How to create a good portfolio for a budding photographer - part 1. Secrets and examples of creating a photographer's portfolio Options for designing a photographer's portfolio on paper

The photographer is met by the portfolio, so it is important to show your work profitably. Modern tools allow you not only to post photos, but also to create a story around them. A beautiful site will help you understand that you are a professional and will distinguish you from inexperienced amateurs. We asked Yana Plusheva, designer of the Tilda Publishing platform, to tell you how to make a website for a photographer. https://tilda.cc/ru/tpls/ Tilda Publishing https://tilda.cc/ - - Idea and structure of the site - Research and inspiration - Site sketch or prototype - Content preparation- Website design Step 1 - The idea and structure of the site Step 2 - Research and inspiration Browse sites in related categories: designers, illustrators, or even photo agencies. It is possible that you will find an interesting move that you can apply. https://httpster.net https://www.siteinspire.com/ http://www.designmadeingermany.de/sites-we-like/sebastian/ http://thegallery.io/ Step 3 - Site sketch or prototype Step 4 - Content preparation Step 5 - Site design Sign up for https://tilda.cc/ 1) Commercial photographer 2) Wedding photographer https://tilda.cc/tpls/page/?q=melissaweis 3) Photo studios https://tilda.cc/tpls/page/?q=ballancestudios First Screen Navigation

Portfolio Blog Price list Add a rules section to the photo gallery website. For example, that a reservation can be canceled at least three days in advance. Or how a refund is made. Customer Reviews Don't forget to add customer reviews after the price list. It grabs attention and builds trust. And at the very end, repeat the contact information. Use the blocks from the "Contacts" category for this. Before publishing, take care of SEO - write a title, description in the page settings and add a picture for sharing on a social network. If you want the site to open at its own address, connect the domain. To do this, in the site settings, write down the address, and at the registrar where the domain was purchased, specify Tilda's IP in one line. Don't forget about statistics. Register onGoogle analytics or Yandex Metrica , and connect the counters in the site settings. Before showing the site to friends and customers, look at it again with a fresh eye: pay attention to the overall accuracy and style - whether the site is excessively designed, whether there is enough free space between the elements. Try to be ascetic. The easier you make, the fewer mistakes you will make and the website will turn out to be stylish. Examples of photographers' websites made on Tilda: http://alexmatamata.com/ http://christinaabdeeva.com/ http://oleg-fedorov.ru/

The photographer is met by the portfolio, so it is important to show your work profitably. Modern tools allow you not only to lay out photos, but also to create a story around them. A beautiful site will help you understand that you are a professional and will distinguish you from inexperienced amateurs.

We asked Yana Plusheva, designer of the Tilda Publishing platform, to tell you how to make a website for a photographer.

Yana: One of my tasks at Tilda is to create website templates https://tilda.cc/ru/tpls/ for users. Templates are ready-made pages that users can take as a basis and adapt, creating a website on their own. Therefore, my task is to think over everything, everything, everything and make functional pages that will be both beautiful and convenient.

Tilda Publishing https://tilda.cc/ - a modular constructor that allows you to create cool sites in a short time: portfolios, landing pages, longreads, special projects, interactive stories, blogs.

In general, the process of creating a website consists of the following steps:

Idea and structure of the site

Research and inspiration

Website sketch or prototype

Content preparation

Site design

Step 1 - Idea and site structure

Before you start, determine for yourself what the main idea and purpose of your site is and what exactly you want to show. Think about the people you would like to see on your site: are they your customers, fans, gallery owners, or maybe just your friends? Decide with the audience - for whom you are creating a site. Then try to put yourself in their shoes and guess why they came to you and what they expect to see.

Take a regular piece of paper and sketch out the structure. Think about whether you need a multi-page site or just pick the top 10 works and place them on one page that is easy to scroll through. If you are a photographer and know the visual language, then most likely you write well too. Will you have a blog? On the same domain as the main site or on a separate one? Are your works divided into categories or are you staying within the same genre?

The structure of the page will depend on your activity - if you are shooting in several directions or doing only one activity.

Step 2 - Research and Inspiration

When you roughly understand what kind of site you need, do a little research.

Chances are, you already regularly review the websites and portfolios of photographers whose work you admire. But now you need to look from a different angle - you need to notice which sections other photographers are using and make a list of main or recurring elements. For example, it can be a story about yourself, about your studies, about your history (how you started taking photographs), the cost of services.

See how it looks in general modern internet, without being tied to a specific topic. There are quite a few resources online where enthusiasts collect good samples:

Try to notice what exactly you like. Maybe a good rhythm, good typography, or a combination of colors.

Step 3 - Site Sketch or Prototype

A sketch or prototype is a schematic representation of the blocks that make up a site. Your visual script. This is done simply: take a sheet of paper, a felt-tip pen and draw a diagram of what will go for what. You don't need to draw everything in detail, just a general idea.

Step 4 - Preparing Content

In advance, select the photos that will be on your site, put them in a separate folder, and ideally reduce the size to 1680px on the larger side. So the photos will keep good quality, but will not slow down the loading of the site. Because if you put a highrez on the site and then open the site on your phone, it will be hard.

Write the text in text editor... So it will be convenient to edit it. Some points can be changed right on the page, but there should be a basis.

