Advice

[tezza]

Hi guys,

I am a photography student taking photography as my A level. I am currently designing a web portfolio for my assignment. My plans are to have different categories i.e. landscape, pets, etc and then users can click on each one and get thumbnails of all the pictures.
I have also included a contact me page and a about me page.
My question is what else would you advise adding to the site, in order to help boost my grades.
Thanks in advance it is much appreciated.

Tezza

 

[Digital Matt]

...what else would you advise adding to the site, in order to help boost my grades.

Good photography

 

[mentos_007]

Matt gave you the best advice

 

[JDS]

hehe..yeah, good photos will certainly do the trick. Something your instructor might be impressed with is SimpleViewer.

 

[Digital Matt]

I would stay away from flash. Just something simple with good photographs.

 

[tezza]

Obviously that is a major benefit having good images. I mean the actual content and features. What would you recommend?

 

[Digital Matt]

What does your assignment call for?

 

[tezza]

There isnt a specific task sheet. We were just asked to create a portfolio for our work.
Hence the reason asking on here for ideas. I intend to have a homepage with samples on it in a scroll type affect. The you can click on the enter button to access the site.
On here there will be a page about me with a vide interview and a few details about me.
I will then have a page with the different themes of photography like landscape, etc, in which people can click on the section of choice and get to see thumbnails of all the various work to do with that theme. If they want an enlarged version they can click on the thumbnail and it will show along with a description of the photograph.
What else do you think could be added to make it unique? Thanks for all your comments so far they are all appreciated.

 

[Digital Matt]

Did your instructor ask you to make a web portfolio, or did they just say "portfolio"? I would be inclined to make a "real" portfolio, in a binder.

 

[EBphotography]

I agree with the above, if the instructor said "portfolio" she's prolly looking for a good old fashioned binder portfolio.

 

[tezza]

They asked for an E-Portfolio. Therefore it is bascially a website yet not being published on the Internet as of yet.
The idea is that I print off each page once I have completed the site and annotate each one.
I will also put the website onto a disc in which I can hand the examiner for them to look at on a computer.
Any ideas?

 

[tezza]

Anyone?

 

[Digital Matt]

Look around at other professional photogs websites. Copy a style.

Blackbook.com has plenty of links to great websites.

 

[W.Smith]

The idea is that I print off each page once I have completed the site and annotate each one.

The print quality will be horrendous...

Want good quality prints? Then do an old-fashioned binder with the 300dpi photos, on quality glossy or matt paper, on the right side, and the title, related comments, and/or EXIF data on the left page.

If faced with the choice of judging your portfolio on-screen or in print, I'm betting your teacher will use the print version. Therefore it pays to make that printed portfolio top quality!

BTW: besides a good selection of top-notch photos – 1 dozen, minimum, 2 dozen maximum, imo – your contact info, and a succinct 'about you' (not more than 10 sentences, or half a page, max.) your portfolio need not contain anything. It would only distract from what's really important: the photos.