How to Pack Photo Prints for Mailing or Shipping

This might sound a little harsh, for which I apologize in advance. However...

I've noticed a pattern over many years, namely that photographers who ship prints only every so often tend to package them inadequately and then blame the Post Office or the shipper when they arrive damaged. Actually, though, it's not the shipper's fault if prints arrive damaged. It's the sender's fault. (Sorry.)

So as you might have guessed, I've opened another Print Crit print that was damaged in the mail. I suspect we might have a disconnect here. A difference of viewpoint, you might say. Maybe I'm too conditioned by art school followed by a fairly lucrative career marketing prints online, but, you see, to my way of thinking, a print with any flaw is a ruined print. It's either 100% right, or it's a loss. So some readers might be thinking "so what, it's only one little crimp/crease/tear/blemish, let's just look past that"—whereas I'm thinking, reject. That might account for the fact that I am disconcerted to receive a damaged print in the mail, whereas some senders seem to be rather too casual about the fate of their creations in transit.

Obviously, it's possible to package a print so well that damage will not occur except in extremely unusual circumstances. For instance, you could buy a strapped shipping case like this one:

(If Amazon has these, I don't know what they're calling it so I can't search for it. I found this one here. B&H has some, too.)

Unless the shipper just loses it, or drowns it somehow*, it's very likely your print will arrive undamaged. I used to use such cases to ship artwork, simply enclosing return postage and a return mailing label so the recipient could return the empty case to me. Although this might seem improbable, no one ever failed to return my shipping case, and I still have it.

This shipping case survived many back-and-forth trips, and it's also how my most valuable photobook, a pristine original copy of The Decisive Moment, survived three moves unscathed.

This isn't practical when shipping a large number of prints as we do for our print offers. We know from experience that when we ship a large number of prints, a small number will not survive the trip. We can pack them to minimize the possibility of damage, but there are disadvantages to that, namely that the packaging materials will then cost more to buy, and also be heavier, such that the packages are more costly to ship. In that case the trick is to balance the packaging cost and shipping weight well enough so that most of them (say 96–100 out of 100) will arrive undamaged but they'll cost a reasonable amount to pack and ship. If one is lost or arrives with damage, we keep a few extra prints in reserve to send out as replacements.

ABC Box, back in Waukesha, used to make up for me a flat corrugated cardboard box with two fitted sheets of corrugated that went inside it. I put the print between the two sheets of flat corrugated then inserted them in the box. Very nice, but of course it has to be built to a specific size.

How-to
Here's an easy way to pack any small- to medium-sized print for shipping:

1. Get some sheets of plain, flat corrugated cardboard at least two inches larger in each dimension than the size of the print(s) you're shipping. Four to eight inches bigger is better, especially for larger prints. You can sometimes buy these at office supply stores, but for inflated prices; check your area for outlets that supply cardboard boxes of all types. You can usually find plain sheets of corrugated there. Uline calls then "corrugated pads," and sells larger ones in double and triple thicknesses. Other materials can be used, for instance plastic corrugated, chipboard, or foam boards such as Fomecore, but alternatives are usually either heavier or more expensive or both. If you get square ones, you can alternate the orientation of the corrugations for added strength.
2. Get a roll of plain brown Kraft wrapping paper.
3. Sandwich the print with a stack of two to five of the corrugated sheets on one side and the same amount on the other side.
4. Wrap the stack in the Kraft paper as if you were wrapping a birthday present.
5. Address and ship.

There are a few more things to think about: it's wise to cover the face of the print with a sheet or two of plain paper, to protect the print surface or prevent the print paper from picking up any texture. Also, remember that the recipient isn't necessarily going to know where in the stack the print is! So make it easy for them, either by taping or gluing the stack on each side of the print together. Also, do not swaddle the stack in excessive amounts of tape. People preparing shipments have a tendency to entomb the blasted things in yards of tape like it's a time capsule meant for the year 2075, forgetting, apparently, that someone on the other end has to open the darned thing. When I'm Packing Guy, I always keep Unwrapping Guy in mind. You might also want to hold the print centered by making corners out of strips of copier paper and taping the print down using the corners. As an experiment, I once sent a loose print in a stack of corrugated with nothing taped down at all—the print was loose in the stack and the stack was simply loose sheets of cardboard. It was all held together by the Kraft paper wrapping. It arrived fine, with no issues.

What I used to do, though, was to stick three, four, or five sheets of corrugated lightly together with drops of white Elmer's Glue, times two, position the print on top of one stack using just two corners so it couldn't migrate, position the second stack on top, and then, using four pieces of masking tape, one on each straight side, tape the two sides together; then wrap that. I left tabs on the masking tape by folding over one end on itself to provide a convenient handle for tearing the tape off again.

