I have not had the need for a portfolio in awhile. But with my return to Motorsports Photography two years ago, I now feel the need to have some portfolio images ready to go. Also, I have an upcoming opportunity where I need to show my portfolio for a possible assignment. So it was time to get one together, luckily I had advance notice and the process was not rushed.
The following is what a portfolio means to means to me and some of the details that I looked at when preparing mine. Hopefully, this may help someone out but this is by no means a "How to Guide".
Things to consider:
- A portfolio should consist of your strongest work.
- A portfolio is only as good as it's weakest image.
- If there was ever a time to be overly critical of your work, now is it.
- Make every picture you use unique.
- When done, have other photographers review your book.
Over the last few weeks I have chosen roughly 30 images that are portfolio worthy to me but I will never show all 30 at one time. What I do is pick a dozen or so images and arrange them in a portfolio, I will call this my "A" Portfolio. My "A" portfolio is specifically geared to the person viewing it. I then picked another 12 images and put them into a "B" portfolio. When visiting a client I will show them portfolio "A" and if they ask to see more pictures I will show them the "B" portfolio... only if they ask to see more photos though. My portfolio pictures are all printed out on 8x10 sheets and bound with removal pages to a nice thick leather cover. In getting ready for my meeting, I even shoe polished the leather and buffed it out so it was tacky/sticky when handled.
When the meeting is over I will leave behind a CD that has the same pictures and are arranged in the exact same order as my portfolio. That way the client can view my portfolio at their leisure. The CD is nothing fancy, I want the pictures to speak for themselves. I don't want anything special that can go wrong and keep a potential client from viewing them. No slide transitions, no music. Just a 'Plain Jane' click the NEXT button for the next image. The CD is guaranteed to work on Apple, Unix or PC workstations. I then put a custom label on the CD with my contact information. Also on the CD is a README.txt file with my contact information.
I also decided that I should leave behind a 'leave behind card' if that's what you call it? It's just my strongest image (the first image in my portfolio) with my contact information along the front bottom edge and then the card is printed as a 4x6 picture. I debated on putting the contact information on the back but it was brought to my attention that it would be better on the front. That way, if the card is pinned to a bulletin board, the contact info is right there. I really don't know if this is necessary or not or what the proper method is but it made a little sense to me so the info went on the front.
The last and third thing that I will leave behind is my business card. Pretty self explanatory and nothing special here.
Now for the follow up stuff that happens now.
Now after every assignment, I will select any new portfolio images from that shoot that I may be able to use and then replace any weaker images that are in my current selection of 30 images that I have. This helps me guarantee that my portfolio is current and it's a lot easier to pick one portfolio image than it is to go back through months of images to find thirty or even a dozen new ones.
Periodically, I will also send a follow up "leave behind card". Each card I send will have a different image on it, preferably from the portfolio that they saw. That way everything triggers a memory hopefully.
The other thing that kinds of works for me in a way is that my name is also my URL and my e-mail address. Basically I am bombarding them with my name. Hopefully this will stick with potential clients seeing the name over and over again. |
