Three Questions: Short Version
1. How do you organize your photography portfolio?
2. Has social media changed the way you organize your portfolio?
3. Do social media applications provide better opportunities to represent your unique style and vision than a traditional portfolio?
After receiving input from several photographers, I have synthesized my project into three questions. During March, I will share photographers' responses to see if the once sacred photography portfolio is still relevant or a relic better associated with the film camera era.
At the least, the photography portfolio is a valuable teaching tool. (I teach a popular photography portfolio workshop twice a year with Mark Murray at JEA National Conferences). Next month, Jim McNay will join us in Anaheim. By creating a portfolio, photographers learn how to present their best work. Students learn how to edit and sequence photos. Students practice listening to feedback and finding their voice.
New technology has helped photographers share their work. We are more accessible. We can reach our audience on Facebook and Twitter. I love it.
However, I realize that using some of these new tools is at odds with creating a quality portfolio. I "post" photos that I would otherwise delete. I share photo galleries that seem inconsistent with other projects. I think about sequencing photos less, because I know that my viewers might find photos by search terms or tagged names... and yet, I am mostly content, because I am reaching my audience.
So, how do we present ourselves now? Is the portfolio still relevant? What do you do?
March 4 - Sports Shooter Articles
April 14 - Adam Shaening-Pokrasso
1. How do you organize your portfolio?
Standard; Not in print form, rather in a traditional "singles" and "stories" manner. Files are arranged by name, with stories getting a title slide. Online, singles are still one collection. Each story has it's own link.
2. Has social media changed how you organize your portfolio? Do you have more than one portfolio? Do you create online albums or galleries? Are your galleries similar to portolios?
Social media has not changed my portfolio organization. I'm trying to figure out how to make it all click at this point, so everything is one seamless, perfectly branded series of products and services. I do create online galleries for clients, but am still learning how to use PhotoShelter. Given that I have returned to academia, learning a new outsource has taken a back seat to studies.
3. Does your portfolio represent your unique style and vision, or do you feel there are better outlets for promotion? With all the socail media applications, how do you make yourself stand out from the crowd?
I hope my portfolio represents my vision! I'm sure there are better outlets for promotion than simply slapping my work on a website, but I have yet to reach that point in my freelance work (painfully obvious, as I have plenty of time to search for cool events and stories, but few outlets for publishing).
Give me a shout if you have additional questions.
Cheers,
Rob Mattson
Posted by: Rob Mattson | March 02, 2011 at 06:50 PM
Thanks Rob!
I am posting on the March 2, Rob Matson Day post.
BF
Posted by: bryan farley | March 04, 2011 at 12:59 AM