Portfolios can be a great tool for a photographer to display their skills. However many people are deterred from compiling a portfolio due to lack of confidence or time constraints. Many new photographers may not believe their work is of suitable quality or that they have enough to showcase. To help photographers wishing to create a portfolio we have compiled a short guide on how to create a portfolio.

The Definition

Portfolio is derived from a French term which means large paper carrier. A portfolio is a means of carrying your work to showcase in a protective, portable form. An artist's portfolio may contain concept work such as sketches and photos used for inspiration as well as complete pieces. Similarly a photographer's portfolio may also include background shots and inspiration leading towards a completed project. Portfolios can be presented in any practical form. They may be in a scrap book or album or even sent digitally via e-mail.

The Aim

Creating a portfolio from an amassed collection of photos can become quite a daunting prospect. Similarly if you are new to photography you may not think your shots are diverse enough to display. To aid this problem try to make a coherent theme to stick to. In creating a theme you should be able to find it easier to choose pictures which compliment each other better. This in turn should make it easier for you to comment on values you are trying to present or draw attention to.

You may use your portfolio to:

  • Represent an area and what it means to you.
  • Tell a story of a specific event.
  • Use your photos to display the progression over time of a movement of people.

These are just a brief list of aims for a portfolio. Try to make your aim have some semblance to your personal thoughts and ideologies as you should be able to portray your involvement and the values presented in a clear manner.

Your Audience

As your aim can be used to help channel your creativity into your portfolio your audience is another important factor to take into account.

Your audience can vary a lot depending on what event or meeting you are attending. If you are attending a meeting to show prospective work to an interested customer looking for some portrait work or an editor of a magazine you can use photos to reflect this. You may be taking your portfolio to a trade event to show to a variety of attendees which could add a further random element.

Careful planning will help you to take things into account and allow you to explain yourself more eloquently. Relating your aim to your audience will help to. Are you trying to shock your audience? You may be trying to show a new angle to something which has been criminally overlooked or trying to engage and challenge your audience.

Some of your photos may draw in one audience and alienate another. If this is the case you may have to think long and hard about the context and the depth involved to convey these principals to different audiences and how well they will come across.

In this case it is worth considering if you have enough content to spread out over more than portfolio or if you can combine the ideas presented in a single coherent form.

Whatever event you are planning for, with a little consideration and planning a quality portfolio can be arranged to clarify the direction and aims of your work.