How to write text for a website. If you write the text yourself, use the following scheme:

Write a short text about yourself. It should be one phrase that summarizes what you specialize in. For example, Alina Lyalina is a children's photographer in Moscow.
Write a little more detailed text. Explain what your features are. Write simply - as if you were telling this to a friend over a cup of coffee - in the most understandable language.
Highlight three main points - why people order photos from you.
Describe the benefits. Tell us what your customers get when they contact you, give details.
Think about headlines. People are often lazy to read solid text, and headings are read without effort, so do not get carried away with beautiful metaphors, write the essence in the headings.
Take reviews. Ask your clients to say a few words about you. Works great.

When you have the content ready - the photos are selected and the text is written, you can proceed to the direct creation of the site.

Step 5 - Website Design

Sign up for https://tilda.cc/ , immediately after registration, Tilda will offer to choose a page template. There are templates especially for photographers on Tilda:

1) Commercial photographerhttps://tilda.cc/tpls/page/?q=samphotographer

2) Wedding photographer https://tilda.cc/tpls/page/?q=melissaweis

3) Photo studios https://tilda.cc/tpls/page/?q=ballancestudios

If these templates don't work, check out the others. The template is an example of good design and an example of the use of blocks. The choice of a template does not limit your creativity in any way - at any time you can change it beyond recognition and even start from scratch.

You work with images, so the first thing a visitor to your site should see is photography, which immediately shows your specialization (for example, weddings, food, exhibitions, photo studio interior).

First screen

Specify contacts on the first screen: Email, phone, link to social networks, city where you work. It is convenient for the client. Be sure to include your first and last name in the header. Place your logo there. Optionally, you can put a large photo in half of the screen so that the client can see your face.

On the cover of a wedding photographer website, create a gallery where you can post a selection of photographs of your activity, as well as headlines for popular searches on the Internet, for example, a wedding photographer in Reykjavik

Navigation

Think about navigation - how a visitor will navigate a site, navigate through pages, or navigate within a single page. To organize, add a menu: a box with links, which will be at the top of the site. It can be static or fixed when scrolling to always be in front of your eyes. Or it can fit into a laconic "hamburger". You can read more about menu design in the article "Site menu design and practical application"http://help-ru.tilda.ws/design-menu

Important: do not overload the menu, this is a functional part that should help you navigate. Use short words for paragraph names, do not exceed 5 paragraphs.

Tilda's block library has special category"Menu"

Portfolio

Selecting several blocks to show the portfolio. Add tabs if you want to present multiple directions of photography. By clicking on the names, we go from section to section. Each section is worth showing best photos for a specific area of activity.

For example, if you are photographing weddings, add a gallery with select photos that expand on click. Then you can add photo stories with information about where the wedding was and what date. You can include a section on the best weddings of the last year.

It is worth adding a button under the photos, when you click on it, you can go to a separate page of the project and see more works.

Blog

If you have a blog post it on the page. Show the last three posts and add a button by clicking on which the user will follow the link to other posts.

Price list

The next block about the cost of shooting can be done in the form of a table or cards. Indicate popular services and prices for them. Add a button "Order a photo session". By clicking on it, the client goes to the form for collecting data, which he will send to the photographer's mail.

If you sell photography studio services, tell us what premises and equipment you provide for rent, indicate the cost and tell us why you should choose your premises and equipment. By adding images of backgrounds, reflectors, diffusers, cameras, cycloramas, water zones, etc., you greatly increase your chances of being seen (and making money).

Working with color filters.

Color filters are a tool that can help transform a familiar space, maintain a chosen color scheme, or add intrigue to a calm scene. The orange filter will help to create an atmosphere of coziness, the combination of blue and orange filters will create a confrontation between cold and heat, which is a top color combination that pleases the eye. The pink filter will add tenderness to the light interior, and the purple filter will add mystery. Most often, I use color filters for backlighting and backlighting so that unnecessary colors do not fall on the model. An exception is the low temperature white balance circuit, in which case the orange highlight filter will compensate for the temperature of the picture and return the skin to a warm natural tone.
In a light studio, color filters should be used especially carefully, choosing gentle, calm tones.
Working with color filters is a huge field to experiment, but I would recommend thinking about the color scheme in advance and not using filters unnecessarily. An overly active color can distract attention from the model, and the wrong choice of color can upset the color balance.

Studio light in photography

Everyone loves to shoot with natural light. Plus to the diffused soft lighting - wonderful blur at open aperture. But competent and skillful management of several light sources will allow you to always manage the situation - to make the evening twilight on a sunny day and bright sunny photos in the evening.
Any novice photographer is familiar with the pictures with studio lighting schemes common on the Internet. Backlight, classic design, and so on. Getting to grips with studio flash controls is also fairly straightforward.

Working with green

Working with green.

Green - fresh, juicy, cheerful - has a huge number of shades and looks completely different in different situations.
Warm, cold, with yellow, blue, brown undertones - the shades change depending on the season, plant species, time of day and lighting.
Everyone who is familiar with Itten's circle knows that the easiest way to achieve a harmonious combination of colors is to contrast colors in a circle (complementary scheme).
For example, in Itten's circle, green is combined with red.
And then the fun begins. After all, colors are broken down into hundreds of shades.
And if your model is wearing a terracotta dress (red is closer to orange), then, when using the complementary scheme, a cold shade of green will look more advantageous than a warm one, but a rich burgundy color will work well with warm green (on a sunny summer day, for example).
On the other hand, an analogue scheme (three colors side by side) for such a dress will require a delicate shade of light green and the addition of yellow elements.
Thus, when starting to process a photo, you must understand which shade of green will look the most advantageous with the color of clothes and other elements in your photo.
And then - a matter of technology.
First of all, I set the tone for the greenery in Lightroom. This is working with color in HSL (Hue, Saturation, Luminance).
When further retouching the photo in Photoshop, we achieve the desired shade of green through Color Balance, Selective Color Correction (yellow, green, blue), Color (blending mode Soft Light) and, if necessary, saturate the shades in Lab space.
You can watch an example of working with green color in the video.

