3 March 2026 · 7 min read · By Kookaburra Print
A custom photobook is one of the most personal and lasting print products you can create. Whether you're a professional photographer delivering to wedding clients, a business producing a branded lookbook, or an individual preserving a travel story — the right specification makes all the difference between a book you're proud of and one that disappoints.
The challenge is that there are a lot of choices: binding styles, paper types, cover finishes, sizes. This guide explains each option clearly so you can spec your photobook with confidence.
Binding determines how your book opens, how it feels in the hand, and how durable it is over time. It's the specification decision that has the biggest impact on the finished product.
Layflat is the premium binding choice for photography books. Pages are mounted on a rigid base that allows the book to open completely flat — meaning double-page spread images aren't interrupted by a gutter crease in the middle.
Layflat books command a higher price point, which is appropriate — they're a demonstrably superior product for image-heavy content.
Perfect binding is the standard paperback construction — pages are glued together at the spine and wrapped in a thick cover. It's the most versatile and cost-effective binding for photobooks.
Case binding wraps pages in a rigid hardcover board, typically with a printed dust jacket or a wrapped cover image. It conveys permanence and prestige.
Photobook size should be driven by your imagery. Full-bleed landscape photography benefits from a wide format; portrait-heavy content or text-rich layouts work better in a square or portrait book.
| Size | Dimensions | Best For |
|---|---|---|
| Small Square | 15 × 15 cm | Gift books, social media recap, small runs |
| Medium Square | 20 × 20 cm | Travel books, family albums, events |
| Large Square | 30 × 30 cm | Wedding albums, fine art, portfolio books |
| A4 Portrait | 21 × 29.7 cm | Corporate publications, lookbooks, catalogues |
| A4 Landscape | 29.7 × 21 cm | Panoramic photography, travel, events |
| A3 Landscape | 42 × 29.7 cm | Large-format portfolios, premium display books |
For double-page spreads, always choose a size where the spread width gives your images room to breathe. A 30 × 30 cm square book opens to a 60 cm panoramic spread — dramatic and impactful for full-width landscape shots.
Gloss paper produces vibrant, saturated colours with high contrast. It's the go-to choice when you want images to pop — bold product photography, vibrant travel imagery, colourful event coverage.
Matte paper produces a softer, more understated result. Colours are slightly less saturated than gloss, but the non-reflective surface makes it easier to view in all lighting conditions and gives images a fine-art quality.
Lustre or satin paper is a middle ground between gloss and matte. It offers vibrant colour reproduction with reduced glare and a subtle texture. This is the standard choice for professional wedding and portrait photographers for good reason — it flatters skin tones and resists fingerprints better than gloss.
The cover sets expectations before a single page is turned. Common options include:
Cover laminate finish (gloss or soft-touch matte) also matters. Soft-touch matte laminate gives hardcovers a luxurious, tactile quality that photographs well and photographs clients love to hold.
More pages isn't always better. Photobooks benefit from deliberate curation — 60 strong images will always outperform 200 mediocre ones. As a general guide:
| Use Case | Binding | Size | Finish |
|---|---|---|---|
| Wedding album | Layflat hardcover | 30 × 30 cm | Lustre / satin |
| Photography portfolio | Layflat or hardcover | A4 landscape | Matte |
| Corporate lookbook | Perfect bind or hardcover | A4 portrait | Gloss or satin |
| Travel book | Perfect bind | A4 landscape | Gloss |
| Gift / keepsake | Hardcover | 20 × 20 cm square | Matte or satin |
Not sure what to spec?
The Kookaburra Print team works with photographers, designers and businesses every day to match the right specification to the project and budget. We're happy to talk through your options before you commit.
Explore our full range of custom photobook options, or get in touch to discuss your specific project requirements.
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