Trending Now: Americana
Our clients in the U.S. publishing sector are in need of specifically American locations and concepts for their book covers.
In recent discussions with major U.S. publishing houses we heard frequent requests from designers for more U.S.-specific imagery, going beyond traditional stock images, and shot with book cover design in mind.
Examples include…
- Popular destinations such as Yosemite, the Grand Canyon & Sedona, Jackson Hole, the Hamptons, Cape Cod & Outer Banks.
- Iconic New York City locations such as Central Park, one-way streets in Soho, and the Dumbo neighbourhood of Manhattan and Brooklyn.
- Los Angeles locations such as Sunset Blvd, Rodeo Drive, or Santa Monica Blvd.
- Miami landmarks such as Biscayne Blvd, the Art Deco district, or Ocean Drive.
However, it’s not just the famous landmarks and tourist destinations. Publishers are also looking for general settings like rural scenes, suburban streets, city apartment blocks, high school playing fields, bars, motels or diners.
Incidental details in the background could also be of interest – a road sign, a mailbox, a bus stop, a lawn, a fire escape stair, a flag outside a public building.
Here are some other examples we were asked for…
1- Rural settings such as fields, roads, farms, front porches, old abandoned houses and barns.
2- Distinctive buildings, especially colonial-era residences and including larger villas and mansions.
3- Upbeat and attractive urban and suburban scenes for women’s fiction – such as coffee terraces, shopping areas, residential streets, benches, gardens, doors and porches.
4- Gritty and grungy urban locations for thrillers – such as government buildings, dark alleys, industrial estates, warehouses, bridges, traffic circles, parks, docks and waterways.
5- Young adult-themed locations – such as high school playing fields, college environments, and suburbia.
U.S. publishers already love what we do; if we can bring them more images with an authentic American context for book covers then we’ll create new sales opportunities in different genres and styles.
We look forward to seeing new submissions!
If you’re shooting landmarks and outdoor locations, please read the following posts to make sure you avoid common pitfalls:
