Create a portfolio will mean choosing your very best images.
Photography portfolios come in all shapes and sizes. However, a professional portfolio will contain certain key features that include, quality, range, theme and a unique perspective. Photographers must also consider the number of images and the best order in which to present them. Although there are no set rules to creating a portfolio, following these points will allow you to create an impressive portfolio with a professional look.
Quality
Your photography portfolio should only include your best images. Make every image count by maintaining a consistently high standard throughout your portfolio. This will help you keep the attention and the interest of the person viewing it.
Theme
A good portfolio centers around a theme. Exhibitions and galleries like to present images in themes, so it's best that you do the same. This will create a focused and professional portfolio. If you have images relating to different themes, place them in separate portfolios.
Range
Although your portfolio should center on one particular theme, always aim to demonstrate your range as a photographer. This means including photographs that show both your vision and your technical ability. Avoid presenting multiple images that contain the same message, and instead select the strongest image before moving on to present a different concept.
Unique Perspective
A key feature of a good portfolio is that it is unique to the photographer. This may be through the way you choose to present it or in the unique vision your photos demonstrate. By keeping your portfolio as individual as possible, it will stand out in the viewer's memory.
Size
Your portfolio should include between 10 and 20 images. Any more and you will lose focus and quality, any less and you won't demonstrate your ability in enough detail.
Order
An effective portfolio organizes the images in a way that take the viewer on a journey, either chronologically or through developing your chosen theme and mood through the course of the portfolio. Start with your some of your strongest images, then place the images with the least impact in the middle before creating a strong finish with some high-impact images.