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5 reasons why you don't like photography.

Imagine that you have an interesting photo session tomorrow. You close your eyes and see your photograph tomorrow as if it already exists. And your brain draws it to you perfect. The characters are well lit and look three-dimensional, and the background subtly retreats into a beautiful blur, the colors are harmoniously combined.
But in reality, everything may turn out to be completely different.
I have collected 5 reasons why:
1. Superfluous details.
When an artist paints a picture, he includes only those objects that have a semantic load. The photographer, however, is faced with the problem of "photographic garbage", it can be cars, trash cans, ugly branches, curbs. What the artist cuts off in his painting becomes an obstacle on the way to a holistic and harmonious photography. Therefore, it is important for the photographer to see this debris and be able to not include it in the frame. Some objects can be hidden behind the model's back, some can be cut off by cropping. Of course, many details can be removed during the retouching process, but this will increase the time you spend on processing.
2. Volume.
We all love the volume in the photograph, the photograph into which we want to dive, something like a tunnel. If you have a foreground (photographers often use twigs for this) and a lot of air behind the model's back, the viewer will pull after you into your photo. But if, for example, there is a tree behind the model, then the feeling of the tunnel will collapse.
3. Color harmony.
If in a family of three, mom is dressed in a green dress, a child in a yellow overalls, and dad in blue jeans and a red T-shirt - even golden hands will not save you. That is why the selection of clothes for a photo session must be carefully controlled.
4. Emotions.
I won't discover America if I say that a photographer should be a psychologist and be able to create a comfortable atmosphere during a photo session. I often tell the heroes of my photo shoots that filming is like acting in a theater. Only by immersing themselves in your story will the heroes of the shooting be able to convey the desired mood, and the photograph will acquire the intended meaning.
5. Light.
Take the light as your allies, manipulate the light so that it works for your idea. First, the light must work to create volume. Incorrectly applied light can make the image flat, and you spend a lot of extra time drawing light and shade. Secondly, the presentation of light should support your idea - hard light is suitable for a dynamic scene or to create a dramatic effect, while soft diffused lighting will accentuate the tenderness of the moment. And thirdly, by controlling the light, you can draw the viewer's attention to the necessary details.

How to start creating a photo portfolio?

A portfolio is not necessarily "the best", he is sure, and it is much more logical to try to sort the pictures by series, and not according to the subjective opinion of the number of stars in their assessment. Genre, shooting style or specific technical parameters can be considered as criteria for combining into one set: type of camera or image - for example, cyanotype, pinhole, drone photography and many others.

Photography and design experts advise you to share the burden of selecting photos with a designer or colleague whose opinion you trust. An outside look and a dialogue about the obvious advantages and possible disadvantages of works with a person who is not indifferent to the topic will help to feel in the audience's place. Is this blurry sketch of the evening capital as good as it seems to us? Will everyone notice the mysterious understatement of the portrait of Sveta's niece in the country?

The brilliant critic Jorg Colberg, quoting the story of the Dutch designer Sybren Kuiper in his book on the science of photography, agrees with the latter: "Never listen to the photographer!"

You should not, of course, take the advice literally, but there is something to think about. “The fact is that photographers are often too involved in their own projects and photographs - so much so that they cease to perceive them adequately,” says Kuiper. - Photos may seem too boring to them [or too ingenious - my note], because they have flashed before their eyes so many times. There is a risk not to include in the final sample really best shots or get hung up on minor details. Definitely, you need someone with a fresh perspective who can comment on which work achieves its goal and which does not. "

But calling a committee of electors is also not worth it. The opinion of one or two honest friends who understand the science of the visual will be enough, says Kohlberg. Too much work with the cooks in the kitchen has never led to anything worthwhile.

Who is the photographer's portfolio for?

The next question to be answered before you start diving into thousands, and perhaps millions, of photographs accumulated over the years of filming "on the table" or loaded into the computer's memory, is the logical and correct "Why?" Who exactly will be the first to whom you plan to show your portfolio? Potential employers? Curators, gallery owners or photo book publishers who don't know anything about your talents yet? And maybe while your main task is just to reflect on the variety of pictures in the "for yourself" mode? This also happens - Moscow was not built right away.

Portfolio Review Night in Houston. March 2012 Andrey Bezukladnikov

Nevertheless, it would be good to bear in mind the possible “consumer” of the photo portfolio right now. Indeed, if you intend to look for a job in the field of photography, say in photojournalism, then it is better to show the future editor a series of various forms and content, hint at the variability of skills, the ability to work quickly both "on the pipe" and in the field. A little something else is worth paying attention to those whose photographic interests are related to creative or conceptual photography - in this case, it is recommended to upload pictures in a sequence of theoretical hanging in the gallery and, of course, in series.

