Publish Your Photography Book

The first book to demystify the process of producing and publishing a book of photographs, Publish Your Photography Book was originally released in 2011 and subsequently sold out two editions. This highly anticipated third edition guides photo-based artists through the steps involved in publishing a book of their work. Industry insiders Darius D. Himes and Mary Virginia Swanson survey the current landscape of photography book publishing and point out the many avenues to pursue and pitfalls to avoid. This updated, expert guide covers: a history of the photobook; an overview of the publishing industry; the process of bringing your project to the book form (with both traditional publishing and self-publishing options); how to market a photography book (including a dialogue with collectors on the limited edition and artist-made books); unique case studies with published photographers; and valuable resources on production materials, publishing and marketing timelines. Filled with educational wisdom, the book features interviews and contributions from artists, agents, editors, designers, printers, publishers, distributors, book sellers, curators and librarians who openly share their experiences and provide advice about each step on the path to publication and placement. A removable workbook helps readers address book preparation, draft submission guidelines, production timelines, and marketing plans. With over fifty years of combined industry experience and insights, the authors also provide both historical context and contemporary expertise about the international photobook scene, including awards, fairs, and grants.

We invite you to explore additional online resources, including author interviews, and complete course recordings, at PublishYourPhotographyBook.com

Darius Himes oversees a global team producing auctions, exhibitions and catalogues as International Head of the Photographs department at Christie’s, where he has worked with an extraordinary range of collectors and institutions including Sir Elton John and David Mirvish, The Museum of Modern Art, and the Thomas Koerfer Collection. Prior to joining Christie’s in 2014, Himes was director of Fraenkel Gallery, San Francisco (2011–2014), working with notable artists Lee Friedlander, Richard Misrach, Robert Adams, Katy Grannan and Alec Soth. In 2007, he co-founded Radius Books, a nonprofit publisher of books on photography and the visual arts, where he worked with John McCracken, Ed Moses, Charles Arnoldi, and Lee Friedlander, along with a host of younger and emerging artists on their first monographs. He was the founding editor of photo-eye Booklist, a quarterly journal devoted to photography books, which was published from 2002–2007. As an interviewer, lecturer and writer, he has contributed to Aperture, The Photobook Review, Blind Spot, Bookforum, BOMB, and numerous books.

Mary Virginia Swanson has dedicated her career to helping artists find the strengths in their work, identify appreciative, responsive audiences, and present their work in an informed, and professional manner. Swanson’s in-depth knowledge, professional experience, reputation and relationships throughout the photography industry cover a broad range of perspectives on both the making and marketing of photo-based work. A respected contributor to the field, she frequently serves as a judge at contemporary photography and photobook competitions, conducts public presentations at festivals and lectures at numerous colleges throughout the year. Swanson’s lecture-based online courses, in-depth workshops and private mentoring have proven to advance photographers in moving their careers to the next level. Swanson’s current research explores the photographic artist’s book, where the book is the final work. She is based in Tucson, Arizona.