Building a Portfolio
Thursday, May 12, 2011 at 8:45AM
Portfolios are one of the most controversial subjects among photographers. Disagreements persist over things like how many photos, black & white vs. color, orientation, combining different types of subjects, etc. Personally, I try to keep my portfolio as simple and as focused as I can.
The main thing I try to focus on is style. I have portraits that I think are beautiful, but maybe are not really the style I want to portray. I choose pictures that I want to represent me, my choice of style, and are the ones that speak with a distinguishable voice. It's important that people understand what they'd be getting.
When pulling together the photos to use, I like to see how the photos look in a particular order. It's easier to move certain shots around when they're printed than when they're being viewed on a monitor. So, I make prints on regular paper and tape them up on a wall. Unfortunately, most of my wall space is now filled, so I use closet doors. Approximately 3.5 X 5 is the size that fits best on the doors. The order of the photos depends on what works together and what doesn't. My thought process is basically to start strong, tell a story or two and end strong.
I shoot portraits, so all of my photos are of people. It wouldn't be a good idea to combine portraits with some of my landscapes or architectural photos, even if they're good. Multiple streams lack intensity. Portraits are what I focus on, so that's what I want people to see.
The number of photos that should be used is one of those often argued points. Some say 'as many as you can,' others say 'just a few'. Personally, I like between 20-30. That gives a good representation of what a photographer is capable of producing, and it's enough that the viewer can get a good sense of the style. The viewer shouldn't be overwhelmed with hundreds of pictures, but should get enough to know what the photographer is trying to say through portraiture.
There are many other things to take into account when building a portfolio. For more info, I can recommend these books:
Portfolios That Sell by Selina Oppenheim
The Perfect Portfolio by Henrietta Brackman