Portfolio Size?

Dogdots

I've been looking at portfolio's and there are a bunch out there, but what size is best.... 11 x 14 or 8 x 10 or any other size? I'm going to be taking some photos in a small town and would like to present the photos I take in a portfolio.

I've looked at leather bound ones, boxed ones(?) and even ones with handles...which I'm not sure about.

If anyone could share with me what you use that would really help me.

Thanks

geospatial_junkie

I'm more of a minimalist, so I never go above 8x10. My portfolio is jet black and very simple.

Dogdots

geospatial_junkie wrote:

I'm more of a minimalist, so I never go above 8x10. My portfolio is jet black and very simple.

Did you buy it online or local store?

geospatial_junkie

I bought it at Henry's Camera Store (local store). It is by ITOYA. I also have a landscape model for 11x14 (if I remember correctly) and simple 4x6. It is acid free!

I find the black is really nice in bringing out the contrast of photos. The only thing I don't like about it, is that the protective pages sometimes make the photos look duller. In order to combat this, I put white borders on all my photos and tell people to take out the ones they want to look at via the white border!:D

Art Scott

Portfolio Suggestions

What is the pourpose of the portfolio?


2 things are of importance here (to me , in my way of thinking at least)....1- How much do you want to spend on the portfolio and 2- How much impact do you want your portfolio to have??

Actually #2 is the most important.....at least to me........Everything I read in books or magazines back when I got started (some 30 odd yrs ago) stated never present your portfolio smaller than 8x10 a this was the size designated as a student(s) portfolio or a beginner pro......if it were smaller then the person presenting it had no aspirations of going truly pro and would be raciously thanked but turned away.......This was advice for people wanting to present their work to ad agency or other agencies or to Galleries for consideration.......the larger, in size, the images are in your portfolio the more IMPACT those images will have...if I am prsenting a portfoolio to a salon, I prsent it in a size larger than their smallest acceptable size....if that is 8 x 10 my minium would be 16 x 20...as I know they will recieve 100's if not thousands of entries in the 8x 10 size and if I have the time and money I go for something even larger as long as I can get a sturday folio mailing box to ship in.....

As far as with or without handles........with makes more sense to me.....it is easier to carry for you and easier for the reciepent to handle aslo.....especially if the reciepient is keeping to review it after you leave.

Mine are over 20yrs old, acid free, blk leatherette with changble pages, not 3 ring style, low profile flat wide 9 ring, I remember purchasing my last when IN L.A. from Freeestyle Photo......as a matter of fact all were purchased from Freestyle as the only ones that I could buy locally were really cheap looking blk truly bad imatation leather.....and I do mean bad imatation:D


HTH a little at least:D

Dogdots

I was looking at the 11x14 size and it was to display my photos to local galleries, etc. along with my small town project.

Do you think bigger then the 11x14 size? Is the 11x14 just used for Landscape photos?

Itoya---I have read about that brand before in my searches. My concern was the pages more then the actual portfolio. I want good pages with the ability to get others if needed.

Also my concern with the size was I didn't want it so big to carry (I"m short) or for someone else to handle it -- put it on their desk and look at it. I took a look at two of them in the store today, but I didn't like the hard plastic type outside. I'm wondering how that would hold up in the cold temps we get up here in the winter.

Art Scott

Dogdots wrote:

I was looking at the 11x14 size and it was to display my photos to local galleries, etc. along with my small town project.

Do you think bigger then the 11x14 size? Is the 11x14 just used for Landscape photos?

Itoya---I have read about that brand before in my searches. My concern was the pages more then the actual portfolio. I want good pages with the ability to get others if needed.

Also my concern with the size was I didn't want it so big to carry (I"m short) or for someone else to handle it -- put it on their desk and look at it. I took a look at two of them in the store today, but I didn't like the hard plastic type outside. I'm wondering how that would hold up in the cold temps we get up here in the winter.

Stay away from anything plastic.....cold+plastic =diaster......

