How should a photography portfolio be organized?
Manny asked:
Hey
Hey
I’m an amateur at photography, I have quite a bit of shots and I’d like to start a portfolio. It’d like to have one because I’ll be taking a photography class in the fall. My question concerns how the photographs should be organized. Should I place all the best shoots form one shot together or spread them around with other shots from other shoots? Is there a certain way it should be organized?
Thanks.
There is really no one set rule on how to do a portfolio. But honestly, I wouldnt lump all the best shots together.
I’ve been a photographer for many years and I have a few tips that may help you organize your portfolio effectively. First of all, remember that your portfolio will only be as good as your worst picture. What that suggests is that you should go for quality, not quantity when organizing! Secondly, and I know this from experience, don’t put all of your best shots in the beginning and weaker shots at the end! Someone was looking at my portfolio once and immediately went to the last page! Finally, show your versatility in technique and subject matter of course, but even more importantly, I feel, is to display images that say or mean something. There have been a million shots of this or that. But your shots should say something in such a way that the viewer will remember them. Be an artist first and a technician secondly. I hope this helps you!
portfolio organization depends largely on your audience. i.e., who is going to be looking at it. many artists make the mistake of designing the porfolio for themselves. determine what it is your client is looking for. ask as many questions as possible or find out info about the client that will give you some clues as to what to include and omit.
if you just want to put together a broad porftfolio organize by subject: landscape, portrait, abstract, etc. within each subject try to organize thematically. keep photos from the same shoot together.