The package protected the print, was easy to open, and the recipient could separate the sheets of corrugated again for reuse (although I never knew if anyone actually did).

Six sheets of, say, 10x12" corrugated, eight sheets of 11x14", or ten sheets of 16x20" or larger corrugated cardboard provide a stout but light package that can be tossed around without hurting the print cossetted safely in the middle.

Suit yourself
Of course, this is just one suggestion; you can pack prints any way you want to. Flat boxes work well too, as long as the print is somehow held away from the sides and (especially) the corners inside the box. But remember...

...If the print doesn't make it, you know whose fault that is.  :-)

Mike

*I once had a mailing tube delivered to me sopping wet.

Original contents copyright 2020 by Michael C. Johnston and/or the bylined author. All Rights Reserved. Links in this post may be to our affiliates; sales through affiliate links may benefit this site.

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(To see all the comments, click on the "Comments" link below.)
Featured Comments from:

Jim Meeks: "I've been shipping prints in a similar manner for years and use a slightly different method. The major difference is to cut the interior out of one or more sheets of cardboard, just slightly bigger than the work. Place your print or matted work in the void wrapped in a poly bag, sealed and secured with tape so it can't move. I've also used fluted plastic sheets (Coroplast) instead of cardboard. Coroplast is puncture resistant, waterproof and pretty tough. Similar to cardboard, when you cross the direction of the flutes it's even stronger. I'll usually tape the edges and mark where to open the package."

Jimmy Reina: "I'm a pretty handy guy, and in my day, I have hung out with a considerable number of artists. Occasionally, I have been asked to make a custom shipping container, and when asked about shipping insurance, my glib reply was often, 'the best insurance is the container.' I wasn't trying to snag a job, just trying to be realistic. If the shipped object is the result of your labor, what is the real price? It's a little different with prints, but reproducing and reshipping (under pressure) is no picnic."

Comments

[Parkylondon]

The boxes at the top of the story are "NOMAD" boxes by the firm of the same name, out of the UK

Can recommend

https://www.nomadcases.co.uk/our-products/print-boxes/print-boxes/

[Dave Levingston]

I have several of those shipping containers in various sizes. For years I used them to ship prints to shows across the country and overseas. As you mentioned, they are good for storing and transporting prints and other valuable items. But, the last time I tried to ship prints in one, UPS didn't want to accept it. They don't like the straps, I guess. I think Fed-X also has a problem with them. And I seem to recall getting the stink eye at the post office too.

In recent times I've been doing something like what you described, but not quite. I use two sheets of foamcore. I can buy a 20x30 sheet for about $2. I cut it in half and use that to ship a 13x19 print. I put the print in a plastic sleeve and tape the sleeve centered on one of the foamcore sheets. I put the two sheets together with the print in the middle and use clear packing tape to tape all around the edges, plus a lap around the outside in each direction. I just write the address info directly on the foamcore with a sharpie.

I've used this for quite a few shows for several years and have not had a single instance of damage. (Fingers crossed)

[MikeR]

Pet peeve: prints ROLLED into a shipping tube.

[David Dyer-Bennet]

The obvious way to ship medium to large prints is rolled in a tube (or at least in triangle boxes, still rolled). From your writing and Ctein's (and practice, in both cases) about shipping prints, avoiding tubes pretty assiduously, I assume there are some fairly serious drawbacks? (At some point, for operations below museum scale prints just get too big to consider shipping flat, though, don't they?)

I know about the print acquiring a semi-permanent curvature. I can also imagine careless rolling scuffing the surface. Are those the main problems, are they bigger than I think? Or, as usual—what am I missing?

[Jim Arthur]

If you’re just mailing to friends and family a good source of free corrugated cardboard is your local warehouse liquor store. The boxes have been used once so they are clean and you can typically find them stacked near the register. There is a never ending supply and the boxes should work fine for prints up to 8x12.

I’ve been using these boxes to deliver treats to my Dad who is under quarantine in an assisted living facility. I collect the boxes and treats and then let them sit for a few days before making a delivery. Everyone can use a little chocolate in times like these.

[Steven Ralser]

I've been shipping my prints with 3 sheets of cardboad (plus print backing board), making sure one set of corrugations go at 90° to the others.

When I tried shipping large prints rolled in standard shipping tubes, I usually ended up with trouble. While walking the dogs one night I found a 5" diameter tube with a thick cardboard wall (ca. 1/4") in someones recycling bin. I found this, cut u, was much better shipping prints (almost indestructible). These tubes are what carpet is rolled on. I got the last tube I used from Home Depot (for free). You could also probably try carpet stores to get one.

[robert e]

I recall a nifty trick from Luminous Landscape (I believe) to ship a print in a flattish USPS Priority Mail box, but I can't find it now. The trick involved a corrugated cardboard sandwich like Mike describes, but cut so that it would only fit in the box diagonally; add filler to keep the sandwich from rattling around or wanting to sag or fold.