Another point to keep in mind about the "recipients" of the image, according to Simon Bray, is the reaction of the audience. “Try to imagine what kind of emotions you expect to get from the audience - do you want to surprise, shock or amuse them? - the British expert advises. - Believe me, not everyone is interested in the views with your favorite landscapes or the next clones from the photo stocks that flicker in front of people every day. It is much more logical to choose photographs that are somehow different from the rest and will be able to attract the attention of the audience. " However, you should not rely on obviously defective images, they are unlikely to attract viewers and experts. Therefore, it is worth saying goodbye to works containing obvious flaws.

Here, perhaps, it is worth making a reservation that this "Bray rule" does not, of course, fall into intentional distortions, which may be part of the author's visual language or conceptual idea. Suddenly you are a fan of glitch art.

How do I show my portfolio?

The next step is deciding how to present your portfolio. During a meeting with experts, it is considered more professional and respectful to show the portfolio in printed form, which, of course, is more appropriate in a situation of “live” communication with them. But a personal stake still needs to be achieved, so it makes sense to first think about the online format.

First, social media. For the first steps in the world of big and small photography, Facebook, Instagram and Vkontakte are enough - you create folders, upload photos, invite friends and not so many friends to groups. Needless to say, the Internet is big, and any, even the most (so far) average photographer with a DSLR presented for his birthday, will find his fans. But if you plan to move from the level of shooting your niece in the country on Sunday, and the fame of Georgy Pinkhasov makes you "white envy", then you should think about a personal website. It is unlikely that a link to the Vkontakte group can be shown without blushing even to the most democratic critic or editor.

Since the creation and support of the site requires serious financial investments and deep technical knowledge, most photographers use specialized online platforms with ready-made templates... Many of them are inexpensive, easy to manage, and do not require the skills of a programmer or web designer. You just need to register and upload photos.

At Wix, we often get questions from freelance photographers who want to know how to create a professional online portfolio. While we have plenty of material on how and how best to use the Wix editor tools, especially in relation to photographers, experience shows that one picture is worth a thousand words.

This prompted us to go through hundreds of newly created Wix sites to select the top 10 and show them to you. Nothing helps the flow like that creative ideas to create your own portfolio, like viewing beautiful, high-quality photo portfolios. It will help you understand what your coworkers are doing to grab the attention of potential customers, plus you will learn what is fashionable in web design and interface design.

But before we get started, here are a few questions to ask yourself as you browse through other portfolios:

What makes this site stand out, and how can you play on it?

What are the downsides to this site's design, and how could you fix it?

How is the photo portfolio itself organized, is there a breakdown into categories and is there a slide show?

What is on the site besides the portfolio, and how does this content help potential customers to make their choice?

Born in Cuba and now based in Miami, this photographer specializes in photography for real estate sales, menus, weddings and a variety of products. Its website is dynamic and simple, it uses large sliders to act as a background to showcase best works photographer. The Services page presents a typical set of job descriptions and prices.

Austrian paparazzi photographer David Boman has been actively involved in professional photography for the past 4 years. At first glance, his portfolio looks very unpretentious: nothing superfluous and a simple white background. The photo gallery is divided into 14 sections, which are very easy to navigate, and is designed in the form of a modular grid. His portraits contain very curious characters (and there are many businessmen among them!), Photographs of architecture are distinguished by unconventional compositions and the use of special lenses, and photographs from weddings convey a festive mood.

A photographer with 20 years of experience in sports, travel, portrait and advertising photography, the talented German Jern Poleks created a website in which he decided to use a minimalist style in the design. The use of photo thumbnails allows you to demonstrate all of his work, regardless of their size and proportions, on one page.

The Canadian couple takes "bright, exciting, spectacular, exciting, and most importantly emotional" pictures. The "About Us" section of their website contains their childhood photos with brief biographical information about each of them - a great way to give a brand a human face.

Carlo Heathcote from Singapore presents his portfolio as an activist project aimed at raising awareness of the global problems of humanity. His photographs tell of the mass famine in Niger, the victims of the earthquake in Kashmir and the military conflicts in Afghanistan. “This exhibition was created to give a voice to the people depicted in the photographs during the most difficult moments of their lives,” writes Heathcote on the About Me page.

Japan's Kita Koyi specializes in studio photography of various products and models, but he works just as well with wedding photography and illustrations for travel guides. The calm gray tones of the background on the site help to focus attention on the photographs themselves, which in fact is the purpose of the portfolio.

Laura Garilio is not afraid to use rich colors on her site, from many shades of green to a palette of grays, diluted with bright pink spots. This approach requires careful thought and careful work, but the results are worth it.

A wise decision was to create a My Style section in which she shares how to draw inspiration from every day, in addition to the classic About Me page, where Laura talks about how she was once an artist and then moved to Canary Islands and changed my life. The section "Your photo session" is devoted to the prices for various shooting options. It's great that her portfolio is equipped with so much information: this is how she not only introduces herself to potential clients, but also works on promoting the site in search engines.

The galleries organized by theme look very neat. In them you will find photographs of people on vacation enjoying life, and the surrounding nature of the Canary Islands only enhances this impression. Particularly attractive is the “Future Dads” photo project with its emotional pictures of newly-made fathers.

The portfolio of a businessman is a work book.

