1.1 Introduction

Hi everybody and welcome to the course the photographer's portfolio. In this course, you will learn what a portfolio is, why you need one, how to go about putting one together and how to interact with your core audience. My name is Shamir Young and I'm an artist and photographer with a passion for creativity and productivity. This course is for photographers who already have a body of work of some kind. While it's great if you have some experience in photography, by no means do you need to be a higher level professional. However, you should be ready to show your work off. The truth is, no matter what stage of the game you're in, everyone needs a portfolio. As photographers, we all have images. But how do you show these images to people who might potentially commission or hire you? This course will help you understand the basic needs of a portfolio from the editing stage to the final presentation. You will learn how to best present your work in a way that communicates your personal vision as a photographer. The concept of effectively constructing your portfolio is of huge importance in building and maintaining a fulfilling photography practice. So here's an overview of what we will be covering in this course. First, we'll talk about what a portfolio is and why it's important for you to have one. Then we'll discuss the different kinds of portfolios, be it print or digital. And the various purposes and benefits. We'll also cover how to set goals and craft a vision for your portfolio. Then we'll walk through the process of gathering your photos together and narrowing down the finalist to use. We'll cover the basics of editing for space and clarity. And we'll also chat about understanding your vision and how it applies to your presentation. Then, we'll talk about the process involved for putting each type of portfolio together. Finally, in the conclusion of the course, we'll discuss some best practices for presenting your work and how to best interact with your viewer. For this course, you will need most important, your own group of potential photos for your portfolio. I recommend less than 100 for the exercises that we do in this course, but you can always add more photos later. Also, you will need a computer with an internet connection. Other optional materials include layout software that can create PDFs, a tablet, and various physical paper products depending on the type of portfolio you ultimately decide to create. Consider this, your real goal in the portfolio review isn't to get work, it's to get another portfolio review. You want the reviewer to remember you, to think about how you might be helpful to them or someone they know, and to ultimately take another look at your pictures down the line. Maybe they visit your website. Maybe they ask to visit your studio or maybe they request that you visit them again. In any case, the vast majority of hires and purchases only come after the second viewing. At the earliest. I want to stress that you can have a number of different portfolios that are best suited for certain situations and themes. For example, if you're an architectural photographer and a corporate headshot photographer, it would serve you best to have two different print portfolios or two separate galleries on your website showcasing your skill in these separate areas. And if you tend to focus more on architectural photography in general, and less on corporate headshots, then you would want to show more of your architectural work. And how you show your work can vary. I actually recommend having more than one way to do this. You're portfolio is a flexible, living tool that can be adjusted according to the needs of the situation. It's key that you're familiar with your strengths, your images, and also the needs of your potential client. If you're a photographer and you don't have a portfolio then you need to start at least one now. Don't wait until you have what you feel is the perfect body of work. Let's move on to the next lesson. In the next lesson, we'll go into more detail about what a portfolio is, and we'll also the discuss the various types of portfolios and their different purposes. Are you ready? Let's get started.