How to Make an Amateur Photo Portfolio

Building a photography portfolio is an important step in making the jump from casual hobbyist to professional photographer. A portfolio demonstrates your capabilities as a photographer as well as your creativity and artistic point of view. Putting together a portfolio can seem daunting at first, but once you have an idea of what to keep and what to exclude, you will find the process much more enjoyable. As long as you put your best work forward, your portfolio will serve as a strong indicator of your ability to complete an assignment. You can make your own portfolio with simple materials.

Instructions

1

Gather your best and most interesting images and prepare for a rough editing session. You have to be your own harshest critic to keep your portfolio strong.

2

Pare your collection down to between 10 and 20 images. A potential employer does not need to see much more than that to get an idea of your talent; anything longer is a waste of his time.

3

Spray a thin layer of adhesive onto a piece of sketch paper.

4

Attach one of your photographs to the paper. Try to center the photograph on the page so the paper forms a natural complementary frame.

5

Repeat this process with each of your portfolio images, then leave them to dry for a few minutes.

6

Insert each mounted photograph into a clear presentation sleeve. You can find these sleeves at office supply stores, with the presentation folders.

7

Insert the sleeves into your presentation book. This will create a cheap, simple portfolio that you can easily update and take with you to job interviews.

8

Place your strongest photographs at the beginning of your portfolio. An art director may only page through the first few images, so you have to make them count.

9

Place your absolute best image at the end of the portfolio. If the reviewer makes it to the last page, you want your best photograph to be the one they remember.

10

Update your portfolio as you earn new work. A fresh portfolio is just as important to an amateur as it is to a professional.

---

Building a photography portfolio is an important step in making the jump from casual hobbyist to professional photographer. A portfolio demonstrates your capabilities as a photographer as well as your creativity and artistic point of view. Putting together a portfolio can seem daunting at first, but once you have an idea of what to keep and what to exclude, you will find the process much more enjoyable. As long as you put your best work forward, your portfolio will serve as a strong indicator of your ability to complete an assignment. You can make your own portfolio with simple materials.

Instructions

1

Gather your best and most interesting images and prepare for a rough editing session. You have to be your own harshest critic to keep your portfolio strong.

2

Pare your collection down to between 10 and 20 images. A potential employer does not need to see much more than that to get an idea of your talent; anything longer is a waste of his time.

3

Spray a thin layer of adhesive onto a piece of sketch paper.

4

Attach one of your photographs to the paper. Try to center the photograph on the page so the paper forms a natural complementary frame.

5

Repeat this process with each of your portfolio images, then leave them to dry for a few minutes.

6

Insert each mounted photograph into a clear presentation sleeve. You can find these sleeves at office supply stores, with the presentation folders.

7

Insert the sleeves into your presentation book. This will create a cheap, simple portfolio that you can easily update and take with you to job interviews.

8

Place your strongest photographs at the beginning of your portfolio. An art director may only page through the first few images, so you have to make them count.

9

Place your absolute best image at the end of the portfolio. If the reviewer makes it to the last page, you want your best photograph to be the one they remember.

10

Update your portfolio as you earn new work. A fresh portfolio is just as important to an amateur as it is to a professional.

---

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