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Thread: Binding Photos in Book Form

  1. #1

    Join Date
    May 2002
    Posts
    98

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    I have an idea which may turn out to be either fruitless or cost- prohibitive. I confess that posting this question here is my first bit of research and investigation on this idea. Maybe some contributors to the LF forum can point me in the right direction.

    Here is my idea: Like everyone I have accumulated quite a collection of family photos taken over the years, some taken by me, some by other family members. I would like to create an album of these images to present as Christmas gifts to family members.

    The prints would be created from scanned prints, negatives, and original digital files. All the prints would be Piezography BW prints on Hahnemuhle PhotoRag paper, 188 gsm, printable on both sides. I would like to use 13x19 paper. Some of the images would be as big as 11x17, but many would be much smaller, with multiple images on each page.

    Here's the kicker: I want to create this in a book-bound form, hardback, possibly leather bound or cloth. I DO NOT want either a 3- ring binder type, or a regular photo album in which I attach my images onto the pages of an album. I want to book-bind my actual printed Hahnemuhle pages.

    The quantity needed would be 17.

    Is there any feasibility to this idea, or am I totally out to lunch? Is there a way to get this type binding job done, in such a small quantity, at a reasonable price?

    Any suggestions, guidance, alternative ideas or other input is greatly appreciated.

  2. #2
    Doug Dolde
    Guest

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    Michael Reichmann has a segment on this on his Video Journal.

    http://www.luminous-landscape.com/about/monograph.shtml

  3. #3

    Join Date
    Dec 1997
    Location
    Baraboo, Wisconsin
    Posts
    7,697

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    Kinkos does this kind of thing, I have several albums like this. They aren't bound like a book but neither are they three ring binders or photo albums. They are spiral bound with a hard cover protected by a plastic overlay followed by a table of contents page and then the photoraphs page by page. It isn't as fancy as something bound like a book but it looks very nice and is inexpensive. I think Kinkos charged around $15 each for each of mine, which contain about 25 photoraphs each.

    If you want something bound like a book I'm sure that could be done, I just don't know the cost. In my former life as a municipal bond attorney when we closed bond issues we had all of the closing documents bound in book form with gold lettering on the binding and each document tabbed and numbered (something you probably wouldn't want that added to the cost). My secretary handled it all so I'm a little vague on the details but we used to have about 10 to 15 books made for distribution to the various participants in the bond issue and I think the total cost ran around $750 or thereabouts (i.e. ballpark $75 per book). Since there are literally thousands of pages of documents in many bond issues there were far more pages bound than you would have, which might reduce the cost. If documents can be bound like this I don't see why photographs couldn't be as well. There were plenty of places around that did this kind of thing, I think we used to periodically get bids. This was as recently as six years ago so the costs aren't ancient history.
    Brian Ellis
    Before you criticize someone, walk a mile in their shoes. That way when you do criticize them you'll be
    a mile away and you'll have their shoes.

  4. #4

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    Santa Fe, NM
    Posts
    210

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    Jeff Moore,

    Yes it may be off topic but you never know who may have the answere. In one of my many jobs I work on special collections. Three months ago some body ask me the same type of question. The answere is 1. start with the bookbinder first to set up your work (don't make it harder because of what you give them) 2. their are a lot of small binders out there. (this is one that was given to me by a book making friend) they may just do the job you want or direct you to one. Kater-Crafts, Bruce Kavin, www.katercraft.com, located in southern california. Hope this works. Oh, by the way, start saveing you lunch money.

    Jan Pietrzak

  5. #5

    Join Date
    Sep 2003
    Location
    New Jersey, USA
    Posts
    267

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    Well having it spiral-bound sounds like the most reasonable choice. There are two other possibilities that I can think of. One, you could glue a spine onto the pages, then put some sort of decorative tape over that (to hide it), and call that done. The only problem is pages falling out.

    The other possibility, if you want this to be a beautiful piece of art, would be to bind the book by hand. Pile all of the pages of a book up and, depending on how many there are, either needle-sew or drill and then sew binding thread through one side (the spine), then add a glued-on spine (or not), and tape over it. You could even add hard covers. It might be a pain and take a long time, but it would be a true hand-made book. Then again, being a boater and used to sewing 12+ foot double-canvas seams by hand, maybe it's just more my kind of thing!

    Good luck.

  6. #6

    Join Date
    Apr 2004
    Location
    Phoenix, AZ
    Posts
    123

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    Roswell Bookbinding, 2614 N. 29th Avenue, Phoenix, AZ 85009. Phone: 602-272-9338. They do all the special editions of the Ansel Adams trust and have done books for John Sexton, Paul Caponigro and many, many others. I did fifteen books of 28 pages of 15 inch by 15 inch size (17 actual 8X10 B&W photos tipped in with velum cover sheets in each book) last summer. Tough project, cost lots overall. Actual binding by Roswell (I just provided them with 15 completed copies of all the contents) was only about $650.00. Check them out if you want real quality and that special look you were talking about (either leather or cloth - all hand bound).

  7. #7
    multiplex
    Join Date
    Feb 2001
    Location
    local
    Posts
    5,356

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    jeff - -

    if you wanted to try making a book yourself, there are quite a few books out there that tell how to do it. keith smith has a series on making books: http://www.keithsmithbooks.com/.

    there is a place in rhode island called portfoliobox, and they make custom books. they might be able to make what you are looking for. their url is: http://www.portfoliobox.com

    another suggestion might be to go to your local library and ask someone in the reference department who does their binding / book conservation. sometimes there is a local bookbinder they send their volumes to, and that local person might be interested on doing your project, or teach you how to do bookmaking.

    good luck!

  8. #8
    Geos
    Join Date
    Mar 2004
    Posts
    257

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    Making your own book is a lot of fun but also a lot of work. I'd also recommend http://www.keithsmithbooks.com, specifically the book on binding single sheets. I used this book as a guide to bind books with 11x14 silver prints. Talasonline.com has supplies and tools to get you started.

    George

  9. #9

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    Jeff,

    There's an interesting place on the web that will print a book for you from your files. It won't be on your preferred paper, but it may be the type of thing that you may find as a suitable alternate to the ideal approach that you have mentioned.

    Go to MYPUBLISHER.COM

    I have not tried them, but am thinking about doing so this year for gifts this winter. I received a recommendation from a friend that felt the quality was very good, and the price very reasonable.

    ---Michael

  10. #10

    Binding Photos in Book Form

    I would contact Allen Geiser at Allen Geiser &Son. All they do is short-run custom book binding. In my experience, they are not very expensive. Call 215-426-0211.

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