Portfolio Choice Problems & Solutions
Building an impressive portfolio is essential for successfully advancing your career in all forms of visual art, from photography to art to design. Whether you are applying for a school or looking for a job, showcasing your talents in a single collection involves some difficult choices that, in the end, will pay great dividends.
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Planning
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Before you begin selecting your images, consider your potential audience. You want to show off your abilities but with a certain degree of focus. For instance, if you are applying for a school, you'll probably want a collection of work that shows you are proficient with the medium but also think creatively. If you are a photographer looking to book weddings, you'll only want your best images of ceremonies and couples.
Selection
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Choosing your best work is essential to building a successful portfolio. After narrowing the focus of your portfolio, compile the possible images --- for an artist or designer, you will likely have to photograph your physical work --- and select only your best. Many portfolios suffer from having too many examples. A dozen incredible images has more impact than three dozen good photos. Think of assembling your portfolio as curating a collection for a museum. While your selections should have some variety in content, the quality should be consistent.
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Presentation
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The way you present your portfolio is often as important as the work it contains. The physical prints of your photos should be of the highest quality possible. Work closely with a photo lab to achieve the best results. These prints should then be assembled into a physical portfolio. Most art supply stores carry a variety of portfolios, but choose one that will present your work well, not one intended for storage.
Alternatively, consider creating a digitally printed book of your work. Several websites offer on-demand publishing, such as Blurb.com and Lulu.com, and larger photo labs offer similar services. If you need to send out your portfolio and may not have it returned, this may be a more cost-effective process than building a portfolio from photo prints.
Digital Portfolios
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In "Photojournalsim: The Professionals' Approach," Jim McNay advises checking with the people who will be viewing your portfolio on their preferred format. Many businesses may prefer a digital portfolio.
Many high-quality services, such as FolioLink.com and Indexhibit.org, offer easy-to-use templates to build an online portfolio. Blogging platforms like WordPress.com and Blogger.com can be repurposed to serve as portfolios.
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References
Resources
- Photo Credit photos image by danimages from Fotolia.com photos image by reynald lassire from Fotolia.com
