These beautiful books seen above were created by last year’s winners: Sander Coers, Miya Turnbull, Ashley A. Ross, Jeremy Starn, Barbara Gabrielle (and Benny Zenga’s is still in progress). You can also see the previous year’s winners here.

Independently owned and based in Minneapolis, Minnesota, Bookmobile began as a design and typesetting production house in 1982, then started offering print services in 1996, and distribution services in 2004. When your books come to Bookmobile, they get the benefit of forty-one years of know-how. If you want to learn more about Bookmobile, you can check out their website here, or email them directly here.

We know it’s a dream for many of you to publish a book of your own work and this is a chance to do it without all the costs. These will be your books, not ours, so each of you will have full control of the design and layout. We will happily provide assistance/guidance if you need it, but the book design will ultimately be your responsibility.

Book Details:

• 100 copies
• up to a 10″ x 10″ trim size
• up to 100 pages
• paperback print run
• color interior
• two rounds of print proofs/corrections

This is what is being offered for FREE. You may decide to upgrade aspects of your book (more copies, more pages, bigger dimensions, hardcover etc) and you would just pay the difference.

Important Stuff:

• We are looking for a cohesive selection of finished work that you want to turn into a book (as opposed to works-in-progress or otherwise incomplete projects).
• You must submit 10 images of your work and describe the focus of your book. You may submit as many times as you like however one thoughtful submission is better than three half-baked ones. Quality over quantity!
• Multiple submissions only makes sense if you have separate book ideas (maybe one is a book of portraits and the other is a collection of street photography). Please do not make multiple submissions for the same book idea.
• Maximum size to upload: 2500 x 2500 px (images do not need to be square, these are simply the max height and width so we aren’t opening thousands of massive files).
• Format for naming your files: FIRSTNAME_LASTNAME_01.JPG
• Everyone will be notified whether they are selected or not via email. It generally takes our team a minimum of 8 weeks to go through all the submissions (varies depending on the amount), please be patient.

Use the button below to submit.

Closed for Submissions

Deadline: 11:59pm PST on June 14th, 2024

Here’s a little more detailed look at all the completed books from last year’s winners: Sander Coers, Miya Turnbull, Ashley A. Ross, Jeremy Starn, Barbara Gabrielle. Some chose to upgrade different details and each took a wildly different direction aesthetically. Take a look at them all below!

Blue Mood (Al Mar) by Sander Coers reflects on the challenges of growing up, the search for self-acceptance, and the vulnerability of adolescent men. Some really striking photos and ya gotta love the translucent dust jacket.

Omote (面) by Miya Turnbull documents a collaborative project by three Canadian artists: Miya Turnbull (visual artist based in Halifax, Nova Scotia), Shion Skye Carter (dance artist based in Vancouver, British Columbia), and Nanne Springer (photographer based in Montréal, Québec). These photos of Shion and Miya were captured by Nanne in April 2023 at the 206 Studio and Arts Hub, located in Montréal, Québec, during the premiere of their live performance of Omote (面). Available here.

10/27/03 by Ashley A. Ross utilizes portraiture and personal familial memorabilia to explore themes of indoctrination and identity within the confines of a religious upbringing. The title is a date taken from a certificate given to the artist during childhood, following their baptism. This body of work calls to question who gets to constitute the spiritual value of a Black adolescent and how growing up with stringent belief systems can influence how one’s identity is formed. Available here.

Displacement by Jeremy Starn contains 80 black and white images of the building of Ceiba, a 150′ foot wooden tall ship. Currently being built on the Pacific Coast of Costa Rica, the goal of the project is to provide zero emission cargo freight shipping between the Americas using traditional sailing practices. The shipyard and vessel were built by a committed and passionate group of traditional boat builders and creatives. This photo book shares the building of the ship and the life of the builders. Available here.

Complex of the Soul by Barbara Gabrielle seeks to deconstruct stereotypes associated with Brazil. Carnival and football are usually among the few things foreigners recognize as positive aspects when discussing Brazilian culture, while favelas are frequently associated with violence. Gabrielle says she wanted to show the “other side of the coin.” This book tells the story of Faiska and Fumassa, who were born and raised in the peripheral community known as the “Complexo da Alma,” where they still reside. Their desire is to change misconceptions often associated with marginalized communities, and this book aims to advance them toward this goal. Available here.

Closed for Submissions

Deadline: 11:59pm PST on June 14th, 2024

If you are unable to afford a membership, we are offering a one-time submission for photographers who are experiencing financial hardship. Head over here to apply. (Available until May 28th, 2024)