I would probably go with 16 x 20 for you project...Istill use 8 x 10 ports for wedding and portrait work as I do not have a studio so I take and drop off if they do not have internet (fascinating to me how many people living in town do not have computers)...but for your project I still recommend at least 16 x 20....if you have in mind particualr Galleries right now...cointact them and see what they want....an educated gallery owner (degrees out the waaazooo or been in business for a long time) will know what to expect if they see an 11 x 14 port and ask for 30 x 40 inch prints to hang......it is the others that have to nearly see what is going to hang cause they actually have no idea of the changes that happen from 11x14 to 30 x 40 or 40 x 60........
Another really good way of making a port today is by doing a coffee table book of large prints (what ever your pocket book can afford) but his wouod impress most gallery owners and they may even want some to include in your showing.

make 1 for landscape orientation and one for portrait.....
Itoya Landscape port.....$17.99

Itoya Portrait Port......$12.99

Dogdots

Art Scott wrote:

Stay away from anything plastic.....cold+plastic =diaster......

I would probably go with 16 x 20 for you project...Istill use 8 x 10 ports for wedding and portrait work as I do not have a studio so I take and drop off if they do not have internet (fascinating to me how many people living in town do not have computers)...but for your project I still recommend at least 16 x 20....if you have in mind particualr Galleries right now...cointact them and see what they want....an educated gallery owner (degrees out the waaazooo or been in business for a long time) will know what to expect if they see an 11 x 14 port and ask for 30 x 40 inch prints to hang......it is the others that have to nearly see what is going to hang cause they actually have no idea of the changes that happen from 11x14 to 30 x 40 or 40 x 60........
Another really good way of making a port today is by doing a coffee table book of large prints (what ever your pocket book can afford) but his wouod impress most gallery owners and they may even want some to include in your showing.

make 1 for landscape orientation and one for portrait.....
Itoya Landscape port.....$17.99

Itoya Portrait Port......$12.99

Thanks a bunch Art. Such valuable information.

I thank-you for passing it on to someone who needs it

One question...what's the difference between the Landscape and Portrait Portfolio? Just how the photo slides into the page?

Nikolai

Art Scott wrote:

Another really good way of making a port today is by doing a coffee table book of large prints (what ever your pocket book can afford) but his wouod impress most gallery owners and they may even want some to include in your showing.

I was thinking about doing just that, since it seems cost-effective, but... my brief search didn't get me any providers for the large books, not even 11x14, let alone 16x24

Art Scott

Dogdots wrote:

Thanks a bunch Art. Such valuable information.

I thank-you for passing it on to someone who needs it

One question...what's the difference between the Landscape and Portrait Portfolio? Just how the photo slides into the page?

It loos like there is actually other differences but the descritions do not tell what the differences are.....I think I would get 2 of the Portrait Ports as that will save you a few bucks....or email freestyle ....they are good friendly people.

Art Scott

Nikolai wrote:

I was thinking about doing just that, since it seems cost-effective, but... my brief search didn't get me any providers for the large books, not even 11x14, let alone 16x24

Blurbs Large Landscape books are 11 x 13"

Asuka books largest is under Book Bound EX and is 11 x 12.5" But I think the IMPACT of the Port being in a hard bound book would be impressive, as that would show that the artist truly cared about their work was displayed to others.....Just like I think I woud be more impressed if I went to a showing and an artists prints were all gallery wraps instead of frames and matted.....to me they just look more artistic.....it is not like the artisit had to have another artist make the matt and frames ( I know some photogs do their own matts but very few if any have the time to make beautiful frames...).....I used to do my own matts and damn that took time away from shooting....just like having to post process digital does....
Sorry got off topic....

Nikolai

Art Scott wrote:

Blurbs Large Landscape books are 11 x 13"

Asuka books largest is under Book Bound EX and is 11 x 12.5" But I think the IMPACT of the Port being in a hard bound book would be impressive, as that would show that the artist truly cared about their work was displayed to others.....Just like I think I woud be more impressed if I went to a showing and an artists prints were all gallery wraps instead of frames and matted.....to me they just look more artistic.....it is not like the artisit had to have another artist make the matt and frames ( I know some photogs do their own matts but very few if any have the time to make beautiful frames...).....I used to do my own matts and damn that took time away from shooting....just like having to post process digital does....
Sorry got off topic....

