people about wanting to see a full-on, photos an' all Helm monograph with full colour plates illustrating all species??
Can be done two ways - on a per species or per plate basis. The sponsor would get to keep said artwork once it's been scanned etc and this is the only feasible way of producing a book of this size in the modern climate.
Discuss

 

[njlarsen]

I am not sure what you are saying

on a per species or per plate basis

In a per species format, will you make independent paintings with one species each that afterwards are coordinated into page format plates?

Niels

 

[birdboybowley]

Yes Niels, that's the idea. Just need to see which way people would prefer.....obviously per species would work out cheaper for individuals that are only wanting one species but if the plate idea (say 5 or so species) appeals more, than we'll go down that road.

 

[Alf King]

Hey all
OK, the hummer monograph has gotten the go-ahead in principle....it all depends on getting sponsorship to cover the majority of the plates. So, how serious are people about wanting to see a full-on, photos an' all Helm monograph with full colour plates illustrating all species??
Can be done two ways - on a per species or per plate basis. The sponsor would get to keep said artwork once it's been scanned etc and this is the only feasible way of producing a book of this size in the modern climate.
Discuss

Do you have a ball-park idea of the cost?

It's difficult to commit, even notionally, without having some idea of the scale of commitment.

In principle though, yes I'd give it a go.

 

[birdboybowley]

Hey Alf

As a ballpark figure, £100 for a species seems a good bargain. This would be for a species where, say, 3 illustrations would suffice (male, female, imm or another ssp). For a species where only male and female are needed the price would drop slightly but for a species that has multiple differing ssp (eg Blue-headed Hummer) then the price would have to rise accordingly as there could then be 10 illustrations for oe species and so on. On a plate basis then £400-£450 (comprising say 5 species, but again dependent on how many ssps said species have) seems a very reasonable price too