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Photo Book Printing
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Common Photo Book Sizes
The size of a photo book typically depends on your photos, how many images you include, the layout and orientation. A landscape oriented professional portfolio of black-and-white art photography will be larger, for example; and a wedding album may have a large format original edition for the bride and groom and reduced “parent copies” for relatives. But to help you decide, here's a list of the most common sizes for different styles of photo books.
- Professional portfolio: 8.5" x 11", 11" x 11" and 11" x 14" are all good
- Family gift album: usually square, 8" x8", 10" x10" and 12" ×12" are popular choices
- Wedding photo book: an 8"x 8" square or 14" x 11" landscape orientation are traditional formats for wedding albums
- Travelogue: landscape-oriented photo books at 11" x 8.5", 14" x 11" and 17" x 11" are ideal for most travelogues
- Portrait gallery: portrait-oriented books at 8.5" x 11", 11" x 14" and 12" x 17" work well
Smaller sizes are practical if you need to mail out a lot of copies. Larger sizes make a stronger impression. You're not limited to the suggestions above. At QinPrinting, we're happy to create custom photo books in any size or format you wish. Only remember that extensive customization incurs higher costs and slower turnaround times because we need to do a lot more pre-press work and setup. But for certain projects, the added investment could be worthwhile. It's your decision.
Photo Book Paper Options
Even if you include some text, the images are the focus of any photo book. So, we recommend printing on gloss or matte art paper to get the best results. Gloss and matte both have ideal surfaces for vibrant printing that will reproduce your photos with faithful color, perfect contrast, and fine detail. Gloss paper is often best for books with full-color spreads and less text, whereas books with more text may benefit from matte paper. Matte paper will still give gorgeous color or black-and-white reproduction while making the text easier to read.
You'll need at least two paper specifications for your photo book: one for the interior pages and one for the cover. You may also wish to include end papers, which may be the same paper as the interior, or you can choose something different; a heavier, colored or textured paper, for example.
Paper Stock for Photo Books
Sewn perfect binding—a style of paperback which can lay flat with the pages open without breaking the spine—is a popular choice for high-quality photo books. This binding style needs the spine to be at least 3 mm thick. Hardcover binding is another popular option, especially for a professional, high-end look and feel. We recommend a paper weight of 128 gsm / 86 lb, 157 gsm /106 lb and 200 gsm / 135 lb gloss art paper for the interior pages in both cases. It's beautiful to see and touch, faithfully reproduces your original photography, and has good durability.
Paperback Cover Paper
- 200 gsm / 74 lb gloss cover paper
- 250 gsm / 92 lb gloss cover paper
- 300 gsm / 111 lb gloss cover paper
- 350 gsm / 129 lb gloss cover paper
- 200 gsm / 74 lb matte cover paper
- 250 gsm / 92 lb matte cover paper
- 300 gsm / 111 lb matte cover paper
Hardcover Paper
- 157 gsm / 58 lb coated cover paper wrapped on 2 mm grey board
- 157 gsm / 58 lb coated cover paper wrapped on 2.5 mm grey board
- 157 gsm / 58 lb coated cover paper wrapped on 3 mm grey board
- Other paper wrapped on grey board
Interior Paper
- 128 gsm / 86 lb gloss text paper
- 157 gsm / 106 lb gloss text paper
- 200 gsm / 135 lb gloss text paper
- 128 gsm / 86 lb matte text paper
- 157 gsm / 106 lb matte text paper
- 200 gsm / 135 lb matte text paper
Bindings for Photo Books
Bindings for Photo Books
While photo books come in all shapes and sizes, the choice of binding is very important for reasons of appearance, durability, and purpose. Let's look at the three most common, professional-looking options. You can open all the following bindings flat.
We use this binding style for most photo books we print. We collate the interior pages into sets called signatures, which are then sewn together and fixed into a wrap-around cover made of heavier art paper or lightweight card stock. For photo books with a moderate page count, this is a great option.
In this binding, we organize the interior pages into signatures which are then printed, cut, sewn, and glued into a hard casing covered by a printed sheet which forms the cover. This binding is the most durable and professional-looking, especially if you add a dust jacket, end sheet papers, and a marker ribbon, for example.
This binding is another popular choice for photo books used as college portfolios or for presenting examples of work to potential clients, for its practicality and flexibility. We punch or drill holes into the pages down one side and then bind them with a plastic coil which spirals through the holes. We crimp the coil at both ends so the pages don't come loose. You can turn the pages of a spiral-bound book through 360° and also lay the open book completely flat. We can laminate the pages to make them extra-resistant to UV light and we can make the covers from waterproof vinyl. This is a superb choice for a photo book with a job to do!
