What H&H Color Lab does

H&H Color Lab is a U.S. B2B wholesale professional photography lab founded in the 1970s and headquartered in Raytown, Missouri (Kansas City metro). The company produces prints, wall art, albums, books, cards, and specialty photographic products for professional photographers serving portrait/wedding, school picture day, and youth sports markets. Its operations combine large-format digital printing, finishing, and finishing services (including green/gray/blue screen knockout/extraction) with national shipping logistics to volume photographers across the United States.

The technology stack is anchored by a portfolio of proprietary software platforms purpose-built for each vertical: hhstudio for portrait/wedding ordering, hhschools for school picture day operations, hhsports for team and individual sports jobs, Velocity for album design, N-Vu and imago for end-customer online proofing and In-Person Sales, hhroes as a free desktop ordering client, and hhimagehost for parent-facing school/sports sales. The company also operates an education and content layer (Schools + Sports Bootcamp, Blank Canvas and Hot Takes podcasts, training.hhcolorlab.com) and an ambassador network including Sal Cincotta, Vanessa Joy, and Chris Fritchie.

Revenue is generated primarily on a transaction basis from product manufacturing (prints, albums, cards, specialty items), supplemented by professional services (design, retouching, knockout/extraction) and select software/ecosystem components. Distribution is direct-to-photographer through software ordering channels, a web portal, and industry trade show presence (SYNC, Imaging USA, PPA, Shutterfest, SPAC). A 2024 production facility expansion signals continued investment in capacity to serve a growing customer base.

Name

H&H Color Lab

Legal name

H&H Color Lab

Website

https://hhcolorlab.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

1975

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

251–500 employees

Short description

H&H Color Lab is a U.S. B2B wholesale professional photography lab producing prints, albums, wall art, cards, and specialty products for portrait/wedding, school, and sports photographers via proprietary ordering software, knockout services, and national shipping from Raytown, Missouri.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Headquarters

HQ city

Missouri City

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2B

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Operations, Personnel, Supply Chain, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure

Revenue model

1. Photographic Printing Services: Core revenue stream from printing photographs on various media including photographic paper (lustre, pearl, deep matte), metal prints, canvas wraps, acrylic prints, fine art prints, and specialty prints. Products are offered in various sizes with finishing options.
2. Albums and Books: Sale of wedding albums, guest books, photographic books, press books, and specialty album collections including Salvatore Cincotta Collection. Products range from economy to luxury offerings with various cover materials and customizations.
3. Cards and Stationery: Production and sale of announcement cards, business cards, foil pressed cards, folded cards, and holiday cards in various formats and quantities.
4. Specialty Products:
5. Software Licensing: Distribution of proprietary ordering software (hhstudio, hhschools, hhsports, Velocity, hhroes) to photographers. While hhroes is free, other platforms may have licensing components that support the business model.
6. School/Sports Photography Products: Complete product catalog for volume photographers including composites, ID cards, yearbooks, bag tags, memory mates, sports packages, and promotional materials
7. Design Services: Album design, card design, custom design, and retouching services for photographers who need assistance with product preparation

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion3 records

Distribution channels8 records

Marketing channels10 records

Core offering

H&H Color Lab is a B2B wholesale professional photography lab that produces and ships photographic prints, albums, framed wall art, metal prints, cards, and specialty photo products for professional portrait, wedding, school, and sports photographers. The company also distributes proprietary software (hhstudio, hhschools, hhsports, Velocity, hhroes, N-Vu, imago, hhimagehost) for order management, online proofing, and end-customer e-commerce, and provides lab services such as background knockout extraction and design/retouching.

Product overview

H&H Color Lab is a B2B professional photography lab serving professional photographers in portrait/wedding and volume school/sports markets. Their product portfolio includes physical photographic products (prints, wall art, albums, cards, specialty items, proof products) and proprietary software platforms (hhschools for volume school/sports operations, hhsports for sports ordering, hhstudio for portrait/wedding ordering, Velocity for album design, N-Vu for online sales, imago for e-commerce, and hhroes for desktop ordering). The company also provides professional services including knockout/extraction services, design and retouching, and specialized school and sports photography programs with composites, portrait programs, and marketing tools.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Total Schools Program: Volume school photography program providing products and workflows for school photographers
• Total Sports Program
• imago
• hhimagehost
• N-Vu
• hhschools
• hhsports
• hhstudio
• Velocity
• hhroes
• Salvatore Cincotta Collection
• Blank Canvas
• Hot Takes
• Edge Collection
• Aura Albums

