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Recently, I was asked to represent VSCO to review photography portfolios for the New York Times Portfolio Review, hosted by the City University of New York’s Graduate School of Journalism.
Over 150 photographers from around the world converged upon the city for two days of intense critiques, networking, as well as informative talks by industry leaders. Here are some reflections from my experience, along with advice for up-and-coming photographers looking to present their portfolio.
Whether a student or a working professional, the task of showing your portfolio is daunting at best, terrifying at worst. Your work can be ripped to shreds or, conversely, given the opportunity to be seen by millions. Either way, your life may be changed in a matter of fifteen minutes.
And let’s face it, it’s difficult to “make it” as a photographer these days. Your family thinks you are crazy, your bank account is teetering towards zero, and you can’t ignore the voices in your head whispering “This is impossible.”
Even with the challenges a photographer faces today, achieving your goals are not impossible. It may look less glamorous than anticipated, and it may mean serving tables or lattes along the way… but it is not impossible. You must seize the few opportunities presented to you, and in the case of portfolio reviews, seize the fifteen minutes you have.
Here are three thoughts to help improve your portfolio presentations and career prospects.
It’s easy to fall hopelessly in love with an image you have made. Maybe there is a certain memory attached to it, or maybe its a picture of your grandmother whom you loved, or maybe its the first image someone told you was good.
But I have none of those memories. I have never met your grandmother. I am making a snap judgement call on the quality of your work with none of the attachments you have. So ask yourself, “Is this image truly what I want to represent my work?” You must remove yourself from the emotional and you must edit with no remorse.
Remember, a small portfolio of excellent work will always trump a large portfolio with subpar work.
Kill your darlings.
How you present yourself is almost as important as the work you produce. An editor or gallery curator will make assumptions based on everything from the clothes you wear, to the confidence (or lack thereof) with which you present your work, to the paper stock of your leave behind (you should definitely have a leave behind).
Here’s the thing - I’m not just looking for good photos, I’m looking for good photos delivered on time. I’m not just looking for an emotional series on (insert topic here), I’m looking to see if you can do it again with another topic.
Essentially, I’m asking, “Can I trust you?” And often times, it is the little things that are the biggest tells…
A business card with bent edges makes me wonder if you will treat my assignment with the same lack of care.
A website that hasn’t been updated with recent work makes me wonder if you will do whatever it takes to see a project through.
A handshake with no eye contact makes me wonder if you believe in yourself and the work you create.
All these things have very little to do with the craft of photography, but they have everything to do with a photography career.
It’s the little things...
You should be able to articulate what a project is and why you did it - in one sentence. Two tops. Anything beyond that starts sounding like lots of obtuse, pretentious words.
If you have photographed a series on homelessness in Harlem, say, “I have photographed homelessness in Harlem because (enter personal reason here). Some people will not care about the “Why,” but the “Why” answers the question of motivation and hints at how you view the world around you. It gives me insight into how you approach your craft and how curious you are, an important trait in anything creative.
Keep it simple and then let your work do the rest of the talking. What did you do? And why did you do it?
There are many, many photographers who want the exact same jobs as you.
You must hustle.
This doesn’t mean being a jerk to your fellow photographer, but this does mean doing everything within your power to make connections, bring exposure to your work, and ultimately, get work. It’s not like art school. No one is going to hand you anything. No one is is going tell you how great your work is if it’s not. No one is going to tell you anything because they don’t know you even exist. And it is your responsibility to change that.
You will have to fight almost every step along the way. But if you know in your heart, “This is what I was born for…” then do not quit. Just move forward with reckless abandon… shoot personal projects, show your work online, find peers with the same passion to create, send that follow up email. Just keep moving. Just keep improving. Just keep hustling.
You’ll get there.
