How many images should your portfolio have? I've been doing photography commercially as well as freelance for well over a decade and in that time this still seems to be something upstarts seems to struggle with. Every circumstance is different but there is a sweet spot; that perfect number that seems to be just right.That sweet port number is 15.
You can comb the Internet after reading this but what you'll find on nearly every blog, industry periodical or site are articles stating the maximum amount you should have and the minimum you should have. In short, if you can't say it visually in 15 images you'll want to call in a creative booking agent to show you how it's done.
What's the harm in having more? The harm is that you appear unfocused. You don't seem to know where you want to go or where you want to be. Additionally decision makers that hire from portfolios don't have time to look at your art nude pics no matter how good they are if you're trying to get booked as a hand model or get a gig as a product photographer.
In any creative industry where portfolios rule, one bad apple does spoil everything. As someone that still works as a commercial photographer and as a freelancer, I can tell you I lose interests beyond 15 images no matter how interesting that port is. It's a numbers game but with a higher number pushing me towards boredom. With editors or creative hiring managers having to comb thru dozens of submissions, or booking agents or directors needing you to get to the point they want your very very best images.
You think all your images are good. I can understand why you think so. Maybe they are but no one needs to see everything at once. Choose your absolute unquestionable best of the best and save the rest for your follow up. Everyone hiring or casting from a portfolio only remembers about 3, maybe 5 of your absolute top images at best. Furthermore, you have to be even more discriminating about your work than your potential target because you don't have another chance to make a first impression with them.
The first mistake is people tend to forget is that your portfolio is your resume. You have to tailor that resume to the clients that you want to attract. If you're a model and you want to do more catalog work then you show your top 15 catalog-ish images. You don't clog it up with irreverent data that detract from your skills. Therefore, NEVER EVER use any less than ideal image as a placeholder for your port online or otherwise. If you don't have 15 but only 8 high end images then show the 8. I often hear people say, "well I'm having some pro shots taken and will replace these when I get them." Or "my new camera is coming but I used my cell phone camera for now to get my photo port started." Bad move! Your creative reputation has already been tainted should that starter-port become public or get seen by anyone if it's anything less than ideal for your "weight-class" for lack of a better word. Why anyone would do that is beyond my ability to comprehend.
A portfolio says everything about you. It should say this is what I've done but more so this is the direction I want to go and this is how I'm beneficial to you. See my level of skill and how adaptable I am? I've done so many different things but my port is a perfect example of the type of artists you're looking for for your organization or project.
A resume does exactly that but with a port it must be done so in less than half of the time it takes to go thru a written resume. Just like a resume you tweak it for the job you want and for the collaborations you seek and it need not be 15 pages long no more than a good portfolio needs to be more then 15 images deep. In this business less is nearly always more. Of course there will be an exception or two where 20 might be best or even 10. But you have to understand the nature of the industry you're in and the processes of selection in place for visual fields. It's brutal and its immediate. My day tasks requires split second decisions from what can be dozens or hundreds of images. Only the absolute best stand out and when I get any group that goes beyond 15 my mind immediately goes blank after those first few pages.
Any good artist also will know that you can never have a single resume or port. You'll have maybe three or more all with slightly different things in them based on the work you want to get at that time. If you want to photograph products then your port should demonstrate photo compositions and lighting style skills needed for that industry and the evidence supports that number should be averaging around 15 images. If you can't show it 15 images then you may want to ask yourself if you're being redundant and whether or not you truly have your absolute incontestable best out front.
You can comb the Internet after reading this but what you'll find on nearly every blog, industry periodical or site are articles stating the maximum amount you should have and the minimum you should have. In short, if you can't say it visually in 15 images you'll want to call in a creative booking agent to show you how it's done.
What's the harm in having more? The harm is that you appear unfocused. You don't seem to know where you want to go or where you want to be. Additionally decision makers that hire from portfolios don't have time to look at your art nude pics no matter how good they are if you're trying to get booked as a hand model or get a gig as a product photographer.
In any creative industry where portfolios rule, one bad apple does spoil everything. As someone that still works as a commercial photographer and as a freelancer, I can tell you I lose interests beyond 15 images no matter how interesting that port is. It's a numbers game but with a higher number pushing me towards boredom. With editors or creative hiring managers having to comb thru dozens of submissions, or booking agents or directors needing you to get to the point they want your very very best images.
You think all your images are good. I can understand why you think so. Maybe they are but no one needs to see everything at once. Choose your absolute unquestionable best of the best and save the rest for your follow up. Everyone hiring or casting from a portfolio only remembers about 3, maybe 5 of your absolute top images at best. Furthermore, you have to be even more discriminating about your work than your potential target because you don't have another chance to make a first impression with them.
The first mistake is people tend to forget is that your portfolio is your resume. You have to tailor that resume to the clients that you want to attract. If you're a model and you want to do more catalog work then you show your top 15 catalog-ish images. You don't clog it up with irreverent data that detract from your skills. Therefore, NEVER EVER use any less than ideal image as a placeholder for your port online or otherwise. If you don't have 15 but only 8 high end images then show the 8. I often hear people say, "well I'm having some pro shots taken and will replace these when I get them." Or "my new camera is coming but I used my cell phone camera for now to get my photo port started." Bad move! Your creative reputation has already been tainted should that starter-port become public or get seen by anyone if it's anything less than ideal for your "weight-class" for lack of a better word. Why anyone would do that is beyond my ability to comprehend.
A portfolio says everything about you. It should say this is what I've done but more so this is the direction I want to go and this is how I'm beneficial to you. See my level of skill and how adaptable I am? I've done so many different things but my port is a perfect example of the type of artists you're looking for for your organization or project.
A resume does exactly that but with a port it must be done so in less than half of the time it takes to go thru a written resume. Just like a resume you tweak it for the job you want and for the collaborations you seek and it need not be 15 pages long no more than a good portfolio needs to be more then 15 images deep. In this business less is nearly always more. Of course there will be an exception or two where 20 might be best or even 10. But you have to understand the nature of the industry you're in and the processes of selection in place for visual fields. It's brutal and its immediate. My day tasks requires split second decisions from what can be dozens or hundreds of images. Only the absolute best stand out and when I get any group that goes beyond 15 my mind immediately goes blank after those first few pages.
Any good artist also will know that you can never have a single resume or port. You'll have maybe three or more all with slightly different things in them based on the work you want to get at that time. If you want to photograph products then your port should demonstrate photo compositions and lighting style skills needed for that industry and the evidence supports that number should be averaging around 15 images. If you can't show it 15 images then you may want to ask yourself if you're being redundant and whether or not you truly have your absolute incontestable best out front.
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