portfolio

This is Why You Have Bad Photography Clients

As an independent photographer, landing the "dream" client might seem like an impossible task. However, getting the perfect client may be more achievable than you think, as is avoiding the bad ones.

The Best Photo Printers in 2024

Photographers rarely need to carry a portfolio book of their work to show potential clients these days, but even with constant access to photos online, there will still be moments when every working photographer will need -- or want -- a printer.

Tutorial: Make Your Own Hard-Cover Photography Portfolio

When I started freelancing as a professional photographer, I knew I had to put together a printed portfolio. Unfortunately, I found it very hard to find useful resources on the Internet on how to actually do this. As I had some experience in bookbinding I managed to bind my first book by myself, but after three books I realized that in this stage of my career, I needed to have something a little more flexible.

A Photo Portfolio Doesn’t Need to be a Website

Well-curated portfolios can be some of the most powerful tools available to a photographer looking to efficiently communicate what they’re about to potential clients and customers. The classic portfolio is a physical book of prints, maybe 10-20 total, often accompanied by a declaration of intent in writing or in person if being showcased at an actual critique session.

5 Basic Tips for Starting a Fashion Portfolio

When you’re just starting out, building a fashion photography portfolio can be quite a daunting task. Having to organize and prepare shoots can be difficult, especially if you have no budget. These are my tips for shooting on a shoestring when you’re just starting:

Do I Still Need a Photography Website in 2019?

Before the rise of social media and the ubiquity of apps like Instagram, photographers established and flexed their brands through their personal website and blog. The photographer website supplanted the printed portfolio, for the most part, offering photographers a way to showcase their work with a remote audience of photo editors, customers, and fans.

This Handmade ‘Ultimate Photography Portfolio’ Took 18 Months to Build

NYC fashion and commercial photographer Dani Diamond recently embarked on a mission to create "The Ultimate Photography Portfolio." By combining his love of photography with his skills as a woodworker and about 18 months of design & development, he was able to create something truly unique: a wooden, leather-bound, laser-engraved, 11x17-inch portfolio that's unlike anything we've seen before.

Can We Please Stop Using Workshop Photos and Styled Shoots in Our Wedding Portfolios?

Over the last few years, I’ve noticed a growing trend of photographers in the UK using workshops and styled shoots to boost their wedding portfolio. It wasn’t as prevalent when I started shooting weddings 6 years ago (following many years of documenting my own life with a camera), and I’m glad because if I’d not been as savvy as I was today, I might have been fooled into thinking those images were from real weddings. And from someone who’s only had a camera 6 months? Wow!

How to Make a Pro Photo Portfolio

Thinking of putting together a professional photo portfolio as a high-impact way of sharing your work with potential clients? Check out this informative and inspiring 5-minute video by photographer Caleb Kerr, who recently built a portfolio of his own and put together a helpful walkthrough for anyone interested in doing the same.

Throw Away Your Best Work, or: How to Create a Portfolio

My best photos aren't in my portfolio. Or, maybe I should more accurately say, photos that were my best at one point in time, have now been discarded from my portfolio because they have been replaced by newer, better work. It didn't happen all at once. One by one, they dropped like flies to be replaced by newer and better flies.

The Only 3 Reasons to Work for Free

Working for free has a huge stigma attached to it, and for good reason. If you don't know how to work for free properly, you can be taken advantage of and devalue other photographers' work in the process. That's why there are, in my opinion, only 3 reasons to work for free.

How to Start Crushing Your Instagram Game

If you use your Instagram account as a main online portfolio for your photography, it's important to make sure you're presenting your work and skills well. Here's a 14-minute video in which photographer Peter McKinnon shares tips for taking your Instagram to the next level.

I Found My Photo Portfolio That Went Missing for 30 Years

This is a story about my photography portfolio that went missing for 30 years. I made this collection of photographs while working as a photographer at the Goldstream Gazette, a weekly newspaper on Vancouver Island from 1976 to 1978.

A Practical Approach to Building Your First Wedding Photography Portfolio

You probably know about the chicken and the egg problem that aspiring wedding photographers experience. On one hand you want to shoot your own weddings as the primary photographer, but on the other hand you don’t have enough experience or an adequate portfolio to attract clients, and on top of that when you shoot as a second photographer you are not allowed to show your work.

My suggestion is rather simple: every time you get invited to an event, whether a wedding, a bar-mitzvah, or christening, consider it as an opportunity, and bring your camera and one prime lens.

7 Things I Learned from My Portfolio Review

Last weekend I went to the small city of Ballarat in Australia for the Ballarat International Foto Biennale. I took a portfolio of prints of my most recent project with me in the hope I would get some nudges in the right direction. I also took part in a one-day workshop led by the very experienced and inspirational Stephen Dupont. While it’s still fresh in my mind, here is what I learned from the experience.

Why I Made an iOS App for My Personal Photo Portfolio

A few months ago I decided to do something a little different and create an iOS app to present my photography. I had been thinking about it for a while and had a vague idea of what I wanted the app to achieve and how I wanted it to work.

Portfolio websites are great for photographers to showcase their work to potential clients but unless the website has additional content, there is no reason for people to keep coming back. This is why many people add a blog to their website with behind-the-scenes or tips-and-tricks content.

Practical Pointers for Getting Your Photos Noticed on Flickr and 500px

You have just composed your photographic masterpiece. After hours of planning, precise composition, and utilizing your technical knowledge, you have captured the perfect image. It's now time to share it with the world, but hours after posting your pièce de résistance, you've only received a meager two views.

In this article, we'll be discussing some basic tips for helping you make your work shine and become more noticeable on photo sharing sites.

