Summary:
Photographers can use custom photography calendars to sell more prints through direct sales and by using them as themed portfolios for advertising. For best results, set any design files to 300 DPI and use CMYK color profiles in Photoshop, InDesign, or Illustrator. Bleed should be set to 0.125″ and paired with a 0.25″ safe zone (0.375–0.5″ on the binding side). Working in Canva makes it easier to develop calendars that look and feel professional after printing.
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Custom photo calendars are one of the best options for photographers who want to add another stream of income and advertise their work at the same time. You can sell them alongside your existing packages and prints, set them up for sale in an online store, and ship them out at scale very easily.
Think of a well-designed calendar as a mini-portfolio of your work that just happens to also be highly functional and useful at the same time. People are more likely to see them and interact with them repeatedly over time because of the value they add to their daily lives.
In this guide, we’ll share how photographers can use custom calendars to grow their business. You’ll also learn to set up your design files and pick the best paper so you get a professional result on every run.
Why Calendars are So Effective for Photographers
Framed prints are expensive to produce. You’re normally looking at anywhere from around $40 to $300 or more per print, depending on size and material selection (metal, wood, glass, etc.). That’s a significant amount of money to invest in a product that doesn’t always translate to increased sales.
Calendars come in at a much more reasonable price point and cost little to ship by comparison. They’re a low-cost, high-impact way to monetize your work and raise awareness about your brand.
Unlike traditional advertising, the total risk to your bottom line stays pretty low when you work with a company like Little Rock. Runs can be as small or large as you need them to be, and you can scale up or down as demand changes over time.
The Best Time to Order (And How Many to Buy)
If you’re offering your calendars to clients as part of a package, you may find it easier to order small batches based on client needs once the photos are finalized. In all other scenarios, the volume of the run will directly depend on the use case and your overall goals.
We put the chart below together to show you how other artists market their calendars and when to start any campaigns. You’ll find a rough estimate of each run size in the last column.
ProTip: Your reach and audience also matter. If you’re a small-town photographer who’s just starting out, you’ll likely need fewer calendars than someone who’s already well-established in a big city.
| Use Case | Who to Target | Important Dates | Typical Order Size |
| School Fundraisers | PTAs, sports teams, bands, art clubs | Sept–Oct (Christmas sales), Feb–Mar (next year planning) | 100–500 copies |
| Corporate Giveaways | Real estate agents, law firms, medical practices | Nov–Dec (holiday gifts), Jan (new year branding) | 10–250 copies |
| Bonus with Sessions | Families with children, pet parents grandparents | Sept–Oct (Christmas orders), Nov deadline | 1–10 copies |
| Wedding/Event Photography | Couples, event planners, venues | Year-round (wedding gifts), peak Oct–Jan | 25–50 copies |
| Pet Calendar Fundraisers | Animal shelters, rescue organizations | Aug–Sept (contest), Oct–Nov (sales) | 50–100+ copies |
| Charity/Nonprofit Fundraisers | Hospices, community groups, causes | Sept–Oct (holiday sales), year-round | 50–100+ copies |
| Local Business Promotions | Restaurants, shops, service providers | Nov–Dec (customer appreciation) | 50–100+ copies |
| Sports Team Calendars | Youth sports, high school teams | End of season, preseason planning | 50–100+ copies |
| Themed Collections | Nature, travel, fine art photographers | Sept–Nov (gift season), year-round online | 50–100+ copies |
| Studio Branding | Portrait or wedding studios | Expos, bridal fairs, open houses | 50–100+ copies |
| Gifts for Loyal Clients | Returning or VIP clients | Nov–Dec (thank-yous), Jan (new year touchpoint) | 25–50 copies |
| Tourism & Landmarks | Visitor centers, museums, travel photographers | Spring–summer tourist season, Nov–Dec (gift shops) | 50–100+ copies |
File Setup Tips for Custom Photography Calendars
1. Use 300 DPI Resolution Files
Your calendar files should be set to a minimum of 300 DPI (dots per inch) before you submit them for printing. This is the industry standard threshold for preserving detail in photographs.
One of the most common mistakes people make is to save their own images directly from a social media site, like Facebook or Instagram, instead of pulling them from their own library. Platforms like these reduce the quality behind the scenes for better performance on the web.
Pro Tip: Start with your original camera RAW files for best results. Trying to scale up a .JPG or .PNG original resolution forces your software to add in new pixels that won’t have the same level of detail.
Learn how to create high-quality print files.
2. Set Your File to CMYK Colour Mode
Always design in CMYK (Cyan, Magenta, Yellow, Black), not RGB. CMYK is the colour mode used by printers. RGB (Red, Green, Blue) is designed for screens (which emit light), rather than printed materials (which absorb light instead).
Some people prefer to work in RGB and convert to CMYK at the end. This isn’t recommended because the colors in your final print won’t always print accurately and may appear dull or washed-out.
