Originally Posted by
budy1ham
Hi
I am currently finishing my college education in photography and we have to do a portfolio as our final project. One of the things we have to do is get an opinion from our target audience about what they would want to see in our portfolios. So my question is
If you were looking to get your family photos done what would you be looking for in photographers portfolios to make your decision of who you want to hire?
If you could give me a response that would be great
Thanks
I'm currently taking a semester long class on preparing a photography portfolio. We need to select candidate photos then have several people evaluate the portfolio - how appropriate the photos are, how well they show a consistent style, how well they are executed, how well they fit together, etc. I suggest you do the same. Take your best photos, put them in a sequence, and ask someone to take 15 minutes and look at them, and tell you which images they feel work well to project what you want to project, and which aren't strong enough or consistent with your style.
Here are some tips on selecting and editing photos for your portfolio:
1.Gather all images that are candidates for inclusion in your portfolio. Delete any image that is lacking in professional quality. Photographs and presentation must be immaculate, flawless.
2.Scrap any photo that you did not enjoy shooting.
3.Eradicate all photos that are of subjects that do not excite you. Don’t show something you would not want to photograph again. (This is important - people WILL hire you to take photos like the ones you show in your portfolio!)
4.Lose all photos that do not titillate the majority of viewers.
5.Exterminate photographs that lack interesting composition and lighting or are devoid of a unique perspective, an unusual way of seeing something. Include photos that are visual treasure chests that when opened (viewed) pleasantly startles, surprises the viewer with never-before-seen gems. Your photos should have impact, a hook.
6.Count the number of images that are left standing. If there are less than 10, stop here. It is not necessary to continue reading. Go out and shoot. As you photograph, your goal should be to create images that cause people to gasp with delight.
(The next section is on the physical design of your portfolio. In my opinion that isn't nearly as important as selecting the photos - especially for a personal service such a portraits.)
Good luck!