The inaugural LensCulture Photobook Prize will turn an unpublished project into a fully designed, printed and internationally distributed photobook, with all costs covered. The prize’s first winner will be published by Nazraeli Press, a house that has released more than 800 titles over nearly four decades.
Early passion for the photobook
Chris Pichler grew up in a family that prized reading. His grandmother wrote popular books for teenagers, and the household was filled with shelves. By the end of high school he discovered photography and soon preferred seeing images on paper rather than on walls.
While studying at Arizona State University in the mid‑80s, Pichler explored the school’s artist‑book program. He found the handcrafted, ornate volumes too decorative for his taste. Instead he experimented with photocopied, lo‑fi layouts, a process that sparked his desire to become a publisher.
That early inclination shaped a career that began when he was 22 and continues at age 60, with a catalog that includes work by Mark Steinmetz, Sage Sohier and Todd Hido.
Why books matter more than walls
Pichler says a photobook offers a modest, intimate encounter. “It’s just the person looking at the book and the book itself,” he explains, contrasting the private act of turning pages with the self‑consciousness of public exhibition.
Books also enjoy a longer lifespan. An exhibition that draws no visitors is a failure; a modestly selling book can linger, find new readers, and eventually sell out after years. “Good books find their homes,” he notes, reflecting on titles that took time to gain traction.
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The tactile nature of a book can become part of its meaning. Early on, Pichler hand‑bound volumes, glued covers and even produced scroll‑format publications because he lacked funds for mass printing. Those hands‑on experiments still influence his aesthetic choices today.
Choosing projects and the new prize
Pichler does not solicit submissions. He publishes roughly 25 books a year, most of them from photographers he already knows. “If I have a good relationship with somebody, it’s natural we keep working together,” he says.
Chance also plays a role. He might spot a compelling project while walking, or receive a recommendation from a colleague. He does a handful of portfolio reviews each year to stay connected with emerging talent.
The LensCulture Photobook Prize asks entrants to submit 20 to 30 images plus a brief statement, rather than a finished dummy. “That range is a bullseye for me,” Pichler remarks, adding that larger collections can overwhelm a viewer’s attention span.
He prefers books with fewer images that leave the audience wanting more, a philosophy that aligns with the prize’s format.
The thing about it is that the books sometimes feel like a quiet conversation with a stranger, and that intimacy is what the prize hopes to capture.
From a broader view, the prize could raise the profile of photographers who lack traditional gallery exposure, giving them a permanent, portable platform that travels beyond any single museum’s walls.
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Fairs, formats and distribution
Book fairs once drove Nazraeli’s marketing, especially the Frankfurt Book Fair, where early distributor relationships were forged. Today the publisher limits its presence to the San Francisco Art Book Fair and the newer Show LA event, which he co‑founded with Giulia Zorzi and Keith Cullen.
Show LA, launched during Frieze LA, occupies a 16,000‑square‑foot space and hosts roughly 25 galleries and 25 publishers from across Asia, Europe and the United States. The fair aims for a curated, international feel.
Format experimentation remains a hallmark. Recent releases include a three‑cover bilingual book by Frederick Sommer, a 30‑foot scroll by Masao Yamamoto, and a set of 3‑by‑3‑inch cards housed in a plexiglass box. Yet Pichler says he is increasingly drawn to simple, modest books that let photographs speak.
Worldwide distribution is essential. Nazraeli prints runs ranging from 500 copies for niche titles to 6,000 for well‑known photographers. Markets in France, Germany, China and South Korea are key for reaching audiences that may be larger abroad than at home.
In January, the press produced three modest books for an exhibition of Daido Moriyama and Avo Tavitian in Tokyo, demonstrating how quickly a simple format can move from concept to publication.
As the inaugural prize approaches, the selected work will join Nazraeli’s diverse catalogue, adding another example of how a carefully curated photobook can extend a photographer’s reach far beyond the gallery wall.