Instead, I found this nice guide with recommendations for a variety of scenarios:

https://luminous-landscape.com/shipping/

[hugh crawford]

Checking the barn - Good old Fiberbilt
https://www.amazon.com/s?_encoding=UTF8&srs=3028293011
Great tripod cases too!

Most of my cases are made by goldberg brothers in Denver, but the demise of shipping prints to movie theaters seems to have lead to them dropping that line.
https://goldbergbrothers.com/movie-theater-products

[hugh crawford]

After thinking about it I remember that 40 years ago there used to be a storefront in lower Manhattan where you could go in and have them made to order. I had them make a case for my Hasselblad designed to look like plumbers tools.
It turns out those guys are still in business and will still make any case you can imagine.
https://www.fibrecase.com/aboutus.html
I think that fiberbilt was and or is the name that they wholesaled to retailers.

[Speed]

At Amazon.

"X-Port (33"x42"x3") Hard Sided Art Shipping & Carrying Case for Poster Boards, Art, Promotional and Display Materials, Advertising, Artwork Storage"

https://amzn.to/2zWpqdR

[Michael J. Perini]

Back in the Day, as they say, those cases were how a Photographer's Book was circulated to Art Directors. Sometime you carried it yourself, sometimes your 'Rep' would carry it, but often we'd get a call from an agency wanting to see our Book. This happened because Photographers also used to do mail promotions, often quarterly, where you would mail anything from a catchy Post card to a lavishly produced multi page fanfold or book filled with the kind of work you hoped to get.
If you walked into an AD's office and one of your promotions was on his bulletin board, it was a good sign.
Pre Internet , this is all we had.
You had to have multiple copies of your Book (Portfolio), and multiple cases. Then you had to chase them down when AD's 'forgot' to send them back.
The cases are made of a product called Vulcanized Fiberboard about 0.062" in thickness, and Stiff and strong as can be. They used to make Toolboxes out of it , and cases for things like Drums and Cymbals, Cinema tripod cases. The biggest producer used to be the Fiber case Company--I just looked, they are still in business, still on Broadway in NYC and have been doing it since 1894! https://fibrecase.com/shippingcases.html
Here is how it is made https://oliner.com/vulcanex-vulcanized-
fibre/how-vulcanex-is-made/
Sorry about this I got carried away ;-) Seeing the case with all the stickers brought back memories.

[K4kafka]

Used to ship 16mm film in those mailing cases.

[Malcolm Leader]

I often buy my prints through a NYC based service. They do a very good job on the prints and a pretty good job on packing. I usually request single weight mounting and they know how to do this well. Otherwise you get the print in a tube. However, in about 1 out of 10 flat shipments, the box looks like it was run over once or twice. This is only a problem when I'm not home. The printer has always replaced the damaged prints with minimal hassle. BTW, when I do ship prints I protect them then mount them between two "masonite" type boards. Cheap enough.

[Lawrence Plummer]

All the years that I was a member of the Friends of Photography, I subscribed at a level that returned me a photograph from some amazing photographers each year. In every case, the photograph was sent to me sandwiched between two sheets of Masonite. Never had a problem with delivery!

[John London]

So there, you have been told!

[Luke]

Alternating the direction of the corrugations of the layers (i.e., turn 90°) makes the pack much stronger. Gluing them also makes it even stronger. The resulting pack is still the same size and weight.

[Bruce Appelbaum]

I suggest that the individual corrugated sheets in each stack be alternated in the direction of the corrugations. That will provide more structural stability. --- Engineer Bruce

[Dave Stewart]

Perhaps I've been lurking around here too long, in that, I recall that sopping wet tube:
https://theonlinephotographer.typepad.com/the_online_photographer/2012/03/another-print-review.html

[Hugh Conacher]

Thoughts about shipping larger inkjet prints? For example, 24x36?
I've been rolling them into a tube with a protective sheet on the print side. It always makes me nervous, though!

Cheers,
Hugh

[I think then you are pretty much stuck with tubes. All you can do it try to find tubes with a generous diameter that are sturdily made. I'm received many tubes over the years that are stoven in as they are just not strong enough. --Mike]

[Michael Ryan]

Wow! I haven’t seen that case for along time. I used to have one about 20 years ago full of prints. They made all kinds of cases for film, prints etc. I think there were called Zone VI.

[hugh crawford]

In response to that other hugh:
I used to do all my prints between 40x40 and 50x50 (I got a great deal on 50” wide rolls of portriga rapid) and the way I shipped and stored them was in 5” PVC drain pipe with pipe caps at each end.

Some examples here http://hughcrawford.com/bgotw/

I threw a test package out a second floor window and it was undamaged. Waterproof too if you use waterproof tape.