Self-Publishing a Street Photography Book: Our Journey, Lessons, and Mistakes

I’m thrilled to share something Ashley Riffo and I have been pouring our hearts into for over a year: our first book, Where the Streets Lead! It’s been a wild ride, full of unexpected turns and steep learning curves. After publishing a digital magazine for 12-years we wanted to create something tangible, a legacy of sorts, to celebrate street photography and the incredible community around it. And we wanted to use this special episode of the podcast to tell the story of our book creation story to help others learn from our experience and avoid the mistakes we made. Of course we would also love for you to be among the first to grab a first edition.

Key Takeaways

One of the biggest things we learned is how much we didn’t know when we started! From the surprising amount of work in selecting images, to wrangling large files, to navigating the world of printing, it has been something. For example, we originally asked photographers to submit full-resolution images, which flooded our drives with more data than we needed well before the selection process. That’s not an issue for someone creating a monograph, but smaller images are a must for an initial open call for submissions.

If you’re thinking about doing a book, start with a solid theme that resonates with you and your community. For us, it was “Where do you like to shoot?” This theme allowed people from all walks of life to share their unique perspectives. Plus, physical prints slow you down and let you see the images in a whole new light, which you can’t get online.

Behind the Scenes

Ashley and I are about 800 miles apart, so this whole project was powered by Zoom, shared galleries, and a lot of trust. We took online courses from Magnum photographers Alec Soth and Mark Power, which completely changed how we thought about sequencing. We literally taped hundreds of photos to our walls and moved them around until the story flowed. Then we shared our thinking via photos, videos and online galleries.

Finding a printer was another adventure. We wanted high quality without breaking the bank, which led us to a digital press that delivered amazing results. We even debated whether to include the photographers’ stories, but after a test print, we realized the text was essential. It added depth and context, making the book more than just a collection of pretty pictures.

The podcast episode was recorded while we were awaiting delivery of the first batch of the books. You will hear us discussing (and even stressing a little) over how the quality of the final version. Well, they arrived right on schedule and I was super impressed with the physical quality of the book and, of course, the content.

What’s Next

“Where the Streets Lead” is now available on our website. This book is a celebration of our community and the unique places that inspire us. By purchasing the book, you’re supporting our work and helping us continue to bring you the best in street photography.

So sit back and have a listen to our story, then head over to our new online bookstore and grab your copy today. International shipping is available (though a bit pricey, sorry!), and we’ve got boxes ready to make sure your book arrives in perfect condition.

Links from the show

Where The Streets Lead Order Page

Harvey Stein’s Publishing A Photography Book Course (Online) at ICP

Editor’s Note (June 2026):

Since publishing this podcast, Bob and I have taken everything we learned from creating Where the Streets Lead and turned it into a comprehensive online course.

If this article has you thinking about publishing your own photo book, our new course, How to Self-Publish a Photo Book, will guide you through the entire process. We’ll help you refine your idea, sequence your photographs, design your book, choose a printer, prepare print-ready files, and even market and sell your finished book. It’s the course we wish we’d had when we started our own self-publishing journey.

Your enrollment includes lifetime access, downloadable resources, and future course updates as we continue to expand the material.

Ready to turn your project into a finished book?

Learn with SPM Whether you prefer to learn out in the world with a camera in your hand, or at your own pace from your desk, our courses are designed to help you…

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