A comprehensive guide for photographers who want to craft their portfolio competently and independently. At the heart of the note: basic knowledge, special cases, minor differences that must be taken into account when working with a customer. Free photographers will also find useful information for themselves, because the basic principles do not depend on genre, geography and others, external differences... Frankly, as I develop in the profession, I notice less and less that the role of a portfolio of a designer or an architect, for example, is somehow different from a photographer, and this is not surprising, as well as the fact that authors, like the profession, are distinguished by the specificity that someone then it ignores and creates a stamp, while the other notices and finds its viewer.

I do not strive to retrain anyone, but I will not mislead either. There are no tricks in compiling or updating a portfolio, but there is a method that you need to master once, and then go on your own, as you believe and feel: your creativity, your viewer. Please note that the portfolio:

This is not a collection of technically correct works, but a selection of works by the author, which are the same in style and theme, the author's view.
It can be composed of both the newest works and the oldest, because the true, most valuable photograph is always timeless.

With the help of a portfolio, a photographer solves problems:

Creation of a single visual series, demonstration of the narrative.
Finding your audience and drawing attention to your work.

Drawing up a portfolio is not an insane emotional impulse, according to the principle "like everyone else's," but a meaningful decision - to create a tool that will help get away from the masses and convey your message to the audience, with which the author has common views on life and values that are reflected in the portfolio; That is why, I believe that drawing up a portfolio is not a whim, and not a process "left for tomorrow", but the primary task that a photographer, if he reads these lines, must solve in the first place, because:

A portfolio saves time for the photographer.
The portfolio showcases the author's skills and experience.
The portfolio enriches the photographer if he updates it.

Photographic equipment is secondary, the portfolio is the main asset of the photographer.

Basic knowledge - the volume of the text. Of course, I will try to write concisely where possible, but still, for convenience, I will compile a list of chapters:

General Portfolio Guidelines
- Drafting
  - Study of target audience
  - Selection of images
  - Format selection
  - Choice of design
- Update
  - How often to update your portfolio
Instead of a conclusion

The first thing I would like to draw the reader's attention to is self-criticism. Only a sober, detached look at your work will help you create a portfolio that you will like and will attract the attention of the viewer. I understand it's difficult. But the first impression can be made (and there is no need to be surprised) only once. It is necessary to exclude occasional works: walk-throughs and those that awaken our memories, which the viewer is deprived of. If this is not done, then you can independently make sure that a person's patience ends faster than we think.

The second thing to remember is that a portfolio is not a static product. No matter how ingenious and, I do not exclude, the portfolio was not professionally designed, one day you will have to reassemble everything again, because creativity matures, the client or place of residence changes, and those works that previously guaranteed cooperation are no longer enough for the customer, his look and thoughts, could understand the photographer. Hence another advice follows, combine and constantly revise the portfolio, and if you no longer like the frame - remove it; do not be afraid of laconic episodes, be afraid of boring ones.

Drafting

If you don't have a portfolio, you have nothing to sell.

What are your thoughts on building a portfolio? Is a portfolio a photographer's tool and you can't find a client without it? No, although they are useful, but it is better to think about something else - in what sequence to work on the portfolio, who will be the first to see it, what feelings, thoughts and desires should awaken in the person with whom the photographer would like to work. Many portfolio guides show a common problem - they urge the author to select the best shots and present. I propose to do a little differently: think, decide, make a selection, think again, arrange and show.

Portfolio creation - time, effort, financial costs. That is why, I suggest taking your time, and taking into account the viewer, and not your capabilities, which will grow:

It takes time to master technical skills.
To shoot the missing frames is a desire that will appear if you are busy with your own business.

Another thing is more important: the theme that will unite the works; style, albeit original. To make it easier for you and me, I will describe the sequence:

Study of target audience
Selection of images
Format selection
Choice of design

Now let's look at all the stages.

Study of the target audience

A good portfolio does not inspire everyone, and this is normal, because among the viewers, and this is also normal, there are not many of our clients:

Some people like to watch.
Others - to discuss or condemn.
There are still others - they like it, but they won't buy.

Therefore, we need to look for those who understand our work and say: “This is mine! Tell me, when will you have time so that we can discuss the terms of cooperation? " The portfolio should remove the viewer from the information field of the photographer and attract the customer. How to do it? Explore everything first characters, but the first step is to create a portrait of your client.

It is necessary to take into account age, profession, social status, if important - material and emotional data; hobbies, habits, problems and desires (sometimes hidden, when the customer himself does not admit them); sometimes you have to take into account the appearance, diet, music and cosmetics (attitude towards it), preferred wardrobe, method of transportation; holidays, family and national traditions. There are many criteria, but they, as a constructor, help not only to compose a portrait of the target audience, but also to choose the right amount, theme, style, design (which should not be forgotten) of your portfolio.

Selection of images

You have chosen your market segment, the main characters have designated, it's time to select images, but which ones and how many? There is no consensus, but there are important notes:

Quality... Stability in jobs speaks of level - the first thing to consider when selecting. The rule that the first and last 2 photos are important is erroneous, as well as the fact that weak works can be mixed in the middle, for quantity. All photographs must be uniform in technical execution, or in style (not stylization). Somewhere I heard a long time ago that one bad job outweigh 100 good ones; social networks like VKontakte and Instagram have convinced of this. Pictures must retain attention, evoke a response in the heart of the viewer; walk-through works cannot be shown.
Quantity... The optimal number of photos is 20. But it is better to start “screening” when you have 100 or more in your hands. Choose 30-40 by yourself best photos, in which you are confident, and show the draft portfolio to friends or relatives who are strong in understanding the visual art and are similar to the portrait of your target audience, and are ready to give a response to your portfolio. Pictures that did not evoke emotion can and should be deleted. If there are more or less than 20 jobs, for example, 12 or 21, then it's okay, the optimal amount is not a hard rule, but a recommendation.

