Getting Started [Part 2] Your Portfolio

Last week I mentioned the portfolio as a very important subject in the process of getting started. It is a compilation of your best works. It represents you and what you stand for as a photographer. It shows your abilities and interests.

As a freelance photographer your portfolio can be something like an application letter in picture form. With it a potential client can see if your abilities and style fit his needs or not. But even by putting your portfolio together you will also find out a lot about yourself. After you spent a lot of time photographing, the process of analyzing and structuring your work will help you find out which area of photography is your strongest. That will now also help you define the kind of clients you actually want to present to.

1.The Format.

Your portfolio can be hard copy or digital. Though prints are normally more impressive, a hard copy portfolio can be very expensive. If you present it to clients you definitely have to take it back. Also have your portfolio on CD to leave it behind. Just make sure your pictures on disk are Low Resolution pictures and marked with your name.

2.Theme your portfolio

A portfolio should have a flow and a good structure. Nothing is more annoying for a client than randomly chosen photographs which do not touch his area of interest. You could have themes like advertising, fashion, people, urban life, rural life, children and so on.

3.Do Not “save the best for last”!

Clients do not have too much time or patience to look at your portfolio form the beginning to the end. Make sure your best works are at the beginning of your portfolio.

4.Your portfolio is you.

Your portfolio reflects you. It grows, changes and gets better with time. Keep it flexible. So you can always exchange or add photographs. But don’t let it extend more than 20- 30 works.

As a professional photographer you never stop doing portfolio work. In fact, your portfolio work should cover 20-30 percent of your daily photography. Be creative, express yourself and take your time with it. (Client work some times does not allow any of these)

Tip: If you want to venture into fashion photography for instance, partner with models, designers and make up artists to do portfolio work. If you want to do pack shots or table tops, borrow brand new dishes, watches, shoes jewelry… and photograph them. To show appreciation, you can give the owner a print for free for his cooperation.

Portfolio work is definitely not fulfilling for the pocket, but definitely for the soul.

Na dann, gut Licht!

Your Yetunde