Photography

Photographer Portfolios – the Learning Curve

A portfolio consists of a collection of photos, maybe themed or not. Before putting the folio together, you must decide who the folio is aimed at? Once known, all other problems should begin to solve themselves. If you want to impress a client or a publisher you should keep the folio to your subject matter. Therefore for example; I prepare mine with solely nude art photos, and nothing else. If it’s a general selection, then make the viewing flow easier by creating themed subsections, so it doesn’t look too random.

Folio Content: The trouble with content is that as your photography moves forward, experiences will change your views of it. A photo you took 2 years ago that you really liked will probably not seem so fresh now, not because the picture has changed, but because of what you are trying to achieve has changed. So keep a perspective on what you feel is required, after all photography is still subjective to the individual.

Physical Portfolio: Sometimes you cannot beat having a selection of prints in your hand.

Format A good paper size to use for prints is either 10″ x 8″ or A4 paper; therefore the folio will need to be marginally larger. It’s tempting to print at A3, but not only is this more expensive but not all the images need to be much enlarged for maximum effect.

If you wish to present both in black and white, and in colour, it’s best to keep them separate and show first one set then the other. Also try to place images that compliment each other on facing pages. Avoid the clashing of images (unless this is the effect you really want), as this will be detrimental to the effect you wish each image to achieve.

Portfolio cases: Most folios hold about 20 or so photographs, so this is a good limit to work to. There are plenty of sturdy folio cases on the market. Get one that has enough sheets for your photos and feels comfortable to use. Also don’t be tempted to have the portfolio printed as a book as your selection will surely change the first chance it gets.

Virtual Portfolio: There are a number of online galleries and social media sites that are capable of displaying your images. The benefit of this method is that it is interactive with other users and each image is open to comments and critique. Also you may wish to set up your own web site or page, so that you have complete control of your layout. As a business, it looks good to have your own site but as a hobby, you may need to spend a lot of time in getting traffic to visit you. The downside of the web is that anyone can copy and re-use the images without your knowledge or permission, if they so wished to. So you must tag the photos correctly and declare your ownership of the copyright. This should reduce the possibility of ‘lost author’ status, which may cause you ownership problems in certain countries.

Remember that creating a portfolio is a never ending job, if you wish it to be relevant and current. You can be sure that after tomorrow’s photo shoot you will want to add some new prints to the folio, so do you add or replace? That depends on whether you feel the folio is stronger with or without certain photos.

Finally if you have any photos you feel are ‘weak’, then don’t use them. It’s tempting to have a full folio, but a strong folio is better. You can be sure the weak photos will stand out for the wrong reasons.

About the Author

Steve DT is a social erotic photographer, writer & web designer of www.sdtfoto.com. Visit his site to view examples of sensual erotic photography with a social edge, as shown on the net today. Steve DT has exhibited his erotic nude photography internationally and has also been published in numerous magazines and books. The erotic photography presented here is in the best artistic taste and his site has been in existence since 2002.

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