How to Do It
- In Adobe Illustrator, InDesign, or Photoshop, set your file to CMYK before starting your design.
- In Photoshop, go to Image → Mode → CMYK Color
3. Add Bleed, Trim & Safe Zones
“Bleed” refers to the portion of your design that extends past the edge of the page. It helps ensure there are no white edges left behind after the cutting process.
“Trim” is the area of the design where the cutter slices into the paper. It’s usually very precise, but safe zones and bleed provide protection from tiny variations.
“Safe zones” are the area inside the trim. This is where all text, dates, captions, graphics and branding should live, with extra space along the binding to prevent it from cutting into or squishing the design.
Best Practices for Calendars:
- Add 0.125″ bleed on all sides
- Keep text and logos at least 0.25″ inside from the trim edge
- Leave 0.375–0.5″ of safe space along the binding so the design doesn’t feel cramped.
Pro Tip: Don’t forget to factor in whether your photos extend off of the page along the binding side. Spiral or wire binding can cut into them or clip off important details if they’re cropped or placed wrong.
4. Outline Fonts and Save as PDF
All fonts should be either outlined or embedded into your printing file before you submit them to us for printing. If you skip this step and use a font we don’t already have, there’s a small chance our system might automatically replace it with a default option, like Arial or Courier.
How to Do It
- Illustrator: Select your text and choose Type → Create Outlines.
- InDesign: Go to Type → Create Outlines or export as Adobe PDF (Print) instead.
- Photoshop: Go to File → Save As or File → Export → Photoshop PDF. Choose High Quality Print to embed fonts, then save the .PSD separately with live text for future edits.
- Canva: Stick to Canva’s built-in fonts. They embed automatically.
Pro Tip: Add version details in the filename (e.g., wildlife_calendar_2025_11x8.5_v2.pdf) to keep track of different files so they’re easy to understand at a glance when it’s time to reorder.
Choosing the Best Paper for Photo Calendars
Paper is called “stock” in the printing world and comes in different weights (how thick or heavy it is) and finishes (what it looks and feels like). Your best bet is to aim for something sturdy enough to handle a year of page turns that still presents your photographs well on the page.
For calendars, you’ll need to select the type of paper for both the cover and inner pages. We have a few different options available here at Little Rock Printing.
Cover Stocks:
- 11PT Cover: Glossy, durable, and very suitable for vibrant photos.
- 13PT Uncoated Cover: Matte, heavier, and makes photos feel soft and natural.
- 8PT Cover: Glossy and lightweight. Inexpensive, but doesn’t feel as “premium.”
Inside Page Stocks:
- 70# Uncoated Text: Matte, lightweight, and ideal for B&W or soft color palettes
- 80# Text: Glossy and vibrant. Similar to the inner pages of a magazine.
- 100# Text: Thick and glossy. Feels like premium invitations, flyers, or signs.
- 100# Uncoated Text: Matte and smooth. Best for muted photos or fine-art.
- 8PT Cover: Glossy and flexible. Inexpensive compared to heavier stocks.
- 11PT Cover: Glossy and moderately heavy. Pair with an 11PT cover for best results.
- 13PT Uncoated Cover: Matte and very heavy. Pair with a 13PT cover for best results.
Pro Tip: Uncoated paper lacks a protective coating, making it more vulnerable to moisture, dirt, and smudges. For items that are handled frequently, it’s best to stick with coated instead.
Common Mistakes to Avoid:
- Accidentally sending an RGB file to the printer
- Inserting low-resolution versions of photos or designs
- Adding text or graphics that bleed over the edge of the binding
- Using rare or custom fonts without embedding them in the file
Learn More: Canva Template + Video Walkthrough
Ready to make your first photo calendar? We’ve made it easy for you by creating a series of free Canva templates to get you started. The bleed, margins, save zones, and monthly layouts are already in place, so all you need to do is edit in your photos and text.
Click a link to get started:
- 2026 CALENDAR TEMPLATE (Square)
- 2026 CALENDAR TEMPLATE (11×8.5″)
- 11×6″ DESKTOP CALENDARS
- 8×8″ DESKTOP CALENDARS
Watch our YouTube tutorial to get guidance on how to customize it so your calendar comes out looking professional and polished every single time.
ProTip: Can’t see the bleed lines or margins in Canva? Go to File → Show Print Bleed and File → Show Margins to make them visible.
Print Confidently with Little Rock
Custom photography calendars are a fun and effective way for photographers to advertise and expand their product line without a big upfront investment. Our Canva templates let both amateurs and seasoned experts alike create printed materials that display photos cleanly and clearly in the best possible light.
Get started now by uploading your design, or contact us and we’ll help you set up your first run. Little Rock Printing makes it easy to turn your photography into a product people can use and enjoy every day.
