Hardcover 11×8.5 landscape, matte
11 × 8.5 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $7.00
$3.60 + $0.17 a page, $0.13 on Pro
Printing a photography book
A portfolio or an art book is only as good as how it handles your pictures. Here is how to choose a format for your photographs, set up the files so they print as you intend, and order a single copy to hold before you decide on more.
From $4.80 a copy, before shipping
Sizes and prices
Prices per copy, the same at any quantity. Each order adds handling, shipping and any sales tax.
Specs and templates
Hardcover 9×9, matte
9 × 9 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $6.80
$3.60 + $0.16 a page, $0.12 on Pro
Softcover 9×9, matte
9 × 9 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $4.80
$1.60 + $0.16 a page, $0.12 on Pro
Softcover 11×8.5 landscape, matte
11 × 8.5 in, 20–160 pages, in steps of 2
from $5.00
$1.60 + $0.17 a page, $0.13 on Pro
Worked prices
Worked out from the price list, at Starter prices. Each order adds $1.50 for handling, and shipping and any sales tax are added when you order.
40-page Hardcover 11×8.5 landscape, matte
a portfolio copy to show a client
$10.40 a copy, $8.80 on Pro. One copy: $10.40, plus $1.50 handling.
60-page Hardcover 9×9, matte
a square art book for a small edition
$13.20 a copy, $10.80 on Pro. 10 copies: $132.00 for the books, plus $1.50 handling.
24-page Softcover 9×9, matte
a short softcover edition to sell at a show
$5.44 a copy, $4.48 on Pro. 50 copies: $272.00 for the books, plus $1.50 handling.
Setting up your files
- Hardcover 11×8.5 landscape, matte: export each page at 11.25 in × 8.75 in, the 11 in × 8.5 in trim plus 0.125 in of bleed on every edge.
- Keep text and faces 0.25 in inside the trim, and 0.5 in from the bound edge, the gutter.
- 20–160 pages, in steps of 2.
- The cover is one page: back, spine and front side by side. Its width depends on the spine, and the spine on your page count; the product page has a calculator for it.
- Send every page as a single page, in reading order. If a photograph runs across two pages, place it on both with the join where the pages meet and keep faces and fine detail out of the middle.
- Export your photographs at 300 dpi at the size they print. A cropped or upscaled image shows its pixels much more in print than on a screen.
- Run any photograph that touches the edge out into the bleed, and keep captions and text inside the margin.
- Screens are lit from behind and a printed page is not, so order a single copy and look at your darkest and brightest pictures on paper before printing more.
Every product has its own page with exact sizes, templates and a file checker. See all products.
Landscape or square
The 11 × 8.5 landscape format suits wide photographs and gives a spread plenty of room. The 9 × 9 square is a good frame for portraits, details and mixed orientations, since neither a tall nor a wide picture is favored.
A portfolio, an art book or a short run
A portfolio copy you carry to meetings, an art book you sell in a small edition and a short run for a show all start from one printed copy. There is no minimum, and the price per copy does not change with the quantity, so each can be ordered at the size it needs.
- Hardcover for a portfolio or a book you sell as an object.
- Softcover when cost and weight matter more, as for a short edition sold at a show.
Pages
We print 20 to 160 pages, in steps of 2. Fewer pictures on more pages gives each one room; more pictures per page makes a denser book. The cover is separate from the pages inside.
- Printed in New JerseyOne plant in Princeton Junction, so every copy comes off the same presses.
- Ships in 5 business daysTracked across the US and Canada, under your name.
- We reprint it freeIf a copy is misprinted or misbound, tell us within 30 days.
- Part of ECSThe yearbook printer behind Entourage, Picaboo and RememberMe Yearbooks.
Questions
Will my photographs print the way they look on screen?
Not exactly: a screen is lit from behind and a page reflects light, so the same picture can look different on paper. Order a single copy, look at your darkest and brightest pictures, and adjust before printing more.
What resolution do my photographs need?
300 dpi at the size they print is the target. A picture that is smaller than that, or enlarged to fill the page, will look soft or show its pixels.
Is a landscape or a square book better for photography?
Landscape (11 × 8.5) favors wide pictures. Square (9 × 9) suits a mix of tall and wide pictures and work that is already square. Choose the shape that shows your best pictures without cropping them.
Can I make a short run or a small edition to sell?
Yes. There is no minimum and the price per copy does not change with quantity, so a short edition costs the same per copy as a long one. A softcover keeps the cost per copy lower.
Does color cost extra?
No. Every page prints in full color at the same price, so a book of color photographs costs the same as one that is mostly text.
Can I get an ISBN or have a book sold through bookstores?
No. We print and ship the books you order; we don't supply ISBNs and we don't distribute to bookstores. Selling at shows, from your own site or directly to clients works without either.
How fast can I get a portfolio copy?
Orders ship within 5 business days from Princeton Junction, New Jersey, to the US and Canada. Choose express if time is short, and every parcel is tracked.
Your first books are on us.
Start on Starter with a 30-day trial and $50 of print credit. Print a few copies, hold them, then decide.