Need advice on creating a portfolio...

EZRyder

Hi - I've got my SmugMug site up and running and have gotten zero sales - no surprise, really. Lots of hits, but no sales. Lots of compliments, but no sales.

I understand the problem of turning lookers into buyers, and I think I need to drive people to the site by more conventional means. therefore, I'm putting together a print portfolio, but have no clue as to the best format for this. Should I do 8 x 10's? Larger? Much larger?

Thanks for any advice.

www.ticket2ryder.com

EZRyder

Also...
I have my finger on the trigger, ready to order about $300 worth of 8 x 10's, so if anyone at SmugMug sees this any time soon and believes I should be getting larger prints for a portfolio, please jump in asap. Thanks

saurora

I would think larger prints, especially for landscapes, would be more impressive and more likely to sell. 8x10 landscapes are pretty small in my opinion.

EZRyder

saurora wrote:

I would think larger prints, especially for landscapes, would be more impressive and more likely to sell. 8x10 landscapes are pretty small in my opinion.

Thanks, I was kinda thinking the same thing. Do you think 11 x 14 would be big enough? The other question is: How many photos should be in a portfolio? 12? 20? 50? I'm thinking about 25 B&W and 25 color, perhaps. Is it a good idea to mix the two in one actual portfolio "pouch", or whatever they call it? I'm not familiar with the sizes of these portfolio cases, or whatever. I have one that's 12 x 12, which I thought would be a good carry-around size, but you make a good point about landscapes needing to be bigger for best effect. I don't want to cart around a huge one, though.

johng

IMO, 50 is way too many. Limit a portfolio to about 24 photos - but you have to be extremely self-critical on which ones you include. Keep it updated as time goes by. But a portfolio is your resume - if you have a 6 page resume it works against you. Same here. If you can't drum up the interest in 24 shots another 26 isn't going to do it. Just my .02

I would also agree - a larger size is going to be better for your style of work - 11x14 being the minimum.

As to including both color & b&w - it depends on your style. Your portfolio should be a representation of your product offering If you're predominantly color, let your portfolio reflect that. If you're 50-50 let it reflect that.

But I'm in a slightly different genre - sports photography. Out of honest curiosity though - how do you plan to market your portfolio? I.E. who is your target audience and how will you get your portfolio in front of them? I'm not being a smart a@@ - I'm honestly curious for the type of work you do who you market to if you're going to be using print images and thus have to meet them in person.

By the way - took a look at your site - very interesting work. Really different!!