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Build a portfolio around the work you want to create

04-10-20262 min read

Your portfolio does not need to contain every photograph you are proud of. Above all, it should show the work you want to create more often. Start not with the number of images, but with a question: what kind of project should a visitor want to give you after viewing it?

Choose a recognisable direction

Look at your selection as though you were visiting your website for the first time. Is it clear whether you photograph weddings, portraits or commercial work? Different types of work can sit alongside each other, as long as visitors can find their way. Give each type of work a logical place and choose an introduction that explains what someone will find there.

Let a series tell a story

Do not choose only isolated highlights. A small, coherent series can show how you approach atmosphere, details and people. Avoid putting every similar image next to the others; give each photograph a reason to be there. Alternate wider views and details where that fits the story, without allowing a fixed sequence to become more important than the content.

Add context

A short description helps a visitor understand the project and what defines your approach. Describe only what you actually did. Choose images and client details you are permitted to publish. A few concrete sentences can be more useful than a long text filled with general statements about passion and quality.

Make the next step clear

Add an appropriate link to your services or contact form near your portfolio. After viewing your work, visitors should not need to search again to find out how to enquire. Match the action to what they have just seen: a wedding series could lead to information about your wedding photography, for example.

Keep the selection current

Set aside time occasionally to review your portfolio. Does it still reflect your current style and the projects you want? Removing images can be just as useful as adding them. Your portfolio is not an archive of everything you have created, but a deliberate introduction to the work you want to show.