- Home
- Printing Products
- Photography Book Printing
Photography Book Printing
At QinPrinting, we're proud to help fine art photographers showcase their work in beautifully crafted print editions. Create a stunning and stylish book of your fine art photography with our custom offset printing services. We've built our world-class reputation in the field of fine art and photographic reproduction on 25 years of success in the industry, an expert team, cutting-edge technology, and personalized customer care.
Instant Quote
Custom Fine-Art Photography Book Sizes
In general, the size of a fine art photography book is determined by the photographs, number of images, formatting, and the book's orientation. A presentation portfolio of fine art photography with a landscape orientation will be larger, for instance, than a standard coffee table book. Here is a list of the most common layouts for various types of fine art photography books to help you choose the best solution for your needs.
- Portrait portfolio: 8.5" x 11"
- Landscape portfolio: 11" x 8.5"
- Presentation book: 11" x 11", 12" x 12", 12" x 9"
- Oversized: 12" x 16" and 11" x 16"
Whether you choose landscape or portrait orientation, we offer both at the same price; unlike most other printing companies who charge added fees for landscape oriented books. As a rule of thumb, we recommend that you print your fine art photography book as large as possible and practical. Assuming that you're using high resolution images, you'll get a more impressive result which shows off all the details of your work.
If you're self-publishing and you need to dispatch a large number of copies, it may be more practical to choose a smaller size. Larger proportions have a greater impact visually but attract higher costs. But you aren't restricted to the recommendations above. We are delighted to develop custom fine art photography books in any size or format. Remember that complete customization involves extra expenses and longer processing times due to the increased amount of pre-press and preparatory work required. For certain initiatives, however, the additional expense may be worthwhile. Only you can choose.
Fine Art Photography Book Paper Options
While a fine art photography book usually contains some text, its photographs are the focal point. For optimal results, we advise printing on glossy or matte art paper. Glossy and matte surfaces are both perfect for vivid printing that will faithfully reflect your photographs' colors, contrast, and intricate detail. Gloss paper is ideal for publications with full-color or black-and-white layouts with limited text, while matte paper is possibly preferable for books that include more text. Text printed on matte paper is simpler to read without sacrificing the quality of color or black-and-white rendering. Matte can also give your book a more subdued and elegant feel while gloss is shiny and vibrant.
For your fine art photography book, you will need a minimum of two paper types: one for the inner pages and one for the outside cover. You could also include end papers, which can be made from identical paper as the rest of the interior or something else, such as a denser, colored, or textural paper. A dust jacket and a slipcase are also options worth considering.
Paper Stock for Fine Art Photography Books
Popular among publishers of high-quality fine art photography books are sewn perfect binding, a type of paperback that can lie flat with the pages exposed without splitting the spine. This binding technique requires a spine thickness of at least 3 mm. A hardcover binding is a common alternative, particularly for an upscale, high-end appearance and feel. In both instances, we recommend 200 gsm / 135 lb gloss art paper for the inner pages if the size of the book is over 8.5 inches by 11 inches. It is aesthetically pleasing, faithfully recreates your original photography, and is durable. At QinPrinting, unless you ask us to do otherwise, we always use the superior sewn bindings, whether softback or hardcover, for fine art photography books and catalogs.
Hardcover Paper
- 157 gsm / 106 lb cover paper wrapped on 2mm grayboard
- 157 gsm / 106 lb cover paper wrapped on 2.5mm grayboard
- 157 gsm / 106 lb cover paper wrapped on 3mm grayboard
- Other paper, cloth, imitation leather or padded imitation leather wrapped on grayboard (see the example color swatches below)
Cloth Covers Swatches
Imitation Leather Swatches
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
Perfect Bound Cover Paper
- 200 gsm / 74 lb art cover paper
- 250 gsm / 92 lb art cover paper
- 300 gsm / 111 lb art cover paper
- 350 gsm / 129 lb gloss cover paper
- 250 gsm / 169 lb C1S paper
- 300 gsm / 200 lb C1S paper
- 350 gsm / 236 lb C1S paper
Additional Finishing Services
Surface Finishes
We offer various surface treatments
Foil Stamping Color Chart
Visit our Foil Stamping Page.
Gilded Edge for Hardcover Book
Gilded edges add a metallic sheen, giving your book a polished, high-end look—ideal for special editions or commemorative books. Painted edges, with their vibrant, colorful finish, provide a unique, artistic touch that complements the overall design, making your book even more striking and elegant. Both options elevate the visual appeal and make your book stand out.
Visit more about gilded edge.
Bindings for Photography 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, and 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.