Whichever binding style you choose, we like to make it easy for you to design your photo book. So, you can use one of our ready-made design templates if you wish. And ask us for paper samples. We'll be happy to drop them to you in the mail. The samples are free, so you need only pay the mailing charges.
Why Choose QinPrinting?
At QinPrinting, we specialize in luxury photo book printing, offering high-quality finishes, precise color matching, and premium materials. We aim to create visually stunning books that captivate readers and showcase your work with elegance and sophistication.
25+ Years of Expertise
Over two decades of experience in printing high-quality children's books.
Premium Quality Materials
Glossy or matte paper, durable bindings, and vibrant color reproduction.
Customizable Options
Choose paper weight, cover finish, and binding type to suit your vision.
Expert Support
Dedicated team offering assistance throughout the entire printing process.
QinPrinting Rated Excellent for Photo Book Printing
From start to finish, Jane was incredibly informative and helpful.
Also great communication.
My books arrived, and are beautiful!
Jane was prompt and had GREAT attention to detail were exceptional. Most of my emails were answered within 24 hours, and Jane went above and beyond by sending pictures, samples, and clear explanations to help me understand all the technical aspects of book printing. She even reviewed my proofs thoroughly and pointed out a few important adjustments I needed to make to my PDF files.
Shipping was faster than expected, and when I compared the final copies from Qin Printing with those from IngramSpark, Qin's quality was far superior. The materials looked more polished; paper is higher quality, and the print was crisper. Each book was carefully wrapped.
I ended up saving 75% of my printing budget, and communicating in English was no issue at all. It felt like Jane cared about the project as much as I did. I can't recommend her and Qin Printing enough. Thank you so much for helping bring my book to life!
The books came out beautiful, the print quality is absolutely flawless, the paper is fantastically solid and the laminated soft touch cover is straight up luxury. The book looks and feels 110% professional and it's a glorious to hold.
It even arrived about a month earlier than was forecast so i could deliver them in time for Christmas, even my European/Australian orders!
FAQs
The minimum order quantity is 100 copies.
Paperback Photo Book Printing Price Chart (8.5" x 11")
| Quantity | 100pcs | 500pcs | 1000pcs | 2000pcs | 5000pcs | 10000pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72pp + 4pp | $6.05 each $605 total | $1.73 each $863 total | $1.12 each $1,120 total | $0.85 each $1,698 total | $0.72 each $3,591 total | $0.67 each $6,663 total |
| 96pp + 4pp | $7.53 each $753 total | $2.17 each $1,083 total | $1.41 each $1,410 total | $1.08 each $2,158 total | $0.92 each $4,579 total | $0.86 each $8,583 total |
| 128pp + 4pp | $9.60 each $960 total | $2.80 each $1,398 total | $1.82 each $1,824 total | $1.41 each $2,818 total | $1.19 each $5,937 total | $1.12 each $11,161 total |
- Cover: 250 gsm / 92 lb coated cover paper with matte lamination outside
- Interior: 128 gsm / 86 lb coated text paper, full color printing
Hardcover Photo Book Printing Price Chart (8.5" x 11")
| Quantity | 100pcs | 500pcs | 1000pcs | 2000pcs | 5000pcs | 10000pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80pp | $11.27 each $1,127 total | $3.17 each $1,584 total | $2.33 each $2,330 total | $1.96 each $3,912 total | $1.67 each $8,345 total | $1.60 each $15,956 total |
| 112pp | $14.09 each $1,409 total | $3.98 each $1,989 total | $2.85 each $2,848 total | $2.34 each $4,678 total | $1.96 each $9,802 total | $1.87 each $18,728 total |
| 192pp | $21.15 each $2,115 total | $6.00 each $3,000 total | $4.14 each $4,138 total | $3.31 each $6,619 total | $2.69 each $13,432 total | $2.56 each $25,633 total |
- Cover: 157 gsm / 58 lb coated cover paper with matte lamination wrapped on 2.5 mm thickness greybeard
- Inner: 157 gsm / 106 lb coated text paper
Yes, we offer a free manual document-checking service to ensure your files are print-ready. Our team will review the document layout, bleed, resolution, and other technical details, allowing you to correct any issues before production begins.
Please provide high-resolution pdf files (300 dpi) in CMYK color mode with 3-mm bleed.
For detailed coffee table book printing, we recommend high-quality images to ensure vibrant color and clarity in the final product.
Yes, we provide both digital and physical proofs. Digital proofs help you review the layout on screen, while physical proofs allow you to check the material, color, and finish before mass printing. Visit our Proof Support Page or contact our team for help.
Talk to Us!
If you're a professional photographer, an indie author, or a private individual wanting to print a lavish photo book of unrivaled quality and at an unbeatable price, we should talk. Get in touch today to chat through your needs or to ask for a no-obligation quote. We can't wait to help you make your next photo book the best!
