If every photo tells a story... then every photo can dance.
I met Kathryn MacDonald when she worked as LiveBooks' Marketing & Development Manager. Kathryn also supported the LiveBooksedu.com, the education market component of LiveBooks. During our conversation, I became fascinated with her photography, and I hoped that I would be able to ask her more about her process some day.
Professionally, Kathryn photographs interior photography, portraits, and wedding photography. She also studied dance in college. While these categories might seem at odds, I find a beautiful symmetry, especially in her wedding photography. When her brides pose, they seem choreographed. Her interior wedding shots honor architecture and structure.
1. How do you organize your photography portfolio?
When I first started reading your questions, in my mind, I went immediately to my on line portfolio. As I read further I realized, or it seemed to me the question was in regards to a print or traditional portfolio. That is how far away I have become from using a print portfolio at all. I have not shown it in several years so have not updated it. It would still be presentable as I have a portraits portfolio and an interiors portfolio and I feel they hold up well with time.
That said, I still have print portfolios and have organized them so that the pacing and sequencing have an intended flow. I play with the image size, as well i.e. some images are printed as bleed and other very small with a lot of white space surrounding the image. I have broken my content apart by subject matter so that I have the flexibility to send one or both portfolios to a client depending on what they are looking to see of my work. If one were working with a rep or an agent it is still valuable to have portfolios they can take into client meetings. Since I don’t have a rep and clients are not making the request for print portfolios I have chosen to economize and take all my new work on line. This allows me to change my portfolio content as frequently as I wish and at a low cost.
2. Has social media changed the way you organize your portfolio?
So far no, in regards to a print portfolio. I use social media to keep my name in front of people, show a bit of new work and post android photos from my life to facebook, twitter via a blog.
3. Do social media applications provide better opportunities to represent your unique style and vision than a traditional portfolio?
Social media keeps me in front on my connections, friends and family, which is where a lot of my referrals come from. Social media allows me to increase the frequency with which I make contact with people and share how I see things photographically. The intention is always to drive them to my on line portfolio aka my website so there is an intended marketing path rather than a replacement of the on line portfolio. I do show print portfolios to couples who want to see my work in print once they have visited my website if they are considering me for their wedding photography.
Check out Kathryn's Website
Read Kathryn's Blog
Follow Kathryn @kmacdphoto
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