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11/02/2005 10:40:02 PM · #1 |
What would you pick to be in your portfolio? and this probably depends on what job you would be applying for - ex. shoot models for a well known magazine, work for a certain magazine (national geographic?), become a wedding photographer with an already established group, shoot architecture, be a commercial shooter, get part-time - full time - or internship work at a newspaper (As I'm applying for).
As I've been working on my internship information these past few weeks (and I've already done it before)... I've continually had to remind myself that I'm applying for newspaper (photojournalism) work... and that influenced what I chose to put in my portfolio quite a bit... for instance it's very doubtful that I would put a still life shot in, unless I was applying to a newspaper well known for say it's food section maybe. Finally I came up with my selection. I'm curious in seeing other's selections as well! I don't just want to see - what I'd put in my photography portfolio in general... but what might go in if you were going for something specific... :-) Here is the link to my webpage but I also have them on DPC...
First of all... this is the cover of my cd...
almost all of the places I am applying for ask for CDs not actual prints...
and here are the twelve images, in the order I have them...
  
  
  
  
So let me know what you guys would do... even if you aren't really applying... it'd be interesting to see!! (best suggestion is around 10 - 20 images)
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11/02/2005 11:25:26 PM · #2 |
you're right, a lot of it depends on where you're applying. one thing is constant: most photo directors are looking for images that write their own captions. there is a lot of emphasis on visual story-telling, where the photo is the hook to get the story read, as opposed to the headline. also, depending on the size of the operation, the more you bring to the table in terms of post-processing skills, the better; along those lines, if you have examples of layout/design, include them as well. another thing: if you have been published, you might consider scanning your tearsheets and putting them in a separate folder.
you might consider organizing your cd into topics, and then including a handful of shots for each topic. that way, you aren't stuck leaving out the 'still shots' when you just might need them.
good luck!
btw, you might also consider a more dynamic cover. this might be too much, but it might give you an idea...
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11/02/2005 11:48:58 PM · #3 |
Hey Skiprow... what would you put in yours? That's what I'm asking I guess.. and where would you apply? Thanks for the info... I've actually attended a lot of sportsshooter conferences and other conferences, and my portfolio is VERY photojournalism centered for the places I'm applying. Often they have specifics of what they want - which mine do. Basically they want the photos... if a place wants more, I'm totally willing to do that as well, but it's actually been pointed out that by having a lot of folders on a cd it can get messy when you personally are not turning it in. A lot of editors get 100 - 200 replies for the internships that I'm applying for so they really want the basics.
I do love your cover though... that's pretty cool. I just wanted something a little different so my cd would stand out among others... nothing too elaborate.
-Talya
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11/03/2005 12:04:36 AM · #4 |
i'd definitely consider skiprow's approach for the cd cover.
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11/03/2005 12:08:37 AM · #5 |
A lot depends on where you live or want to. Here in my area (western PA) you have local weekly rags. I worked for one for a while years ago - you do it all - photos, writing, reporting. Small town stuff, nothing earth shattering. I covered mostly the HS football games. Pay...yeah, right. You get experience though.
THe next step is a daily paper. We have one in Pittsburgh and one that has a Pittsburgh edition. I live NW of the city and here we have a daily county wide paper. I don;t subscribe at the moment, but the images are nothing exciting or creative, except maybe the Sunday magazine section. I think our paper has 6 or so photogs on staff. One had a photo in Newsweek this past summer as part of story on schools. I bet he was excited!
The city has two 'underground' papers, well that's what they were called in my day. Both are free and muchmore dynamic and creative, covering mostly the music, club and entertainment scene.
So, having shot on my college paper back in the day, and knowing the market, what would i submit?
-Local politicians at work (speaking, monthly meeting, etc). You need to show you have access, guts and can identify the newsworthy folks. Environmental portraits - business man in front of their business, preacher at his church, etc. Some accident or fire shots of some kind. Some interesting human interst shots of fairs, markets, regattas, parades, that type of thing. Sports - local HS football is big here. Perhaps if you have a college in your town. Other sports too. Color shots,and if you have an eye for b&w show it as many images i the papers are sitll b&w.
You want to show shots that if they sent you out to cover the council meeting, you'll bring back dynamic shots that represent the meeting, or the paper's point of view (if they think the mayor is a big mouth, or lazy, etc get a shot of him yelling or sleeping). Artistic shots of a water glass with the mayor's relection is not what they want to see.
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11/03/2005 12:12:12 AM · #6 |
OK...
