Why You Need a Photography Portfolio

OlufisayoNovember 13, 201811,229 views

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As a photographer, you’ve probably devoted a lot of time to your craft. You have most likely spent hours each day trying desperately to learn each and every complex function that your camera has and how you can use that function in your art.

You’ve gone through the ups and downs of developing a specific brand to hopefully draw in paid photography gigs. Even after taking the pictures, you’ve most likely spent twice as much time fiddling with editing software or taking classes to learn how to truly put your own spin on your photographs. It’s a passion. When you’re passionate about something, you put everything you have into it. You eat, sleep, and breathe that passion.

However, after years and years of developing your skills, you might still notice that your hard work is not getting the recognition that you believe it deserves. This most likely isn’t because your work just isn’t up to par. Most often, extremely talented and creative minds go unnoticed because they simply haven’t set up the tools necessary to get their work out in the right way. This is where a photography portfolio comes into play for all of you photographers out there.

What is a Photography Portfolio?

Of course, you can’t make a portfolio or even think about making one if you don’t know what it is. A photography portfolio is simple. It’s a collection of all of your best work in one place. This can be made in a physical format, but that requires you to show people the portfolio in person. The alternative is a digital portfolio in the form of a website or another platform on the internet.

Once you set up a portfolio, you can start filling it with all of the images you’ve taken and edited. It’s a basic concept. It’s just something that you use to keep your most impressive work all in one place.

Why Should You Have A Portfolio?

Why should you go through the process of making a portfolio? You’ve probably created multiple social media pages to share your work on. You have most likely taken your photos to as many different potential clients as possible. What is having a portfolio going to do?

Well, it’ll create a collection of your finest work. You can direct potential clients to your portfolio if it’s online, or you can show them in person if you have the luxury of meeting up with them. Either way, it allows a client to see the best work that you have created. This allows them to see exactly what you’re capable of and what type of work you’re best at. Potentially, it can win them over and land you a paying photography gig with them.

Not only is it a good idea to have a portfolio to show clients, you can also use one if you don’t sell your work. It can be difficult to keep track of where you’re putting each particular photograph. Rather than searching endlessly through all of your platforms, you can simply go to your portfolio and find it within seconds. It’s efficient for when you want to go back and find an older photograph, but you have your work scattered about to reach as many people as possible.

The Importance of a Portfolio

This ties in heavily with the previous section of this article. You want to a portfolio because it will help you keep your work in one place so clients can see everything you’re capable of. Why is a portfolio important, though? Can’t anyone show their work off without a quality portfolio? The answer is yes. You can go show off your work without a portfolio. However, a portfolio shows that you’re professional. It shows that your serious about your craft. Clients don’t typically know that you’ve spent years upon years practicing and learning. They only see what’s put in front of them.

A client might see that you took fifty different photos of hummingbirds on your Instagram account, but they most likely won’t travel over to your Facebook to see the different pictures you have there. A portfolio allows you to take advantage of every interaction you have with a client. If someone shows that they enjoy your work on one platform, but they don’t have a use for those specific pictures, you can direct them to your more varied portfolio and they might find something that they want in it. This is getting your work noticed, and this is what you want.

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