HP MagCloud Helps Photographer T.R. Ericsson Bring Photos to Life at New Exhibit

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Print-on-demand has modernized our printing technologies and capabilities, making it possible for anyone to become a publisher, including you.

“In the same way Guttenberg’s printing press brought books to the masses, digital printing does the same by putting book ‘making’ into the hands of individuals,” HP MagCloud customer T.R. Ericsson explained. “The possibilities that come along with it are endless.”

But it’s not every day that people’s publications wind up in a large museum exhibit.

Ericsson, a photographer and entrepreneur, uses HP MagCloud to self-publish photo books featuring his artwork and is among a group of select artists being featured as part of The Cleveland Museum of Art’s display titled “DIY: Photographers & Books,” running through Dec. 30. More than 150 photo books are featured in the exhibit, which is the first of its kind to focus on print-on-demand publishing.

We sat down with Ericsson to learn more about how he uses HP MagCloud to display and market his photographic works of art and why photo books are his preferred medium.

A photographer for the past 12 years, Ericsson discovered his passion for photography in 2001 when he started Thirst Magazine, a limited edition art serial. For the early issues, he used snap shots from family photo albums, and then he started taking his own photographs.

Over the years, he has developed his signature style, which is focused on the emotional effect of the photograph on the viewer. His style comes across in his latest collection of Crackle & Drag Zines, which are published through HP MagCloud and will be on display at the exhibit.

He says, “The result of HP MagCloud books is perfect – the quality is great and the process is simple and immediate. It’s a steady flow of images and ideas, and very little stands between the conception, creation and delivery of the book.”
Not only does he appreciate how easy it is to print-on-demand, but also the ability to print copies as needed rather than order in bulk – an aspect of production that he stated “remains intimate, personal, and controllable” and eliminates any waste.

The exhibit opened this week, and Ericsson hopes museum visitors will leave the exhibit appreciating “the incredible diversity of the book form and the unique and interactive relationship between a book and its viewer – the way in which a book is handled and examined provides a unique experience that does not exist in any other exchange between an artwork and a viewer.”

Invented by HP, MagCloud takes on the heavy lifting for designers, photographers, retailers, artisans and more by providing automated ordering, print management and distribution services all free of charge. Whether ordering one or 1,000 copies, there are no up-front costs and no minimum orders. MagCloud will distribute publications all over the world in print or digital format. And the whole process only takes three days!

For more information about HP’s MagCloud, click here.