The First San Francisco Photobook Fair Hits the City This Weekend

San Francisco already has an Art Book Fair and a Zine Fest — and now, it’s getting its first-ever book fair dedicated to the art of photography, on Oct. 18 and 19 at the Harvey Milk Photo Center.

The San Francisco Photobook Fair aims to be a showcase for photographers, authors, artists and independent publishers from across the Bay and around the world. It is intended to be an annual event moving forward.

Bay Area talent exhibiting this year includes Berkeley’s Deep Time Press, still life enthusiast Lisa Lu, and A Fearless Eye author Barbara Ramos.

Oakland photography publishing house TBW Books are participating in the fair because they’re “grateful for every opportunity to engage face-to-face with our Bay Area community and share the work of our artists.”

TBW director Claire Cichy tells KQED Arts via email that “in dark times like these, it’s more important than ever to connect in person with our peers, to celebrate work and ideas.”

Environmental photographer Jane Ivory says that she, too, is looking forward to the community-building aspect of the photobook fair.

“I want to get my message about climate change out there to more people,” she tells KQED via phone. “My books tend to focus on what’s going to happen on the coast of California [with] sea rise. What will be lost. It’s also an opportunity to network and see other artists that I know.”

All of Ivory’s books, Inundation/A Lament, Duress and Urban Anomalies, will be available for purchase at the fair.

Deep Time Press co-founders Leah Koransky and Justin James King say that their goal of participating in the fair is to introduce their artists to new audiences.

“We hope to connect with people who are curious about contemporary photography in book form — a format that’s often more approachable and affordable than collecting through traditional galleries,” they write via email. “We’re excited for the fair to bring together photographers, curators, designers, collectors, and artists, and to build upon San Francisco’s photographic legacy and connect its vibrant community of publishers.”

The San Francisco Photobook Fair was cofounded by the director of the Harvey Milk Photo Center Melissa Castro Keesor, photo center staff member Katherine Akey, and artist/publisher Luis Cobelo.

The San Francisco Photobook Fair gets underway at the Harvey Milk Photo Center (50 Scott St., San Francisco) on Oct. 18, 2025 (11 a.m.—5 p.m.) and Oct. 19, 2025 (10 a.m.—4 p.m.). Admission is free.