I guess what I was trying to get at here is... Post a portfolio you might consider sending in for a job. And what kind of job would you apply for? I posted mine as an example of something someone might send in for photojournalism. I'd just like to see what others would put in their portfolios (I guess I'd like to see people put together a mock or real portfolio for something specific)...
Does that make more sense?
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11/03/2005 12:15:34 AM · #7 |
Well since I'm starting an animal/children photo studio I think this would be the cover of my portfolio right now:
But that may/will change as I take more pictures of different subjects. Oh wait, I need to redo that, there are no dogs or cats on that, LOL! :)
Deannda |
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11/03/2005 12:20:35 AM · #8 |
I need to do that....my website is sorely lacking in shots, but I did put a variety up there. I just need more to choose from.
So you mean something like this...
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11/03/2005 12:28:53 AM · #9 |
Okay, another version, with kids, dog, cat, other animals! :)
I just might use this for real!
Deannda |
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11/03/2005 05:41:41 AM · #10 |
Originally posted by RiderGal:
Hey Skiprow... what would you put in yours? That's what I'm asking I guess.. and where would you apply? [...snip...] I do love your cover though... that's pretty cool. I just wanted something a little different so my cd would stand out among others... nothing too elaborate. |
heyah, talya!
i think customizing a portfolio depends on whether you are answering ads, or if you want to freelance your way into a full-time job.
here's the simple recipe for the freelance route:
1. make a list of geographic areas you would want to live/work.
2. make a list of all the publications that are available there (including the nationally delivered ones like usatoday, nytimes, etc)
3. get your hands on as many of them as possible
4. organize the 2nd list by type (daily, weekly, circulation, market, etc) (keep in mind, some areas have multiple weekly rags aimed at various market segments--college students, seniors, parents, yuppies, etc).
5. make a list of all the publishers/owners of the publications (you may or may not be surprised how many of these 'small' publications are owned by HUGE comglomerates...)
6. go through them and see what type of photos they use and analyze them along the following lines:
6a: source: were they shot by the reporter, a staff photog, a freelancer, or were they obtained from a subsidiary agency, a wire service, or from a stock agency?
6b: quality: are they generally better, the same, or worse than what you know you are capable of?
6c: content: are they straight-forward documentary-styled snapshots, or are there signs of photographic creativity?
6d: credits: make a list of all the credited photographers and indicate whether they are reporters sent out with a camera, or if they are staff photographers, or if they are freelancers.
by now, you should have a real good idea as to who is doing what, in terms of taking photos, publishing photos, and paying for them. now, you can customize your cd to your market, tailoring it to match up your portfolio with their content. the goal is to show the photo director that you are capable of doing what they do as well or better than what they are currently doing.
there are two really nice things about cds--they a quick and they are cheap. i would recommend organizing a portfolio folder on your harddrive, and then put appropriate folders underneath (sports, food, political, etc). then you can custom-burn a cd whenever you need to. i would also recommend keeping it one level deep (ie, if you are putting together a sports-only cd, have folders for each sports; however, if you are putting together a general pj-cd, put all your sports shots into the same folder.).
another thing to consider is having a straight-forward, simple website. it might cost you a little and take a little more effort than throwing images onto a cd, but it might help you stand out a bit.
when i was hired onto the local daily's freelance list, the photo director made the comment, 'well, it looks like you know which end of the camera to point at something, and like you can get something in focus.' he was being somewhat facetious, but also truthful. i have found the following to be the things that photo directors care about, in order of priority:
1) RELIABILITY - they want to know you will show up and get the job done
2) integrity - the shots are the shots, unaltered
3) basic competence - you know what to point at and can get something in focus
4) captioning - as important as clicking the shutter, you can document the who, what, when, where, why of a photo
5) post-processing - you can deliver a near ready-to-print image
6) creativity - you can deliver more than a snapshot
as to what i would put in mine...well, 'now', i keep mine organized by newspaper sections and i include stuff related to my assignments and tearsheets. it's designed to show that i've been given assignments and that i delivered on them. when i started out, i simply collected my shots that looked like what the newspapers were printing. i was just lucky that i had a rather broad collection of candid, street photography.
again, good luck!
btw, in case you're wondering why i recommend making a list of all the other shooters, it's because if you are going to be working in pj, you are going to start running into the same people. the competition is fierce, and it's always good to know who your competition is--who would love to trip you, and who will be there with a helping hand when you need it.
Message edited by author 2005-11-04 08:36:27. |
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11/10/2005 12:06:02 PM · #11 |
skiprow,
awesome post. i actually printed it out. thanks!
jeannel
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