Building a Portfolio

[Jim Bryant]

When it comes to portfolios, the biggest cliché is also the most true: “Your portfolio is only as good as it’s weakest image.” Portfolios aren’t measured on their strengths, they are unfortunately, judged sometimes based on their weaknesses. When another photographer looks at your work, it is a process of comparison, of weeding out the weak images. No matter what field of photography you hope to work in, whether you are trying for a newspaper position, land a freelance assignment, or to gain customers in hopes of shooting portraits, weddings or other type commercial work, your body of images will always be judged for its faults. Eliminate all weak photos from your portfolio, both online and in your book (the portfolio, you hope to show clients).... Original Article from http://www.sterlingphotos.co.uk/

[oldwolf]

great write up dude.

[lputman]

Excellent!

[Murtasma]

Great advice! I've been meaning to clean up my flickr stream for some time now perhaps this will motivate me to do some needed pruning.

[Jim Bryant]

Yea...we all have weeds in our photo gardens

[candleman]

Originally Posted by Jim Bryant

The trick is to captivate the client/viewer with your best stuff so they say “wow!”

How to edit to win.

1. Start strong. Put your best image first. Make sure that image is a knockout. You only get one chance to make a first impression.
2. End strong. – Again put your second best image at the end.

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good one Jim..
those two in particular.
thanks for taking the time to give this input

[JerBear]

I agree with Jim.

As to those who are vying for the wedding market, I would suggest that they have at least three complete albums of former clients. All to often I hear clients that are shopping around complain of not being able to see a album complete start to finish with the same bride and groom. They come away with the question "Why, was there something to be concerned about"

Just a thought

JM

[fletch]

Coming from the customer side of view a protfolio I can say that the is great advice. When shooing a wedding photographer one ropey image as part of an online portfolio is a lost job. It demonstrates to the customer that if you can't even find 12 fantastic shots the how are you going to shoot 200 fanatasic shots of my wedding.

The training point is a good sales thing too. It is tremendiouly reassuring to see a wonderful porfolio and when contacting the photographer to hear they can't meet you at a certain time as they are on a course. You wouldn't hesitate to go on a course in an office job so why as a photographer.

Darren should put this on the blog.

[oblivi]

Very helpful info. I have tried to re-do my portfolio a few times and still haven't gotten to the point of complete satisfaction. Critiques are great especially if someone is willing to give you constructive feedback aside from just a straight one-liner.

[xxpinballxx]

THanks Jim for this write up. I was trying to figure out what shots to put in a portfolio for my buddy (who has a production company and does Videography) to show his clients, who have nothing in common and all may be wanting something different. So as i was looking through my images I decided I definitely needed to make up a few different portfolios so once the clients type of videography was decided my friend could pull out the portfolio that most closely complimented the subject of the video.

Thanks again Jim for this write up.