Yeah, I checked all those and then some... Asuka is really inexpensive... Maybe I just need to go ahead and make me a 30-50 pages one and see how it looks...

Art Scott

Nikolai wrote:

Yeah, I checked all those and then some... Asuka is really inexpensive... Maybe I just need to go ahead and make me a 30-50 pages one and see how it looks...

I just got a copy of PDN to see what it might have to say about this....I am going to also check the current copy of Professional Photographer for book companies and also I am looking for printed proof folios....just like the TAP slide in folios only printed.....

Nikolai

Art Scott wrote:

I just got a copy of PDN to see what it might have to say about this....I am going to also check the current copy of Professional Photographer for book companies and also I am looking for printed proof folios....just like the TAP slide in folios only printed.....

Yeah, that magazine is mostly ads.
Although last issue was OK with its "let's hear it for the boys" feature...

geospatial_junkie

I agree with everything that Art said. All the rules go out the window if your clients are people for weddings and portraits and such.

However, for commercial work, plain black is the only way to go and only put the best images in (maybe 20 or so). Usually, they'll tell you if your portfolio is overdone.

I hope you get something that fits you!:D

Dogdots

I can see that for Weddings and Portraits people would like to see them in a book...makes it look "uptown"

The Asuka books look cool. I'm going to have to do one of those.

Yes...for the small town photos I'm doing I think I will just go with the Itoya kind. But how does that spine work? That has me somewhat confused I wish it did have a zipper closing and handle, but heck...I can do with out that for now.

geospatial_junkie

You cannot insert pages into the ITOYA as the spine is fixed. Check out ITOYA's website on google to take a gander at them.

Also, something else of note. Again, this depends on what you are doing with the portfolio as Art suggested, but I like to always leave a plain white border around the image so its stands out from the black of the portfolio (if using ITOYA). You'll see what I mean .

I'm sure that other people here at dgrin can give you different ideas too. There is a ton of talented people with a lot more experience than I!:D

Dogdots

How does the spine hold up?

I did notice you can't add extra pages, but I like your idea of adding white behind your photos and then putting it on the black paper. You must have to use an acid free adhesive for that.

geospatial_junkie

I've had ITOYA's for several years now with no issue. The paper in them is already black, just print your photos with a white border and presto!

Most of them come with the ability to hold 50 photos. Personally, I only put about 20 in each portfolio I have. I find that less is usally more (and leaves people wanting more). Again, this depends of the purpose. There is also a side pocket to put in a DVD or CD for archival purposes.

Grand total at the store after taxes (I live in Canada): $16.99.:D

Dogdots

geospatial_junkie wrote:

I've had ITOYA's for several years now with no issue. The paper in them is already black, just print your photos with a white border and presto!

Most of them come with the ability to hold 50 photos. Personally, I only put about 20 in each portfolio I have. I find that less is usally more (and leaves people wanting more). Again, this depends of the purpose. There is also a side pocket to put in a DVD or CD for archival purposes.

Grand total at the store after taxes (I live in Canada): $16.99.:D

Good..I'm glad to hear that you have had no issues. Then hopefully I won't.

Price is good...and I like that

geospatial_junkie

Cheapness is a sense...

darkdragon

geospatial_junkie wrote:

I've had ITOYA's for several years now with no issue. The paper in them is already black, just print your photos with a white border and presto!

Most of them come with the ability to hold 50 photos. Personally, I only put about 20 in each portfolio I have. I find that less is usally more (and leaves people wanting more). Again, this depends of the purpose. There is also a side pocket to put in a DVD or CD for archival purposes.

Grand total at the store after taxes (I live in Canada): $16.99.:D

It doesn't look strange to have blank pages, or do you use those for something else like contact sheets?

Dogdots

geospatial_junkie wrote:

Cheapness is a sense...

geospatial_junkie

They come with jet black mounting pager. They aren't clear all the way through. I don't "scrapbook" my portfolios though as I prefer a clean look.:D

I have some of these too:

http://www.itoya.ca/Catalogs/Profolio/Profolio_html/AP_Professional.htm