Portfolios--Investing in Your Success by Rolando Gomez return to our main tips page A portfolio, or "your book" as it’s known in industry terms, is a model, make-up artist, stylist, or photographer’s formal representation of their abilities—the portfolio tells a client, art director, model booker, artist’s rep, or photo editor exactly what the represented talent is composed of. This composition conveys the represented talent’s level of professionalism as well as their abilities, limits, desires, style and business-charisma, in about 15 to 30 images. Some creatives will include "tearsheets" within pockets located in their portfolios, as well as "compcards" or business cards. Often you can find a resume or client list within those same pockets; however, no book should be crammed—it should be clean in appearance, both in and outside, and always up-to-date. The old "KIS" rule applies—keep it simple. Simplicity also falls to the outside of the portfolio. Currently the talent industry has shifted from the older "zippered" cases to the more slipcase or notebook style portfolios. Stay away from "eye-catching" bright colors or cliché aluminum or fancy cases—talent recruiters want to see what’s inside, not "eye-grabbing" packaging that distracts from the real talent. In fact, fancy packaging often sends the indirect message of special packaging is required to "stand out from the others because the talent is lacking." Most books carried by professional talent today varies in 9 1/2 x 12 1/2-inch (outside measurements) formats to 11 x 14-inch (inside sheet measurement) formats, with the 9 1/2 x 12 1/2-inch the most popular. A few folks carry 8 x 10-inch portfolios, but the industry is more apt to favorably consider a standard portfolio size over a smaller format. Remember, portfolios are another discriminator over your competitors and it's better to err on the industry known standard. With a portfolio designed to carry 9 x 12 sheets, a person can have either full-bleed, 9 x-12-inch images or 8 x 1-inch images with a 1/2-inch border all around the print. It’s best to do one or the other, but not to mix them within the same book. With 11 x 14 portfolios, it’s best to have either full-bleed, 11 x 14-inch images or 9 x 12-inch centered on an 11 x 14-inch sheet of paper. Once the right portfolio size is determined, one must think about what goes inside their book. For photographers, they might consider having more than one portfolio—tailoring their portfolios(s) to your client(s). A photographer who specializes in fashion and fine-art nudes would have one book with fashion only photographs and supplemental tearsheets, while having a separate fine-art portfolio. All portfolios should have the talent's name clearly labeled on the front and side, or the side as a minimum, to prevent your book from getting lost in the stack of other portfolios. The same with models, models should have fashion-only in their fashion portfolio, while maybe having a separate glamour-only book if they do both fashion and glamour. There may be some "graying" of the different genres between fashion and glamour, so a model should carefully pick-out images that best fill the client’s need. Photographers and models portfolios should be no less than 12 images, while having no more than 30 images. Fifteen to 20 images is the preferred amount—remember, quality counts, not quantity. Model portfolios should include at least two or three good headshots, as well as some shots showing the model from just below the bust and up, 3/4 body shots and full-length shots too. A model’s portfolio should be composed of photographic styles of more than one or two photographers—this shows the model’s ability to work with different photographers and their styles effectively. For a model, a portfolio is an extension of her compcard, or composition card. The model’s "look" should be effectively emphasized in the portfolio and all images should be kept current and replaced, especially if a model changes her appearance. Likewise, photographers should have a portfolio with different models, but the photographer’s style should stand out and be consistent in their portfolio images. Photographers should showcase their ability to work in their client-specific genre of photography, but in different settings, from simple to difficult. The key to photographer’s portfolios is showing the ability to adapt to different situations with consistent shooting style and skill. Portfolios for make-up, hair and clothes stylist should contain closer to 20 to 30 images in their book. Their portfolio should showcase many different models, photographers and include tearsheets from the actual images in their books. All stylists should include business cards and rate sheets, as well as location availability. All talent portfolios should show consistency throughout. The key is all images should be powerful, not some images strong while others weak—the strength of a portfolio is categorized to other competing portfolios by its weakest image. Ten strong images are always better than ten strong images interlaced with ten trivial images. Portfolios should be portable and sturdy enough to be shipped via a courier or express mail. Portfolios may play second fiddle to compcards for models, but for all talented individuals they are the most formal tool in a creative’s arsenal—they should be built inside and out to take the strongest shot at securing success. Investing in a great portfolio can be the one discriminator that places one talent above another competing talent. The more professionally composed a portfolio, the more professional the talent conveys to a client, art director, model booker, artist’s rep, or photo editor, providing a potential return on investment for the author of the book. Discover some great great portfolios from Light Impressions®, here on Garage Glamour™--click here! ©2002 Rolando Gomez return to our main tips page