Getting a Cover Right Is a Big Deal

It’s a process. For me, a title usually comes first, after I have a subject idea. I knew I wanted to do a book about love in a grand, encompassing way. I also knew that love is a big feeling. With that phrase, the title came to me! Once I had that, the text started taking shape and I had something to show my editor. A contract followed. I started building a storyboard and a book dummy with spreads to guide me. That’s where I began to visualize the rhythm of the book and what photographs I would need to take to bring the book to life. 

When the flow of the book felt complete, I started the next step— finding kids to photograph.

I’m always on a “kid alert” because I’m always working on a book. I do well finding potential models at supermarkets, playgrounds, or sometimes just walking down a street. I always need parental permission, and I never use names. I found these sisters walking home from school with their mom. They were game to be photographed. We walked back to their school (where I remembered a purple door).

I wanted this book to be colorful, vibrant and passionate. My designer, Hans Teensma, designed the spread with final edits. He also chose the typeface, which adds another important design element. Design can make or break a book. 

It’s not always easy to get the right photo. When working with kids—especially young kids!—I usually have a short time span that works to capture the right image. Below, you can see the outtakes and the final photo for this sweet family. 

It’s only after we chose the interior artwork—in my case, the photos—and I had a rough layout for the whole book, that I started thinking about the cover. In case you’re wondering, this book has about fifty photos and not all the portraits I took made it into this final count.

I also had an idea for endpapers that would be a transition from the cover to the interior. I started photographing graffiti hearts. Kids love hearts! We collaged them into a two-page spread.

Designing the cover for LOVE IS A BIG FEELING was its own adventure. My photographs focus on inclusivity and have a diverse range of kids, so I needed a design that could express “big” love, mirroring the title. The interior of the book explores the idea that there are many ways to love and be loved—whether it’s your family, your friends, the beauty of the world, or even yourself. The cover had to reflect, in one photograph, that love is indeed a big feeling.

And of course, a cover isn’t just a simple artistic choice anymore. Besides catching a reader’s eye and working as a small image on the internet, it must capture the essence of the book. Then, it gets approved by an editor, an art director, and even the marketing and publicity teams. Everyone brings a different perspective, and in the best moments, all those “cooks ”make the final cover stronger. In my case, it was tricky, but true. 

Let’s just say the approved cover for LOVE IS A BIG FEELING was probably the tenth try…but who’s counting? Each previous version taught me something about balance, color, emotion, impact, and how much story can fit into a single frame. When the final one clicked into place, it felt like a cover. Whew!

Here’s the process it took to get there…

First, I had to find the right kids and the right background site to make the photo. I had in mind something where the kids would be animated, showing joy and love with a background that amplified this energy.

I was lucky to find a family with three kids of various ages. I randomly found them strolling downtown where I lived. They were game. They lived about thirty minutes away and suggested a mural near their home that had a painted heart if I was willing to go there. I immediately drove to scout it out. It was perfect but the light was tricky, since the mural was in a tunnel on a bike path. The time of day was critical to get even light and enough light to photograph the kids. I also needed to find a couple more kids to make the cover a better composition. Luckily, they had some family friends who agreed to be in the picture too, and it made it more fun for everyone.

I arranged to meet everyone on the next sunny day. I was truly excited knowing I was on the verge of creating the cover photo. We assembled and I started photographing. It wasn’t easy to get everyone to pose at just the right moment. 

Here are some of the outtakes. My idea was to get the tall boy centered under the heart with his hands raised to look like he was holding the heart up. 

But these didn’t work. I try not to overdirect so my subjects can relax and get into their natural state, but I needed some help. The youngest girl was doing her own thing.

At this point the young girl’s grandmother asked her to please cooperate. She explained that her photo might be on the cover of a book. The girl’s response was, “I’m only three!”

The next time I asked for a little help, I had that one moment. I knew I got the cover photo!

Creating a cover is rarely easy, but when it finally reflects the heart of the book, it’s worth every revision.