Just published my book on Popcorn Sutton the moonshiner

[x-ray]

Six years in the making it's finally here. Myself, Don Dudenbostel, and longtime friend and professional writer Tom Jester have published a book on the infamous Popcorn Sutton the moonshiner. Tom and I spent three years photographing and interviewing Popcorn until his death three years ago. Our book goes into great depth revealing his out of control personal life and the genius of how he marketed his image and product. Popcorn Sutton the Making and Marketing of a Hillbilly Hero is 72 pages with a soft cover and 50 photographs detailing his moonshine operation and aspects of his life. The book is printed by an exceptional printer on a very fine satin #100 pound text with a #100 pound cover stock cover that is UV coated.

We have another version on Amazon which isn't nearly as nice with regard to printing and paper.

Technical Notes:

All but one of the B&W images are film based with three color images shot digitally. Direct scans were made on my Fuji Lanovia Quattro and files were matched to master silver prints. Files were proofed by my printer and readjusted to match as closely as possible to the silver print masters.

Images were captured on Leica MP, Nikon F2 SLR, Zeiss ZM, Hasselblad, X-Pan, Ebony 4x5 and Sinar 5x7 cameras. Lenses were Zeiss ZM, modern Leica M, Hasselblad CF and Schneider glass.

Film was primarily Fuji Neopan 100 & 400 in 35mm, Foma 200 in sheet, Delta 400 in 120 with HC110 as my primary developer.

You can find it listed in the misc. section of the classifieds.

Thanks

Don Dudenbostel

[paulfish4570]

one cannot possibly have a better name than popcorn sutton.
well done, don ...

[Brad Bireley]

Awesome Don!

[radiocemetery]

Hey, I saw this guy on a History Channel program about moonshiners. What a character. Couldn't have scripted that guy better. Congratulations on your project.

[helenhill]

LOVE the Cover !
Congrats Don... on my LIST Now to Buy

[isoterica]

Agreed, great cover, he looks like an interesting character. Congrats on the publication.

[x-ray]

Interesting, that's an understatement. A wild man. 12 wives and never divorced any of them and made at least 12 children by different women. The 2 nd wife had a Phd.

[htimsdj]

I agree with Paul's comment above. What a great name for such an interesting person.

I just purchased one and look forward to receiving it.

Jeff

[x-ray]

All the books I sell direct are signed by Tom and myself. Canada is no problem.

Don

[x-ray]

Thanks for everyones fantastic response. We had 105 books printed initially as a test and have sold about sixty this week. Looks like the next run will be 200.

Thanks!

Don

[Benjamin Marks]

Don: ordered my copy as soon as I saw the samples you posted here. Good on ya' mate, it is so cool that an RFF'er is out there killin' it.

Best,

Ben Marks

[x-ray]

Thanks Ben!

Your book will be in the mail tomorrow.

[kosta_g]

Excellent work Don. I hope the book is well received.

[Lou Iaquinto]

Hi,

Payment sent!

Thanks,

Lou

[Joerg]

Hi,

I just received my book from Don. Great little book with beautiful pictures and interesting text.

Thanks

joerg

[mfunnell]

Originally Posted by Joerg

I just received my book from Don. Great little book with beautiful pictures and interesting text.

It's good to get direct feedback. Not that I have any doubt, from seeing the posted pics. But still, there's nothing like viewing in the real printed form. I'm looking forward to mine arriving (it has a fair way to travel).

...Mike

[x-ray]

Thanks Joerg. We put a lot of time and money into doing this right. The intent was to produce a very nicely printed book with excellent design and text that's goes beyond what everyone else has written. We're all professionals in our field. Cynthia the designer is a 21 veteran creative director, designer and artist. Tom is a 46 year professional writer and film / TV director. I've been in the professional photo world for 44 years and shot for Life, Esquire, USA Weekend, Parade and many more with the main part of my career shooting for fortune 500 corporations. All three of us are old advertising guys.

The book is selling so well that we are down to about four copies at the moment and have another shipment coming from the printer early next week.

Thanks everyone and hope you enjoy the book.

Don

[mfunnell]

Originally Posted by x-ray

We put a lot of time and money into doing this right. The intent was to produce a very nicely printed book with excellent design and text that's goes beyond what everyone else has written.

Mine arrived in the post, just before Easter. I've had a chance to open it up today and have a look. In fact I did more than just look - I've been through the photos two or three times then, having dipped into the writing, I read the whole text cover-to-cover, referring to the photos again while reading.

I can say without reservation that you've achieved the objectives quoted above. The book is well designed, with a layout that has the photographs and text complementing each other nicely. The quality of the materials and printing is excellent, as are the qualities of the photography and the writing. I can't see how you might have produced anything better without using very different materials and aiming at a very much higher (possibly prohibitive) price-point.

The text and the photographs combine to give a "flavored" view of "Popcorn" and his surrounds and circumstances. (And more than a hint that the flavor of his product might not be for the faint of heart.)

Your book offers excellent value, and I'm very glad I bought a copy. I thank you, and the rest of the team who produced the book, for your efforts.

...Mike

P.S.

Originally Posted by x-ray

All of you that have purchased the book please take the time to go to Amazon and do a review.

Done!

[sepiareverb]

Mine just landed as well. Will dive into the text fully tonight, but first impression is that this is beautifully printed Don. My scanning of the text has me itching to sit down with it. Thank you!
-Bob

[htimsdj]

I received mine yesterday - it is just a delight. The product is well printed. I am only a few pages into it, but it is hard to put down.

I think the size of the book is just great. I want to print a square book of photos from Spain, and I can't find anyone that will print that size in a small run.

[Red Rock Bill]

My copy of the book just arrived...money well spent...thanks and kind regards,Bill

[mwooten]

My copy arrived yesterday, and I would like to echo the glowing sentiments of the previous RFF’s.

If I were to render my opinion of the book down to one word, that word would be “smooth.”

[x-ray]

For those who are interested in the technical data for each image I will post page by page what the image was shot with and film. I'll have to do it over several posts but here it goes.

The cover - Ebony SV45Te - 210mm Symmar -S - Foma 200

First interior image - Hasselblad 501CM 150mm Sonnar - Delta 400

Left full page opposite page 1 - Leica MP - 50mm Planar - Fuji Neopan 400 - cropped about 30%
I remember how bad the light was and how I had to brace my elbows against my
knees to steady the camera. The exposure was 1 second at f2 - very shallow DOF.

Page 2 - Hasselblad 501CM 150mm Sonnar - Delta 400

Page 4 - left square image - 501CM 120mm Macro Planar - Fuji Acros 100

Page 4 - right rectangular image - Nikon F2 - 24mm f2.8 - Fuji Neopan 400

Page 5 - Nikon F2 105mm f2.5 - Fuji Neopan 400

Page 6 - Hasselblad 501CM 150mm Sonnar - Delta 400

Page 9 - Hasselblad 501CM 150mm Sonnar - Delta 400

Page 10 - Zeiss ZM 25mm Zeiss Biogon - Neopan 400

Page 14 - Zeiss ZM 35mm Biogon - Neopan 400

Page 15 - Nikon F2 105mm f2.5 Nikkor - Neopan 400

Page 16 - Zeiss ZM 25mm Biogon - Neopan 400

Page 17 - Leica MP 35mm Nokton - Neopan 400

Page 18 - Nikon F2 50mm Nikkor Micro f3.5 - Neopan 400

Page 19 - Nikon F2 105mm f2.5 Nikkor - Neopan 400

Page 20 - Hasselblad 501CM 60mm Distagon - Delta 400

Page 21 - Leica MP 35mm Summicron asph - Neopan 400

Page 22 - Zeiss ZM 25mm Zeiss Biogon - Neopan 400

Page 23 - Leica MP 50mm Summilux asph - Neopan 400

All film was developed in HC110 - B

More to come later

[Benjamin Marks]

Must say, I am most impressed. Quite a polished portrait of a man who was clearly his own character. Very good work. I liked the B&W reproductions a lot.
Ben Marks

[x-ray]

Thanks Ben!

Don