6 Top Online Photography Portfolio Hosting Options

Your photography deserves a website that can showcase its creativity and beauty... without breaking the bank. Former TIME CEO and Curator Gallery owner Ann S. Moore told us in a recent interview, “Shame on you if you don’t have a website! You absolutely have to have one!” Today we'll be looking at a few of the top industry solutions for hosting your photography portfolio in style.

Former Time CEO Ann S. Moore on Art Galleries and Advice for Photographers

Ann S. Moore is one of the most powerful women in the world according to Forbes and Fortune Magazine. Graduating from Vanderbilt University in 1978, Moore climbed the career ladder leading exciting positions including being the publisher of Sports Illustrated for Kids and People Magazine. She was crowned People Magazine’s president in 1993 and become the Chairman and Chief Executive Officer of Time Inc. in 2002.

Now, it is 2015; Moore has established a high-end art gallery in Chelsea, New York. The Curator Gallery, as it is called, focuses on a mission to “bring exposure to hardworking artists, as well as to educate and expand the pool of engaged, serious collectors”. We interviewed Moore, and if you have in interest in the business of art galleries or the process of having your work included in one then read on to learn more.

The ‘Take Every Photo Gig You Can Get’ Approach

Note: This article is written for commercial photographers, not consumer photographers. A consumer shooter has a different list of challenges, and since I am not a consumer photographer, I won’t be addressing them.

Well it has certainly been a hectic week. Two proposals, a shoot, designing and writing -- and that was only Monday, heh.

It reminded me of how many channels I have, and I wonder if it may be possible to actually have too many. Can one have too many things one does? Possibly. Perhaps. Probably.

Make a Pocket Portfolio for a Way to Stand Out When Out and About

As a photographer, I’m constantly striving for new ways to stand out. While considering that some of the greatest opportunities to create a lasting impression on a potential client in my realm (motorcycle and automotive photography) are at trade shows, or highly publicized events, sometimes all you have is one shot.

But how do I set myself apart from the hundreds of other hobbyists walking the showroom floor with a DSLR, a Facebook fan page and a business card itching for work?

Battle of the Client Galleries: Comparing 11 of The Best Tools for Proofing and Presentation

Online client galleries have been there for some time now, but many photographers either neglect this powerful tool relying on ol’ school DVDs and USB drives for image delivery, or simply are not aware of the options that would suit their particular business.

As a beginner, mostly part-time, photographer I was looking for an affordable photo gallery service to give a try. The main problems I wanted such a tool to solve were: a) deliver images quickly after the shoot; b) impress my clients with a personalized website and thus, make them want to refer me; c) make it easy to share the photos.

Is The Print Portfolio Making a Comeback In the Age of The Internet?

In an age where social media fatigue is a real and prominent problem, photographer Erik Almas tries to stand out from the crowd by means of the age-old print portfolio. Detailing the ‘whys’ and ‘whats,’ he briefly goes over what it is that made him decide to go back to the physical portfolio and how his work is organized in the interesting video above.

Rant: Wedding Photographer Wants to Buy Good Wedding Shots to Pad Their Portfolio

Just when you thought you’d seen it all... Excuse me for a moment while I climb atop my soap box. *Taps Mic* Check? Is this thing on? Okay.

This was sent to me by a friend this morning and, after I opened it, I just sat staring at it. I could see it was a Craigslist ad, that much was evident, but I had to keep reading it over and over because the words just would not register. I knew they were English, and complete sentences were formed, but what it was asking went beyond my means of comprehension.

At first, I thought it was a joke. Then I realized, it wasn’t. Then I said a very very bad word.

What in the world is going on here!?

Plagiarized Photography Portfolios are Now Just One Click Away…

You know, it used to be even photography thieves had to put some work in if they wanted to get a bit of dishonest business, but a new project by the name of Pro-folio shows that just a little bit of code can make stealing photos and creating a whole fake portfolio a one-click affair.

500px Redesigns Photo Page, Integrates a ‘Stunning Full Screen Experience’

It wasn't long ago that Flickr rolled out its massive redesign -- met by both boos and cheers -- that entirely changed the way you experience the photos sharing site. Now it's 500px turn. The premium photo sharing platform just announced its own redesign, focused around larger photos and a Focus Viewer feature that offers a "stunning full screen experience."

Always Keep Your Portfolio with You with These Custom Credit Card USB Drives

As a photographer, it's a good idea to always have your portfolio with you. Given the advent of smartphone photography, that's not much of an issue. Many portfolio websites offer mobile optimized versions of your site that you can easily show prospective clients on the go.

But if you're looking for a way to keep higher resolution photos on you to showcase wherever you might be -- or maybe a creative way to deliver final shots to clients -- you might wanna take a look at Cartable+Convenience.

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PhotoShelter Unveils Overhauled ‘Beam’ Portfolio Sites

The leading photography portfolio service PhotoShelter (also known for their sales and marketing tools for photogs) today announced the launch of their overhauled and much improved portfolio sites and tool suite, dubbed 'Beam.'

Presently in beta, Beam is an API-based platform that promises to allow photographers to "showcase their images at their best on nearly any device." Not only that, Beam is designed to be flexible, allowing for rapid expansion of template designs, tools, and the inclusion of third-party integrations.

Meet VSCO Grid: A Publishing Network Focused on ‘Craft, Curation and Content’

Visual Supply Co is trying very hard to get people excited about the new and innovative products it has up its sleeve.

We've already shared the company's recent teaser for the new, completely free VSCO Cam -- a revamped version of the $1 iOS app that promises many improvements -- and now, VSCO is giving fans a closer look at one of those improvements with a new announcement, this one for an app called VSCO Grid that will integrate seamlessly with VSCO Cam.