How to self publish a photo book checklist
We've created a full How To Self Publish A Photo Book Guide but for a quick overview and to get started, run through our handy questionnaire.
Why publish a photo book?
- To share your photography
- To support an exhibition
- To sell and make money
- To raise awareness
- To expand your profile
- To preserve a project
- For personal enjoyment
The purpose of my book is ________________________
The audience for my book is _______________________
How to fund a photo book
Funding options
- Personal savings
- An Arts grant
- Crowdfunding
- Pre-orders
- Lotto
My budget
- File design $
- Printing $
- Shipping $
- Promotion $
TOTAL $
The average Australian and New Zealand photo book crowdfunding campaign attracts approximately $20,000.
Find our more at blog.momentopro.com.au/crowdfunding.
How to design a photo book
Research photo book design or work with experts:
- In selecting and sequencing photos
- In laying out photos, images and text
- Who respect your objectives
Be clear on your print supplier’s:
- File requirements
- Colour space and profiles
Make sure you consider:
- A traditional or contemporary style
- Adding text for context
- Including a colophon
- Creating one or more dummies
Find advice from photo book design experts at blog.momentopro.com.au/design
“By placing a picture on the right and a picture on page left, something must transpire in between the two page spread, the mise-en-page. The essential principle is that the sum will equal more than the total of its parts.” Ralph Gibson
What format for your photo book
Specification to consider:
- No. of pages
- Width x height
- Digital, inkjet or offset printing
- Hardcover or softcover
- Stitched or staple bound
- Section-sewn or custom binding
- Cover material
- Embossing or other finishes
Ensure your decisions match your book’s purpose, your budget, your audience’s budget and your printer’s requirements.
Consider producing a softcover edition to minimise production and shipping costs, or a hardcover limited edition with premium materials for more prestige and profit.
Discover popular formats and helpful case studies at blog.momentopro.com.au/formats
Hardcover book range
Momento Pro's hardcover range includes 12 sizes, 12 papers, 40 cover materials, digital offset and inkjet printing but to make life easy for self publishers, we've also curated a dedicated range of options at affordable prices for hardcover Volume Orders in batches of 25 copies up to 250 copies here.
Call us to discuss your volume order objectives, budget and preferred RRP, and we’ll advise on the most appropriate format and materials in
our range.
Softcover book range
We also produce softcover books for orders in batches of 25 copies. All softcover books are digital offset printed in 4 colours.Binding
Saddle Stitched: Stapled with square back spine. Available in batches of 25 copies with a minimum of 8 pages and maximum of 48 pages, including the inside and outside cover designs. Page count must be a multiple of four.Perfect Bound: With a PUR glued spine. Available in batches of 25 copies with a minimum of 30 pages and maximum of 200 pages.
Papers
+ Satin 150gsm pages with 250 to 350gsm gloss or matte laminated cover+ Matte 160gsm pages with 250 to 350gsm cover
+ Eggshell 148gsm pages with 250gsm cover
+ Lustre 190gsm with 250 to 350gsm laminated cover
Production Time (ex delivery)
Dependant on order specifications. Starting at 14 days.For more details visit momentopro.com.au/softcover
“Key aspects to consider before making a photo book... your knowledge of bookmaking, your budget, and the reason you are doing it.” - Bruno Ceschel, Self Publish Be Happy
How many photo books to print
- 1 - 24 copies
- 25 copies
- 100 copies
- 250 copies
- 500 copies
- 1000 copies
The minimum for a traditional oset print run is approximately 500 copies. Print on demand services can print one up to a few
hundred. Momento Pro specialises in one up to 250 copies, with the best prices kicking in at 25 copies or more.
Learn what photo book best seller statistics are at blog.momentopro.com.au/quantity
Where to sell a photo book
- Locally, interstate, internationally?
- At your photography exhibition?
- At book fairs or festivals?
- On your website?
- Via your personal network?
- Via an online retailer?
- At a traditional bookstore?
- Via an art gallery or institution?
Discover the most photo book friendly retailers and distributors in Australia and New Zealand at blog.momentopro.com.au/sell
How to price a photo book
This is the million dollar question and there's no single answer but here's what you need to consider before deciding on a sale price.
- What costs do you need to cover?
- Is your aim to make a profit?
- How much are books of a similar format?
- Where are you selling the book?
- What’s the average RRP for your sales channels?
- How many copies are you producing?
- What quality of materials are you using?
- How much is the shipping?
Photobooks can sell from $5.00 up to $5,000 depending on the profile of the photographer, the publishing model, the edition size, the quality of production and more. Prices of $80 and above are becoming more common and acceptable for books that are locally made, in limited editions to high production values.
Find our analysis of photo book RRPs at blog.momentopro.com.au./pricing
How to promote a photo book
- Host a launch with a photo exhibition
- Send a Media Release
- Via social media with #photobookjousting
- To your newsletter database
- Submit to the Asia Pacific Photobook Archive
- Enter the ANZ Photobook Awards
- Enter international photo book competitions
- Send copies to critics and reviewers
- Tell the story behind your book
- Hire a publicist
Creating and printing the book is relatively easy, promoting and selling your books is the hard part. Planning in advance will make a
big difference.
Read some case studies at blog.momentopro.com.au/promote
In summary
Good to know before publishing:
- Why you’re publishing
- Who your audience is
- How you’ll fund it
- Photo book design rules
- Formats that suit your budget
- How many copies you'll need
- What price is suitable
- How you'll sell and promote it
What next?
- Read our full How To Self Publish A Photo Book Guide
- View award winning Antipodean photobooks
- Contact our Volume Order Manager
- View our full product range
- Follow @momentopro and @anzphotobookaward
- Follow our blog updates at The Momentum
Now publish your bloody book!