Products and services

• hhstudio Desktop and web-based ordering software that lets portrait and wedding photographers order prints, framing, albums, books, cards, metals, and specialty products through H&H.
• hhschools Software platform for volume school picture day and school sports/events operations, supporting competitive ordering, image management, and workflow automation.
• hhsports Specialized ordering program for sports photographers covering team and individual sports jobs, designed for fast, easy learning and rapid package order input.
• Velocity Album and book design software that helps photographers design and order albums and books in minutes, then upload orders directly to H&H for production.
• N-Vu Online sales solution for portrait photographers that delivers professional proofing galleries, mobile apps, and In-Person Sales (IPS) tools including Dual-Vu dual-display presentation.
• imago E-commerce solution built specifically for volume school and sports photographers, providing online proofing and print ordering with integrated marketing automation for picture-day campaigns.
• hhroes Free desktop ordering application that lets photographers build and submit print and product orders to H&H directly from a computer.
• Photographic Prints & Finishing Professional photographic prints offered on Lustre, Deep Matte, and Pearl paper with coating, texture, mounting, two-sided options, studio logo overlay, and wallet personalization.
• Metal Prints Metal prints available in flat, circle, curved, and designer formats with stand-up display bases.
• Fine Art Prints Fine art prints including paper prints, canvas prints, and torn edge prints on 285 GSM cotton etching paper for weddings, seniors, children, and portraits.
• Edge Collection (Edge Float Blocks, Edge Infinity Blocks, Edge Prints) H&H signature product line featuring Edge Float Blocks, Edge Infinity Blocks, Edge Art Prints, and Edge Print Boxes with unique slim profile panel designs wrapped in textile materials.
• Gallery Wraps Canvas gallery wraps on stretcher frame or block, including single wraps and grouped arrangements such as cluster, mosaic, and split wraps.
• Albums & Books (Salvatore Cincotta, Gallery, Aura, Economy, Leather Wrap, Photographic Books, Press Books, Guest Books) Albums and books including the Salvatore Cincotta Collection, Gallery Album Collection, Aura Albums, Economy Albums, Guest Books, Leather Wrap Albums, Photographic Books, Press Books, and companion mini books.
• Framed Wall Art (Photographic, Fine Art, Metal, Canvas Wraps) Framed photographic prints, fine art prints, metal prints, and canvas gallery wraps in the Designer, Prestige, Classic Modern, Monogram, and Trio frame collections.
• Cards (2-Sided, Accordion, Foil Pressed, Folded, Mini, Studio Designed, Press, Business, Gift, Slimline, Side-Show, Tri-Fold, Wide Wallets) Professional card products including 2-Sided Cards, Accordion Cards, Foil Pressed Cards, Folded Cards, Mini Cards, Studio Designed Cards, Press Cards, Business Cards, Gift Cards, Slimline Cards, Side-Show Cards, Tri-Fold Cards, and Wide Wallets.
• Proof Products (Proof Prints, Proof Magazines, Press Proof Magazines) Proof prints, photographic proof magazines, and press proof magazines for client presentation and sales, available in multiple sizes and binding options with 1-day service time and free shipping.
• Knockout Services (Green, Gray, Blue Screen, Masters Extraction) Professional background removal services for school and sports photography using green screen, gray screen, blue screen, and Masters Extraction techniques.
• Design & Retouching Services Professional album design, card design, and custom design services, plus retouching and art services for photographic images.
• Specialty Products (Ornaments, Magnets, Key Chains, Mugs, Phone Grips, Dog Tags, License Plates, Coasters, Blankets, Tote Bags, USB Drives) Custom specialty photo products including ornaments, magnets, key chains, mugs, phone grips, dog tags, license plates, coasters, blankets, tote bags, and USB drives featuring photographic images.
• Schools Program (Total Schools Program) Complete school photography program with administrative products (ID cards, yearbooks, certificates), composites, knockout services, portrait programs, and sales tools for school picture day.
• Sports Program (Total Sports Program) Complete sports photography program with knockout services, composite options, specialty products, and workflow solutions for team and individual sports photography businesses.

