Portfolio book

[Corry]

Ok...I am wanting to put together a portfolio book. I've never actually looked at a photography portfolio other than online ones, so I'm not sure what the 'standards' are. Can anyone give me some ideas on a portfolio book? Where do you buy yours, and what size?

 

[Corry]

I'm looking at this one : http://www.dickblick.com/zz152/35/

What do y'all think?

 

[summers_enemy]

I've never actually seen one offline either, but that one looks quite nice. Just the kind I've been looking for. There's also some nice one's at Adorama. They have one that's a book with a small carrying handle made out of leather I believe, it's quite nice also

 

[Becky]

I've not seen any photography portfolios as such but I've seen some wonderful architecture ones of a building projects etc. For eg. one related to building in a woodland area used some very natural materials and even has twigs intertwined to bind the whole thing together, it was excellent, made by the student. Stuff like this stands out to me a lot more than a mass produced type folder.... maybe if your photos take on a certain style or subject you think about something that relates more to your photography personally. It can show you put a lot of thought not only into your photos but their presentation as well, ok twigs might not be quite right but I reckon theres something out there you could work with...!

But thats just me and I like being creative! Otherwise the folder looks a good quality!

 

[montresor]

The best portfolio I've ever seen, and I've only seen sections of it reproduced, is Robert Frank's 40 Fotos from 1946, which he assembled as the culminatory exercise of a class he was taking. Portfolio assembly is as much about careful editing from page to page as it is about showing your best stuff. Totally contrasted selections that nevertheless have multiple inner resonances among them. It's like an essay about you and what you can do. Frank printed it out as a little book (the kind with those plastic rings on the binding), with the photos carried straight through to the edges of the paper. A big project in his day, no doubt, but given today's desktop capabilities, much easier to accomplish now.

I guess it depends on what you want to do with your portfolio, but if I were creating one, I'd do it like RF did. Prints slipped behind plastic sounds much like what everyone else has, and I'd want to stand out in any way I could, given the mind-boggling competition out there.

 

[ksmattfish]

I guess it depends on what you want to do with your portfolio

I think this is the most important consideration.

I use the Itoya portfolios (like the one you linked to) for showing photos to wedding and portrait clients. Mostly 5x7 and 8x10/12 prints. They are definately not fancy, but durable, and protect the photos when being carried around, set on tables with drink rings, etc... I like to use a bigger page size than the photo, so that there is some border around the image(s).

I also have big portfolio that is basically just a case with a handle. I carry matted large prints in that. The prints are wrapped in mylar for protection, but I can pull them out and set them up salon style for viewing. In my opinion this is the very best way to show photographs, but it isn't always as practical as albums with lots of pics.

 

[KevinR]

I use a portfolio box from Light Impressions and matte and mount my photos for presentation.

 

[Corry]

Thanks guys. For now I am only looking to put one together for my portraiture, to show potential clients. I'd been wanting to put one together anyway, and the other day I actually had someone ask to see it. She's a co-worker, and there is no hurry, but I'd like to get it done as soon as possible.

So you think the one I linked to is sufficient for that purpose?

 

[Karalee]

I have an itoya 11x14 book I use when talking to people about event work. Check ebay, I bought mine there, you can get pretty good deals.

 

[Corry]

Thanks Kara.

 

[Corry]

Ok, bumping this because I have some more questions. I still haven't purchased a portfolio book, but plan to buy the one I linked to above...I just haven't decided if I should get the 8 1/2 x11 or the 11x14. Should all the prints in my book be the same size? Do I matte the photos before putting them in the book (therefore, I would need the 11x14)...or is it not common practice to matte them? Would it still look nice if I had different sizes? Um...I have more questions, but the delivery guy is here...I'll post more in a few.

 

[Corry]

Anyway...back to the 'would it look nice still if they were different sizes' question...say some of my stuff was 8x10,...with a 5x7 stuck here and there...maybe an 8x12 or an 11x14...or is it best to keep them all the same size?

Thanks in advance !

 

[Canon Fan]

I went through this same thing a couple of months ago. I ended up with an 11x14 scrapbook from a local arts&crafts store for about $14. It has replaceable pages (or you can add more to it) and has a nice leahter like cover. Not very fancy at all but does good and it is durable and cheap to replace if I ever need to. Everyone I have shown it to thinks its real and liked it.

I have differnt sized photo's in there but all are as close to 8x10 as I could get. Whether it is horizontal or vertical I usually make sure it meets the same 8" width on every page. Placement of the different sizes in relation to which pictures are before and after it seems to make it less or more distracting.

 

[Corry]

Thanks Canon Fan...any other input anyone?

 

[warped_baller]

I actually saw one in my local photo store one day that looks like that but cheaper and almost picked it up. I don't know the brand sorry. For your size question its really up to you depending on the size of your prints. I will be buying the 8x10 because its practical for me because i don't pring 11x14 to show people you know? You don't normally matt them i beilieve if their in the plastic sleeves. It would look nice if you had 5x7's to matte them on the same 8x10 to give a proffesional look and so they don't slide around.

The best way to build a portfolio that I know of if you want to look proffesional is have the theme the same for each book. If a client is looking for you to take a portriat they don't want to see flowers and other stuff. They want to see portraits! So basically if your going to make money of this and make it look proffesional don't mix it up keep it seperated. If its just to show family and friends go ahead and mix it up.

I suggest the book 2005 Photographers Market.
[ame]http://www.amazon.com/exec/obidos/tg/detail/-/158297277X/qid=1126745202/sr=8-1/ref=sr_8_1/104-9179462-1499110?v=glance&n=507846[/ame]

Its a great book. It talks about how to build a portfolio and it has a HUGE index of companys that want to buy your photos/services. Its a great book i highly recomend it.