When choosing your own photos, it is important not to think about numbers. Another thing is more important - in what potential client will find its reflection (after all, as you know, we see it in the work of the author), how he imagines the soul of the photographer. Contrary to collective opinion, the client needs confidence, which is why he looks at the portfolio; who needs emotion, he asks - how much does it cost?

Format selection

"Digital Portfolio or Traditional, Designed Prints?" - a question that is often written to me, in e-mails, or in personal messages VK. I understand, it is relevant, but my opinion is invariable - a compromise. Look for it. Consider the benefits of a particular solution. Portfolio on the Internet is convenient, prints are weighty. I propose to combine and find the best combinations for yourself. For example, it is convenient for me to place prints in a folder, I don’t like photobooks, and I don’t consider them at all; but it is convenient for a meeting, an Internet site (personal choice), but there are significantly more options:

Digital portfolio
- Personal site
- Social networks
- Photo sites
- Slide show
- Photo archive
Printed portfolio
- Prints
- Passepartout prints
- Photobooks

Let's consider the advantages and disadvantages of each solution.

Digital portfolio

Photos in in electronic format- lack of dependence on geography, saving time, effort and the ability to demonstrate the portfolio in a passive mode, since it is available and works for the author, around the clock. But there is a problem - technology. All devices are different, and their screens, for the most part, do not pass colorimetric adjustment, and what is most unpleasant for us, a photo in electronic form is a glow on the screen, while prints and photo books are reflected light, like all information from the real world... We humble ourselves, read and choose one (or more) solutions for ourselves that will complement the prints.

Personal site

Advantages:

Confidence. Many do not know how the site is arranged, but they understand the costs, the intentions of those who invest in the development and updating. All other things being equal, the customer will look at the portfolio on the site, and not in social networks(for example).
Independence. From moderators, their mood and rules, technical restrictions and, what is most unpleasant, legal rigging in the user agreement. Somewhere it happens differently, but in most cases: the service does not owe anything, the photographer is nobody.
Versatility. Accounts, registrations, personal data and any, to some extent useful, services are not needed. All the necessary information: contacts and price lists, frequently asked questions and reviews, can be collected in one project. Comfortable!
Quality control. As images so that the client sees the portfolio in the most in the best possible way, without serious visible distortions, and the surrounding space (some projects need comments, while others do not, for example).
Attention management. Your project is freedom of action. You can implement different schemes for presenting material in order to display the optimal sequence and speed of viewing the portfolio; eliminate distractions in the interface.

Disadvantages:

For a long time. The site is a separate project. It takes a lot of time for discussion, development and, what is not the end, implementation; further tests, making edits, promotion, constant monitoring and improvements: updating the portfolio, structure, etc.
Expensive. Creation and maintenance in working order is money, if not with your own hands - a lot. You will either have to study (and this is time and money), or constantly pay, keep on the balance sheet, a freelance employee (which is also expensive).
Responsibly. He is his own boss, but there is a limitation - the legislation of the Russian Federation.

A personal website, in my opinion, is the most convenient and high-quality option for your portfolio on the Internet.

Social networks

Advantages:

Quickly. Fully customizing an account, hosting a portfolio, and setting up a public page or community will take less than an hour. It takes one to two hours to get used to the advertising office, without which presence on social networks is meaningless.
Is free. Relatively.

Disadvantages:

Addiction. From the leadership, popularity and target audience of the selected site; the mood and user agreement change unilaterally. The photographer cannot remove all the data after changing or leaving the site (the "delete" button is fictitious).
Restrictions. Portfolio viewing is available without registration (if you do not limit this in the settings), but contacting the photographer - you need an account. Publishing images is easy, but managing the quality and consistency of viewing is impossible.
Fragility. The practice of blocking social media, under one pretext or another, will increase. The influence of politics and augmented reality will lead to the disappearance or decline in popularity of domestic sites, and the blocking of objectionable "others".

Social media is a free platform that every photographer looks at. One sees opportunities in it, the other - limitations: inconvenient navigation (a long way to the goal increases the income of the owners), color distortion (nothing has changed in this matter in 10 years), lack of customization (design decisions can be left to yourself, no one considers them ); social media can be considered both as an independent solution and as an advertising channel for the flow of additional traffic to a personal website.

Photo sites

Advantages:

Status. Portfolio on PhotoVogue is not easy, works are selected by Vogue.It editors; on MyWed, you can see the appearance of a wedding photo of the Russian Internet; Behance is a union of talents and employers from all over the world. Peer recognition builds customer confidence.
Quality. Color profile is not deleted from the file, optimal size photography, for the web, does not change; colors are not distorted, detail does not drop. It is on these sites that you can, without fear, place your portfolio.
Is free. Pleasantly.

Disadvantages:

Addiction. A third-party solution is dependence on its owners and photo sites, alas, are no exception. How long will the publication last, how the project will change and what will happen if, for example, new design will cause dislike among the photographer's clients?
Uniformity. Change the layout, redesign and implement new technology, which I spied on from a colleague - will not work; the technical part is hidden from the author (and in many situations this is good, but still, the limitation is a disadvantage).

