Common Misconceptions
Photobooks and zines live in a curious space between art, publishing, and personal expression — and that often leads to misunderstanding.
At Unseenpress, we see them not as niche or nostalgic, but as vital, democratic forms of photographic thinking.
Here are some of the most common misconceptions — and why they deserve to be challenged.
“They’re just collections of photographs.”
A photobook isn’t a portfolio. It’s a designed, sequenced, and tactile work — where every page turn, every pause, and every material choice carries meaning. The book is the artwork.
“Zines are amateur or disposable.”
Zines thrive on immediacy and experimentation. They’re where new ideas, formats, and voices appear first — free from institutional filters. Their rawness is their strength.
“Photobooks are expensive luxury items.”
Some are crafted as fine art objects, yes — but many are intentionally modest, designed to be handled and shared. Affordability and accessibility are part of the culture.
“You can see the same images online.”
The internet shows you pictures.
A book shows you a way of seeing. Its pacing, sequencing, and material presence create an experience no screen can reproduce.
“They’re only for serious collectors.”
You don’t need credentials to collect or enjoy photobooks. They’re for anyone drawn to photography as a tactile, time-based art form — something to hold, explore, and return to.
“They don’t matter compared to exhibitions.”
A book is a portable exhibition — one that can travel anywhere, last indefinitely, and be encountered privately, on your own terms. It keeps the work alive beyond the walls of a gallery.
“Self-publishing means second best.”
In the world of photography, self-publishing is often a creative decision, not a fallback. It allows artists to control every aspect of the work — from sequence to stock — and to reach readers directly.
“Zines and books are outdated in the digital age.”
In truth, they feel more necessary than ever.
Amid endless scrolling, the act of slowing down with a printed object becomes radical — a form of care, attention, and resistance to disposability.
“Collecting is about investment.”
For most collectors, it’s not about market value but meaning. Each book is chosen because it resonates — because it says something that deserves to be held.
Photobooks and zines are living forms — part of an ongoing conversation between makers, readers, and the world around them.
To collect them is to listen, to look slowly, and to keep that conversation going.