portfolio help

mentos_007 · Apr 25, 2005

I'm building my portfolio finally. Well it is not an online gallery... just a "book" - prints and some info about me... So I need everything you know about building such a portfolio

what to include, how to organise it, how many shots should be there and so on

mentos_007 · Apr 27, 2005

ok no one? ok... I'll do it alone! And it would be perfect

you'll see

KevinR · Apr 27, 2005

It really depends on where you are showing it. For mine, I mounted and matted 8x10s at 11x14. I use a portfolio box for display. 15 is usually a good number to start with. Some people i.e. galleries want to see more, so you need to be prepared for that. Be brutally honest when editing down the shots you want to include.

SLOShooter · Apr 27, 2005

Put your 2nd best peice first and your best piece last. Use like 10-15 images.

mentos_007 · Apr 27, 2005

hmm thanks... now I can't decide what to include :|

Artemis · Apr 27, 2005

SLOShooter said:
Put your 2nd best peice first and your best piece last. Use like 10-15 images.

Sound advice, and make sure to print them A4 size, and not simple 6x4....

Also make it for the market your aiming at...

Christie Photo · Apr 28, 2005

KevinR said:
It really depends on where you are showing it.

Good thought! If you're showing to potential clients, I would suggest you show work from previous jobs... actual "real world" work.

Good luck!

-Pete

SLOShooter · Apr 28, 2005

Definatly tune it to what your going for. Like you don't want to include portraits if your going for a product shoot.

mentos_007 · Apr 28, 2005

thanks for the advice!!! I'll definitely inform you if somebody wants me as a photographer

Rob · Apr 30, 2005

If it's a generic portfolio - coffee table type thing to show some people, then I've seen some which have one of everything. It can work really well, or it can look like a disorganised mess!

It's probably easier for you to choose your single "best" portrait, architectural, abstract, beautiful, action shot etc. if you have an eclectic collection of images taken over several years. Getting some kind of congruity to the images is difficult though if they are all different, so you'll need a theme with the mount or composition or something.

Rob

PreludeX · Apr 30, 2005

like stated you should build your portfolio in categories such as, architecture, studio product, corporate/industrial, portraiture, fashion, and sports... then when showing them you have a wide range of photographs so your client or potential client can see what your capable of in different terms.... make a final portfolio with 3-5 of your best shots from each section....this is the way we are taught how to build our portfolio

photong · May 1, 2005

i heard 10-12 is good. mine has 13...lol i dont think there's a standard number
mine is more so a commercial portfolio (I have food, architechture, industrial, and products, still life), with a couple portraits because it shows i can do people/models because products/services can include people. plus, a lot of photographers have to do portraits as well because they also pay the bills.

i also made a CD portfolio using flash. which was A LOT of work. this is for the people i cant go to see in person.

i made a cd lables and jewl case lables. very simple looking, all clear case, had a nice effect. kinda cool. i also have minicds (business card sized so itll fit in a wallet or business car book)

I also have regular business cards and a resume (with the equipment I can use and own, awards, workshops, courses etc) that all gets attached together just incase

the CD autoruns an html file with links to either a flash player portfolio, or an html portfolio (all located on cd) incase they cant see the flash portfolio. and of course the autorun just works on windows :/ i dont have a program that does it for both. i read it'd be called a hybrid cd. *shrugs* I dont know anyone with a Mac computer to test this on either

someone way back said to put a good picture first and your best second (or last? i forget which). i put a colouful fun picture first, my best one second, and an awesome grand finaly (sp?) for the end that is one of my best photos.

i kept mine in categories as well.

this summer id like to add sports. baseball and maybe hockey or something sweet like ballet.

i may even try concert or a band (a friend of mine is in one).

goodluck!!!