When I set out to create Vanishing Cuba more than two years ago, I was prepared for everything, or so I thought. I knew there would be months of photo editing, a year or more of writing, endless creative decisions, material selections, and so on. I was ready for all the twists and turns and a never-ending checklist of hundreds of details.
What I wasn’t prepared for were the global supply chain problems that arose in the new Covid world we live in. That’s a fancy way of saying it’s been a costly nightmare shipping across continents! Shipping containers that now cost 4 to 5x what they cost when I started this project. Ground shipping that’s 2 to 3x more expensive.
When the first books were ready to ship, we were smack in the middle of the holiday shipping season. So to get some books as early as possible, our printer in Italy went out of their way and air-shipped us several pallets of books (see photos). Next, we had to decide whether to wait for all the books to be completed at the bindery or split them into two shipments—a logical decision but a more expensive one.
The first shipment we received in early January had already been sold out from pre-orders dating back to May. Just two weeks later, the second shipment left La Spezia, Italy, aboard the container ship CSCL Sydney and is due to arrive in New Jersey this weekend. Once it clears customs, the books will be on their way to our warehouse to fulfill our December and January orders, as well as distribution to Amazon, bookstores, and libraries. Finally, our third (and largest shipment) will arrive in April.
It’s great that the book is finally out. The first reviews are coming in, and I am very pleased. If you get a chance, please check them out. Each edition has its own set of reviews. If you received a book and haven’t left a review, please do so.
In just four short weeks, the book has shipped to six continents. Countries include the United States, Australia, Egypt, Italy, Hong Kong, France, New Zealand, Mexico, Denmark, Netherlands, Switzerland, United Kingdom, Croatia, Israel, Guatemala, India, Argentina, and Canada.
I want to thank everyone for your patience. Your support over the last nine months has meant the world to me. I can’t wait for everyone to see and read the book. Thank you again!
Much love, Michael.
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ARTDOC PHOTOGRAPHY MAGAZINE FEATURES VANISHING CUBA
It was my pleasure to be interviewed by ARTDOC Magazine for their October 2021 issue. We discussed photography, Cuba, and my upcoming book Vanishing Cuba. I want to thank everyone at ArtDoc for taking an interest in my work.
VANISHING CUBA CHRONICLES – PRINTING IN ITALY
On September 28, 2021, I departed New York for Milan, Italy, to oversee the printing and production of my long-awaited Vanishing Cuba book. I was headed to my printer, Longo AG, in Bolzano, Italy. My man at Longo, Giuseppe, picked me up at the airport, and we began our four-hour journey across Northern Italy. Giuseppe had been working with me for two years on this project, and he knew exactly what I was looking to achieve. After multiple espressos stops along the Autostrade, we arrived at Longo in the late afternoon. The espresso stops were a good indication of what was to come. Non-stop espresso, all day, every day, for the next two weeks!
FOTONOSTRUM MAGAZINE FEATURES VANISHING CUBA
What an honor to be selected by FOTONOSTRUM Magazine for their September issue, where they feature 18 pages of photography from my soon-to-be-released Vanishing Cuba book.
FotoNostrum Magazine is associated with FotoNostrum, Mediterranean House of Photography, a parent company of WonderPick Ltd, and The Worldwide Photography Gala Awards.
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