Photo sites are the closest to a regular site - they allow you to place the author's portfolio and, what pleases, do not spoil the image. Provide easy navigation and demonstrate the opinion of the professional board: editors and photographers; of course, this is a possible, and in many ways controversial, argument - public opinion, but take it into account if you choose the path of a free photographer.

Slide show

Advantages:

Is free. Relatively, because good software is money. Free solutions - outside of Windows, for example, Linux, but it takes time to master this OS; pick up a program - time again, understand it ... well, you get the idea. Relative advantage.
Qualitatively. The only limitation is sRGB (but his photographer is always accustomed to taking it into account: when printing, publishing on the Internet, viewing on device screens). Otherwise, we are limited by our experience or choice: to squeeze or not (photo and video).
Attention management. There are no restrictions, except for the author's imagination. You can control and manipulate the attention and emotional state of the viewer. The experience of a build editor, director, designer, marketer and psychologist will come in handy, and more than once.

Disadvantages:

Inconvenient. Required condition portfolio - update; a slideshow excludes this, because removing, adding or correcting the order of photos is tantamount to creating a new project. Reminds of a house of cards.
Waste of time. As in the literal sense - to master the software, to choose a plot, tempo and music, and in a portable way - no one is interested, no one looks anymore. Time has passed.

10 years ago, this way of showing a portfolio was convenient, but now, people do not want, or cannot, spend time watching a slideshow. Statistics, user experience and the new paradigm of web development convince us of this.

Photo archive

Advantages:

None. This is not a portfolio.

Disadvantages:

Wrong decision.

Send pictures by mail so that the customer can assess the level of work - probably once there was a point in this, but it has nothing to do with the portfolio. It is impossible to consider this option of demonstrating your work, you need to learn how to select works and compose thematic selections; to style them and provide the viewer with a complete product, not a bunch of fragments.

An e-portfolio is part of an internet marketing strategy that a photographer must, if not have to, develop before picking up a camera (which is on a shelf in a store); from this position, it is better to assess the prospects of this or that decision, and not globally, but in a narrower direction - for yourself.

Printed portfolio

A traditional portfolio, fingerprints in a folder, or a photo book is a sleek and solid solution that is suitable for personal meetings with a client, finding a mentor, and visiting a craft friend who is better to communicate outside of the virtual world.

A classic printed portfolio, in contrast to an electronic one, is a tactile sensation, without which, sometimes, it is difficult to realize the real value of a work. If a photographer decides to work with agencies or magazines, then without prints he will not be able to declare himself.

Prints

Advantages:

The photo. Real, sought after. Correctly selected paper, conditions and method of printing. In the hands of not a semi-finished product, but a finished product that is exposed, fixed, decorated and packaged.
Tactile sensations. Without them, the photograph does not remain in the memory for a long time. Our forces are at the limit, the information field is overloaded and it is difficult to keep one more picture in our memory, if we do not touch it with our hands, do not feel the weight and texture.
Reflected light visibility. Traditional perception of information from the surrounding world. This is the value of traditional photography, despite the fact that for the most part, modern devices reproduce wider color gamuts.

Disadvantages:

Expensive. Of course, it depends on the format, printing method and type of paper, but on average, prices are from 40-50 rubles to 900 rubles for an A4 print. If you regularly update and replace damaged photos, you will have to fork out for an amount equal to the average budget lens.
Short-lived. Paper is paper. Accidentally knocked over a glass of water, or a cup of coffee, that's it, the picture is spoiled, you will have to replace it. Additional costs for a visit to the printing house and printing (costs increase).
Personal contact. A traditional portfolio requires, from the author, the ability to present, in many respects - to interest in the demonstration of his product. Communication skills and experience as a marketer are indispensable. Additional self-education is needed.

Traditional prints, arranged in a folder-album, are not a relic of the past, but rather the opposite - a basic portfolio of a photographer. Another, more expensive and protected version - photographs designed according to museum standards, we will consider them in detail.

Passepartout prints

Advantages:

Durability. Cardboard protects the print from kinks and chips (in case of falls), but this is a half measure, because the main threat to photography is moisture and ultraviolet light, from which the complete design (baguette and glass) protects. Looks and is expensive.
Visual perception. Passepartout is not just a piece of cardboard, but an additional, or rather, an artistic element, a tool with which it is quite easy to control the client's visual perception. The main thing is to choose the right size and color.
The final look of the photo. The museum standard of design is 200 years of preservation of the print, and the aesthetic pleasure of viewing. Ideal for a portfolio of a mature author, owner of a photo studio.

Disadvantages:

Dimensions. The weight and dimensions of the printed prints are large, which makes them inconvenient, I would even say - unsuitable for meetings outside the space where they are located, and their own studio - necessary condition to post and display this portfolio.
Price. Quality is expensive, museum quality is even more expensive.

The photographs, decorated in a classic mat, complemented by a baguette and museum glass, and marked with the author's personal seal are an expensive type of portfolio that is inconvenient or, rather, unsuitable for meetings outside the photo studio.

Photobooks

Advantages:

Comfortable. Most of the books are packed in "boxes", wooden boxes that you can take to a meeting or pass on for review. The format of the book is a value "according to taste and demand", which is also convenient.
Original. The book is, in a sense, an element of the brand. There are no restrictions on the layout or type of paper, the existing standards are a great convention, the restriction of those in whom there is no need to "find their own."

