Seminar: portfolio

Unfortunately I wasn't too well to attend the first session on portfolios however I asked a friend to share their notes with me. I want to leave these notes here on my reflective journal to come back to if I ever need to during the making of my portfolio...

What should my portfolio do for me?

• be suited to the work I am making
• be accessible
• durable enough to last
• show off my work to the people who I want to see it
• well presented and professional
• get me a job
• make impact
• show style and best work
• high quality of printing
• convince someone to choose my work
• different from website
• talk people through it

How will you use your portfolio?

• to show work
• to generate work
• to collaborate
• to get feedback - reviews on how to develop and extend work
• to meet other photographers/practitioners
• further study
• to work with new people
• keep up-to-date with best work
• give a lasting impression - to add value
• self reflection (personal)

Who will I show it to?

• galleries 
• PR's
• friends and family
• models
• art directors
• other photographers
• MUA's/stylists
• other practitioners
• Also depends on the industry the work applies to. More people will then need to see the work

Book vs. box vs. digital

• book allows me to choose the order
• sleeves for images vs. none
• moving image
• may be tempted to add more images with digital - but less is more?
• cost
• weight and transportation
• storytelling, size of prints
• double sided
• keeping prints uopdated - if printing straight into a book, it's harder to update
• different types of screens - images may look different
• sizing - 11x14", 12x16", A5
• roughly 30 images, depends on work. quality is important
• landscape vs. portrait. Mixing both
• box could suit fine art, still life, automotive, advertising. potential for larger prints
• images seen individually and can be re-arranged
• vary paper
• lighter to carry
• easy to update
• harder for someone to look at - space
• the digital screen is better for commercial and fashion - being able to send to lots of people
• moving image
• choosing a specific screen to always show the work on
• limited in how I can make the work look
• PDF - can't control someone else's screen
• easy to be more personal with presentation in print

Companies to print with...

• Brodies
• Plastic Sandwich
• Hartnack and co (issues with last year)
• Silverprint (lower end)