What makes a good Portfolio?

[GraphyFotoz]

I'm not a Professional but have sold at least a dozen of my works over the years.

Now I'm told it's time to get in gear and show my work.
So far I have been going by word of mouth typa thing locally.
I'm told by all of my Customers(Private Individuals) I'm making a big mistake not doing more to get the word out round my area. :dunno

While I'm not a Shay or Andy :bow what can I do to get the ball rolling? :scratch
I prefer to keep it local as I don't have the time ot resources to go any further at this point.

I do have much of my best work printed up in 8x10(Which I sell) in a album to show potential Customers.
My work I sell consist of 8x10's in a 11x14 matte and frame.

TIA

[Bakat]

What area are you focusing in? Weddings? Landscapes? Seniors? Product Photography? Art Images? Architecture?

I have 3 paper portfolios; 1) Weddings, 2)Portraits, 3) Product Images.

Kat

[GraphyFotoz]

What area are you focusing in? Weddings? Landscapes? Seniors? Product Photography? Art Images? Architecture?

I have 3 paper portfolios; 1) Weddings, 2)Portraits, 3) Product Images.

Kat

My strength is in Wildlife Photography!

Flowers....Bugs...Birds...Animals...and some Landscape all from my area.

[Art Scott]

What type of gift shops are in your area....UPSTATE NY is a large area....where are you exactly....how large is your town...are there any Gander Mountains, Bass Pro, Dicks, Cabelas or such in your area.....also the mid to upperscale resturants just might allow you to hang some of your work ( for this I recommend nothing smaller than 16 x 20 matted and framed with a business card holder on the bottom of the frame), of course Joes Beer & bait might not seem likely but there are people with money that drop by there also, so a few of your best shrink wrapped and a business card display, also the local bookstores just might allow you to display and sell thru them for a commission.......or just place flyers on the bookstores bulletin boards.

Also you might take and turn them into post cards and see if the local wally world would be interested....a local landscaper here got his stuff into the wally worlds here, so that is a viable place as they do sell art prints..just don't let them tell you an 8 x 10 must sell for a buck or 2 as yours are not assembly line products but made by hand (so to speak).

Hope this has been a help.

[GraphyFotoz]

Thanx for the info Art!

Maybe I'll just stick to Private Individuals as they seem appreciate my work more.
My mission in Wldlife Photography is to make people more aware and appreciate the Wildlife around them.
My customers so far like the 8x10 (11x14 matted) cuz they are easier to find a place to hang.
Unless the oppertunity arises that someone in the commerical field shows intrest in my work I prefer to keep things the way they are for now.

[Shay Stephens]

A portfolio shows what you can do. It shows what you want to do. It convinces a potential client that you can do what they are looking to have done.

So fill a portfolio with work that you think will acheive one or more of those things.

And to add, a portfolio does nothing for you sitting on a shelf. It needs to be seen. For many, an online portfolio gets a lot more work done than a print portfolio. If you have face to face meetings with people, then having a print portfolio will help.

People buy what they see. So make sure you show what you want to sell. Don't show things you don't want to sell.

[GraphyFotoz]

A portfolio shows what you can do. It shows what you want to do. It convinces a potential client that you can do what they are looking to have done.

So fill a portfolio with work that you think will acheive one or more of those things.

And to add, a portfolio does nothing for you sitting on a shelf. It needs to be seen. For many, an online portfolio gets a lot more work done than a print portfolio. If you have face to face meetings with people, then having a print portfolio will help.

People buy what they see. So make sure you show what you want to sell. Don't show things you don't want to sell.

Thanx for the info Shay!! :bow:bow