Decent 8x10 format portfolio books? Alternatives?

[David R Munson]

Alright, so I'm working on a new portfolio for personal work. It'll be a mixed body of silver and digital prints from formats ranging from 35mm to 8x10.

In the past, I've done my commercial portfolios with books from Lost Luggage and Pina Zangaro. I'd love to use them again, but this book will be 8x10 format instead of 8.5x11. Ideally, I'd like to find a good post-bound portfolio book in that format. I'm looking for something more along the lines of something clean in design like the books from Lost Luggage, etc, but decidedly DO NOT want a more traditional leather-covered book or ring-bound folio. That kind of look doesn't fit the body of work.

Anyone have suggestions to that end?

Alternatively, does anyone have any suggestions for methods of mounting 8x10 prints into 8.5x11 pages in a way that actually looks nice?

Thanks much!

[Ralph Barker]

The sense I get from your description, David, is that you're looking for something well beyond the ordinary, run of the mill sort of book. If so, you might consider deciding on a binding and mounting system that would lend itself to being used with a cover designed and made to your specs. Something that blends well with the style of the images themselves. That might be leather-covered, wood, or even metal. (I understand there's a good deal on aluminum covers intended for the second printing of Madonna's book that never hit the presses. ;-) ) Without seeing some of the images, it's difficult to make suggestions.

[David R Munson]

I think what I'm looking for is something of the same general philosophy as the binders I use for my other portfolio (specifically, the Ice-Nine from Lost Luggage and the Machina screwpost from Pina Zangaro). Meaning, clean, modern design, the use of plastics or metals as primary materials, and preferably something that uses a screwpost binding (as opposed to rings or what have you). I'd love it if I could get either of those portfolio books without having to order a custom size.

The body of work is fairly wide-ranging, but will be mostly B&W and will include a lot of 35mm street work and 4x5 long-exposure studies. This portfolio is sort of a one-off book for personal purposes that won't be updated once it's finished. Some example photographs: one, two, three, four, five, and six.

[jnantz]

david

i was going to suggest you take a look at http://www.portfolioboxes.com , until you said you wanted plastics or metal &C.
they make screwpost leather or faux leather custom portfolios, boxes &C. maybe you can tell them what you are interested in, and they can
make it for you ... the other alternative is that you could always try your hand at making your own book. they aren't hard to make, and kind of fun. you can get all the parts for the post binding here: http://www.talas-nyc.com/ .

good luck!
john

[Ralph Barker]

The Ice Nine books have a nice contemporary look. If you use their Mylar Hinge, as opposed to sheet protectors, 8x10s inside their 8 ½ x 11 book might not look out of place.

[David R Munson]

Ralph - that's not a bad idea. Not a bad idea at all. Later today I'll do a mock up in one of m y existing books to see how it works. This might be the proper solution.