Quantifiable outcome

• Customer reduced daily customer service calls from 15 to 2 during peak season using automated email marketing through H&H Image Host platform
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers12 records

Segments4 records

Ideal customer profiles3 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature10 records

Partnerships

Eight partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Salvatore Cincotta CollectioncoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerExclusive album collection designed by renowned wedding photographer Salvatore Cincotta. The collection features high-quality albums available in various cover styles including metal inlays and presentation boxes. Available through Velocity software and H&H ordering platforms. Collection includes specialty options like dimensional ink and custom configurations.
• imagocoreTechnology or IntegrationE-commerce platform built specifically for volume photographers by H&H Color Lab. Provides online proofing and print ordering with integrated marketing automation for school and sports picture day campaigns. Includes automated marketing campaign tools and parent communication features.
• N-VucoreTechnology or IntegrationOnline sales solution for portrait photographers with professional proofing galleries, mobile apps, and In-Person Sales (IPS) tools. Features Dual-Vu for dual-display presentation and remote sales capabilities. Helps photographers sell beyond digital files.
• Vanessa JoyminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerInternationally acclaimed wedding photographer who creates educational content for H&H including Instagram crash courses, flat lay tutorials, ceremony photography guides, and cocktail experience photography training. Featured in H&H's Blank Canvas podcast and education platforms.
• Meredith RyncarzminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIPS wedding photographer from Savannah, GA who partners with H&H to provide education on In-Person Sales for wedding photographers. Co-hosts workshops and provides guidance on wedding photography business growth.
• Chris FritchieminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFine art portrait photographer who created the 5-month mentorship program 'Making the Master' offered through H&H education platform. Program includes live group sessions, 1-on-1 coaching, and competition-ready portrait training.
• PPA (Professional Photographers of America)minorStrategic or Co-development PartnerIndustry association partnership providing PPA documentation resources for competition prints including The 12 Elements of a Merit Image and judging/critique information. H&H references PPA standards in competition print guidance.
• Printing Industries of AmericaminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerNonprofit trade association that advocates for the printing industry. H&H participates in PIA awards programs including Mid-America Graphex Excellence Awards where multiple H&H products have won recognition.

Scale indicators4 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights4 records

Direct peers

• White House Custom Colour (WHCC): Professional photo lab offering prints, albums, and photo products to professional photographers with online ordering software. Directly comparable B2B wholesale model with overlapping wedding/portrait customer base.
• Nations Photo Lab: U.S.-based wholesale and consumer photo printing lab offering professional-grade prints, albums, and gifts. Comparable in product breadth and shipping-based distribution to professional photographers.
• Mpix: Professional-grade photo printing service (sister brand to Nations Photo Lab) targeting photographers with online ordering and print products. Comparable product line and e-commerce-led ordering model.
• Bay Photo Lab: Long-standing U.S. wholesale professional photo lab serving portrait, wedding, and school photographers with prints, albums, wall art, and proprietary ordering software. Closest direct comparable in product breadth, B2B model, and software-plus-print ecosystem.
• AdoramaPix: Wholesale and consumer photo printing service with prints, albums, and photo books for professional photographers. Overlaps in B2B print fulfillment and online ordering workflows.
• Miller's Professional Imaging: Major U.S. wholesale photo lab specializing in school and sports volume photography — directly overlapping H&H's Total Schools and Total Sports programs in customer segment and product mix.
• ProDPI: Professional photo lab serving portrait, wedding, and event photographers with prints, albums, and online ordering tools. Comparable B2B wholesale lab with overlapping software-driven ordering experience.

Emerging players

• GotPhoto: Workflow and e-commerce platform purpose-built for school and volume photographers — already listed as a H&H integration partner. Comparable in school/sports segment focus, though positioned more as software than lab.

Broad incumbents

• Shutterfly: Large-scale consumer photo products platform with overlapping print, album, and card categories. Broader incumbent with consumer-direct focus rather than the professional/wholesale model that defines H&H.
• SmugMug: Photography platform offering portfolio hosting, print fulfillment, and e-commerce tools to professional photographers. Comparable in serving professional photographers with software-plus-print offering, though at broader scale.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat6 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Xx.com/hhcolorlab
• YouTubeyoutube.com/channel/UCdJ6LQGTiMuQMCSpxJMUocg
• Facebookfacebook.com/hhcolorlab
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/hh-color-lab

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about H&H Color Lab