Portfolio Suggestions

[BabetteKD]

Just about every 6 months I try and remake my portfolio so I have something new and fresh to send out to schools/employers. It's a habit I got into from one of my professors.

Anyways, I like the current design I've come up with for Spring 2009, but my friends and I can't agree on (as in, dead tie for both sides) which layout to use: white or 'mint'.





If anyone has any suggestions, comments, critiques, please give them to me. I promise I won't be mad. I've had professors who thought a critique wasn't done until I started crying my eyes out, so unless one of you is my professor, my feelings won't be hurt.

And for those who look at my flickr gallery, this is not a photography portfolio, it's for graphic design. I don't post anything other than photography on the internet (unless I need a critique).

So, white, green or something completely different.

[Taallyn]

Just so that I understand what you are doing here ... this is a hard-copy graphic design portfolio "theme" you are asking about?

Hmmm. That is unique for around here. I like both of the sample you have in your post. The first one looks more like a photography portfolio though. The second one seems to highlight graphic design a bit more.

Did that help?

[BabetteKD]

Yes, a hard printed copy. Sorry, I have a hard time trying to explain things out to other people.

Let me ask you Taallyn, is your impression the white one is for photography and the green is for design purely for the fact that those are the types of works I put on those particular pages? Do you think you would still feel this way if I put a graphic design piece on the white page and something more photographic on the green?

[Taallyn]

Yeah, I think that is very likely what made me form that impression. Which is why I asked questions.

I'm not a professional, at least not yet , but my opinion is that the overall theme should enhance the work that you are trying to present. Colors can cause clashes of contrast, or distract from your message in some way. The shades like your mint are less likely for those sorts of distractions, I suppose, but then you might not want to put certain kinds of tones in with it. It might limit what you can do.

The white sample you have seems to be presenting a stark message, if that makes sense. It might not work with with smiling families, for example. Or it might, I would have to see it to know for sure. Meanwhile, the mint sample is certainly much more inviting.

Which message are you going for with your other elements? Moody and stark? Go with the white one. Inviting and peaceful? Then go with the mint one.

[BabetteKD]

There are no smiling families. The closest thing I have to anyone smiling (other than the brochure above) is a zombie for my photomanipulation section, which most likely won't be in this portfolio ebcause I'm trying to just have design work, not heavy photomanipulation.

Most of the portfolio should be design work and layouts, not photos like in the first example. Those were just added because I had the photomanipulation folder open.

[mcdeegan]

Hi, I am a total photography forum newbie and just a mom with a long lens sports photographer, but ... in my other life I was Director of Publications at a legal nonprofit (nonspeaking lawyers write) and I like the mint background better. Every page should have a certain amount of white space to make it easier for the eye to focus and travel across the page but when there is too much the subject gets lost in the white. I like the pics in the first layout and would layer white against the mint to obtain the visual effect (monitor not that great so hoping colors don't clash). Hope that helps...

[Taallyn]

Ahhh, alrighty!

I guess it just comes down to which you like best for what you want to say. Either one will work, but they each kind of go in different directions. Heck, you could use both if you need to target different types of clients, etc. It doesn't necessarily have to be an either / or decision other than keeping your printing costs down. Maybe use the mint theme for your family oriented clients, and use the white theme for your more edgy clientele.

You know, I feel kind of funny about this. You're an educated graphic designer. My degree is in Geology and Physics.

Anyway, good job with them and good luck!

[BabetteKD]

I have another idea to toss out there after takjing witha few friends I graduated with:
what about if I used both, but have 2 pages be white, two green, two white, etc, or would this be too visually confusing?

I'm sorry, I have an awful habit of second and third guessing myself, which is why I eventually tossed everything up online and began asking around. ♥

[Taallyn]

Yeah, it might be too confusing to mix them like that.

I second-guess myself all of the time so I know where you are coming from in that regards.

[mcdeegan]

I would not mix them. You need a constant visual and work from that platform.