CHAPTER 8
Building a New
Portfolio:
Photographers Speak
Talent-based portfolios (Web or online) are the backbone
of every photo business. Yet the body of work that defines you as
a commercial talent is rarely given the time, effort, and finances
needed. Most photographers still create their portfolios based
on client assignments or scattered personal assignments that
happen when they “have time.”
This is clearly a mistake, as client assignments are generated
to meet a client’s needs, not yours. Most photographers would
agree that fewer than half of the assignments they receive truly
represent their greatest abilities.
Building a portfolio when you “have the time” generally
results in a book of singular images, and while, at best, they may
be stunning individually, there is no cohesive message being
delivered to prospects. At worst, building a book “when you
have the time” never happens, as you will always find something
“more important” to do.
If you are truly interested in “building a portfolio,” a body
of work that represents your vision and your value to clients,
then you will need to commit to building a new body of work.
Your new portfolio will need to be concepted, photographed,
edited, paginated, and housed with great care. This valuable
sales and marketing tool will be developed over the course of
many months, during which time great trust and effort on yourChapter 08.qxd 6/27/07 9:04 PM Page 48