Disadvantages:

Collage. A photobook is not a photo album; there is no scene in it, understanding the plot is a snapshot and this is bad; we fill the space and create visual noise, it is not clear that this can be conveyed to the viewer. Photobooks are exclusively for serial filming.
Price. A quality product is expensive, packaging is even more expensive. The “paradox” is that the cost of printing is lower than the cost of manufacturing; the photographer does not pay for the view, his duty is to fork out for production. He needs a portfolio though.
Fragility. The print, for the most part, is of poor quality, but often the author does not know about it, because he will throw out the book much earlier, because the frame is outdated, how to update it? How to supplement your portfolio? That's right, printing is new.
Inconvenient format. It cannot be updated, it cannot be viewed together with the customer: the frame, even if it is on the centerfold, is small, transferring it is by no means an easy task. You cannot hang it on the wall, which excludes the possibility of placing such a portfolio in the studio.

The photobook is a strange phenomenon. It is expensive and looks beautiful, but its main task, if you are "picky", performs badly. Sure, it holds a lot and, not surprisingly, is compact, but is this when you are working on photography out of time?

The printed portfolio is of high quality, solid and durable, but it has one common and unpleasant, at first, problem - what to do with outdated photos? Electronic photos, files on disk are easy to delete, but what about printing? I propose to give: to those who are in the frame and to those who are interested in these frames. The photographer will not lose.

I understand that everyone has different genres and styles, but try to combine different formats, types and versions of the portfolio; consider the portrait of your target audience, so as not to make mistakes or to exclude the attention of those who will take time but will not pay for the work in time. If you have questions - write letters, I will try to help.

Choice of design

Design starts with choosing a format. Optimal for handheld viewing is 20x30 (A4), and this, of course, applies to the printed portfolio. The basic design is a mat, but it is not always appropriate to use it, in most cases it is a folder (made of leatherette or leather) and there are transparent files in it for storing photos. There is ready-made solutions(on the Internet and beyond), but manual work is better, which does not limit the flight of imagination; the main thing is not to forget that the lurid design is bad, and not because ignoramuses are around - they cannot appreciate the "beauty", the photographer simply has to show photographs, for this and the portfolio.

I can't say anything about the design of the books, I didn't like them from the very beginning, and I use folders, in the near future - self made because there is an opportunity and why not get away from the impersonal format.

An electronic portfolio does not need to be decorated (that is its beauty) and, rather, on the contrary, it requires cleaning: advertising on social networks distracts; on photo sites - extra buttons and ads; we spoil personal sites ourselves. Look again at the pictures and at the portrait of the target audience, think about what spoils the impression of viewing pictures and whether it can be fixed; Portfolio design, as well as its compilation, is not to show everything that you can, but to show what the client would like to see; what I would like to reproduce again, but at a higher level; yes, portfolio design is a showcase of taste.

Update

A portfolio is not a static product. The photographer hones his skills, looks for new solutions - in the means of expressiveness, and inevitably comes to the understanding: “Something needs to be changed!”. This is where self-criticism comes in handy, the ability to scribble oneself (as FM Dostoevsky said); but simply deleting the "old" to make way for the "new" is a mistake. “Date of manufacture” is not a selection criterion; the photographer must understand what pictures are missing in his portfolio, and what will change in his work if you make "corrections".

How often to update your portfolio

There are many opinions, but I believe that making a portfolio is necessary once and for many years. No, I am not against minor edits, but if the relevance of the portfolio is rapidly falling, for example, from season to season, then it is better to rebuild the portfolio (and advertise it well). In the list below, I will list all thoughts on this issue:

The frequency of updates is an indicator of the stability, completeness of the portfolio. If there is no, or almost no, day without edits, then the portfolio is made for a wide audience, and its goal is simple - to increase the reach. Its price is low, there is no value.
An update schedule is a mistake in the life of a photographer. A valuable shot appeared and a place was found for it in the portfolio - good; no - a reason to work further. A snapshot in a portfolio is not a fixed result, but a share of luck.
Updating a portfolio is about quality, not quantity. Sometimes, and there is nothing wrong with that, you add one frame and remove three, the portfolio shrinks and empty files appear (talking about printing), but the overall picture becomes clearer. That's the price.

Competent updates highlight the "backbone", the basis - photographs are timeless; show, attract attention, confirm the achievements, skills and experience of the author. Such photographs bring "their viewer", the customer who needs the author, and not his price tag.

How to select snapshots for updates

The opinion is not a dogma, but it may be useful to someone:

Ignore fashion, seasonal trends. The season of that ... the season of this ... of stupidity and Instagram with your own hands. Consider the values (not material) of your client and post timeless photos in which: you are confident, and the customer has found himself.
Durability is the main criterion. Passing pictures or sketches are not something that will live for years. Do not publish them even in social media, train yourself to see and discuss only what is not devoid of meaning, value (bypassing the price tag).
Add photos you have forgotten to your portfolio. Like the photo? Hide it from yourself for a month, or better - six months or a year, so that the emotions, feelings, thoughts with which this frame is associated are gone. After a while, the shot is interesting - publish it, no - in its trash can.

Instead of a conclusion

The portfolio of a businessman is a work book.

not loud words, but meek truth.

Updated 01/05/2018

Peace to all, and passing light on the places of photographic battles.
Your,
Andrey Bondar.

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