Dust Jacket
A “dust jacket” is a common and practical method of preserving hardcover books. It adds five printable regions to your book, including the front, back, spine, as well as two inside flaps, lending an elegant accent to your publication. For enhanced effects, we are able to print it in all-over color, gloss varnish, matte varnish, emboss, deboss, laminate, and foil stamp. According to the dimensions of your book, dust jacket flaps are typically between 4 and 8 inches wide, providing ample room for an excerpt or introductory paragraph on the front flap and an author biography on the rear flap, for example.
Slip cases are uncommon, but for a sophisticated product, they are an effective way to give your hardcover fine art photography books an upscale appearance and additional protection. We construct them from printed paper folded on grayboard in the shape of a five-sided case, but with the front left uncovered so that when the book is put inside, only the spine is visible. They can accommodate one or more volumes. Depending on your preference, we may wrap the grayboard with printed material, textiles, vinyl, or leatherette. The case may be printed, embossed, debossed, as well as highlighted with spot UV and foil stamped. If you have a series of themed volumes—the four seasons, for example—you can collect them in a slip case to great effect.
Both sewn perfect binding and sewn hardcover solutions allow readers to open the pages flat to give a better viewing experience without damaging the spine as might be the case with standard glue-only bindings. And if you have foldout spreads we can help you with the design so that they are positioned correctly within the signature folds. 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.
Hard Proofs and Samples
A photography book is a large undertaking. To ensure that the printing quality meets your expectations, we recommend that you create a set of hard proofs and 4-16 page offset printing samples. Why? The hard proof color and the final book printing color are approximately 95% the same. The final colors are represented by the offset printing sample. Color differences between hard proof and offset printing can be compared. You'll see how they look in the finished book.
Why Choose Our Photography Book Printing Services
Our photography book printing services offer high-quality prints, premium materials, and expert support to bring your visual story to life.
Manufacturing Excellence
– 25+ years printing expertise
– State-of-the-art equipment
– ISO 9001 certified facility
Quality Guarantee
– Strict quality control
– Color consistency
– Binding durability test
– 100% satisfaction guarantee
Professional Support
– Dedicated project manager
– Technical consultation
– Fast response time
– After-sales service
Customizable Features
– Choice of paper weight
– Gloss, matte, or soft-touch cover finish
– Multiple binding types available
QinPrinting Rated Excellent for Photography 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 cost of printing a graphic novel depends on factors like quantity, page count, paper quality, and cover type. Generally, larger quantities and standard sizes will lower the cost per copy. For a more accurate estimate, feel free to check out our price chat.
Hardcover Photography Book Printing Price Chart (8.5" x 11")
| Quantity | 100pcs | 500pcs | 1000pcs | 2000pcs | 5000pcs | 10000pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 80pp | $11.27 unit $1,127 total | $3.17 unit $1,584 total | $2.33 unit $2,330 total | $1.96 unit $3,912 total | $1.67 unit $8,345 total | $1.60 unit $15,956 total |
| 112pp | $14.09 unit $1,409 total | $3.98 unit $1,989 total | $2.85 unit $2,848 total | $2.34 unit $4,678 total | $1.96 unit $9,802 total | $1.87 unit $18,728 total |
| 192pp | $21.15 unit $2,115 total | $6.00 unit $3,000 total | $4.14 unit $4,138 total | $3.31 unit $6,619 total | $2.69 unit $13,432 total | $2.56 unit $25,633 total |
- Cover: 157 gsm / 58 lb coated cover paper with matte lamination wrapped on 2.5 mm thickness greybeard
- Interior: 157 gsm / 106 lb coated text paper, full color printing
Paperback Photography Book Printing Price Chart (8.5" x 11")
| Page Count | 100pcs | 500pcs | 1000pcs | 2000pcs | 5000pcs | 10000pcs |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 72pp + 4pp | $6.05 unit $605 total | $1.73 unit $863 total | $1.12 unit $1,120 total | $0.85 unit $1,698 total | $0.72 unit $3,591 total | $0.67 unit $6,663 total |
| 96pp + 4pp | $7.53 unit $753 total | $2.17 unit $1,083 total | $1.41 unit $1,410 total | $1.08 unit $2,158 total | $0.92 unit $4,579 total | $0.86 unit $8,583 total |
| 128pp + 4pp | $9.60 unit $960 total | $2.80 unit $1,398 total | $1.82 unit $1,824 total | $1.41 unit $2,818 total | $1.19 unit $5,937 total | $1.12 unit $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
Feel free to share your artwork with us through email, Sprend, or WeTransfer to [email protected]. Or send us a share link via Dropbox or Google Drive.
For printing purposes, we require artwork in high-resolution PDF format, which includes 0.125 inches / 3 mm bleed.
Offset printing uses the CMYK color space.
You can get acquainted with our quality, products, and paper stocks by ordering a sample pack from here.
We offer free design templates for book formats along with an expert artwork file-checking service.
You can download on this page.
Let's Talk!
If you're a professional fine art photographer wanting to print a stunning portfolio 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 fine art photography book a work of art in its own right!
