Your Portfolio
What is a Portfolio?
Quite simply it is a collection of photos of you, your "Model Portfolio" sometimes shortened to "Port"
What types of portfolio are there?
There are two types of portfolio: INITIAL and PROFESSIONAL.
Your Initial portfolio is just for the agencies, to get you introduced to them. This must show your modeling potential and should be comprised of good quality photos. Don't include:
- photos taken on a web cam
- photos taken on a mobile phone
- photos with other people in them
- wedding photos
- photos with special effects added
- nude or topless photos
- photos with a distracting background
It must include:
- clear photos, in focus
- one head shot and one full length shot
- simple makeup and hair style
- simple background
- female models - include a shot in a swimsuit
- male models - include a shot in shorts and no shirt
It is a good idea to follow the "do's and don't's" even for submitting photos to one of the online modeling web sites when you are starting out.
Your Professional portfolio and Comp Cards can be started when you have been accepted by an agency and they will help you with these.
There are a few EXTREMELY important things to remember:
1. Remember that this is truly a "first impression" business. You know the quote - "You only get one chance to make a good first impression." - There is no business where that is more true than modeling. Every agency or client that you contact - your photos, comp card or modeling portfolio will always go in the door before you.
2. Consider this: If a fast food outlet were going to launch a new print ad campaign for their latest meal or want to put a photograph of it in their menu... do you think that they would go to the nearest outlet, order a few of the meals, and return to the studio to photograph them? Of course not! They would hire top food stylists to build the meal for the photographer. You and I will never taste that... but the photo will make us want to try!
So, set your standards HIGH! You MUST use a very critical eye when selecting any images to put in your modeling portfolio. Make sure that every photo in your portfolio makes people go 'Wow'.
3. You are only as good as your weakest image. Trust me, photographers, agencies and art directors WILL remember the weakest image.
I think there are three types of photos... good, great and WOW pictures. Your modeling portfolio should consist ONLY of Great and WOW photos. Put the good and great into your scrapbook and put the wow photos in your portfolio. If you are starting out and don;t have enough wow photos... put wow shots on the right page and great shots on the left, then as you get more of the wow, file the great shots in your scrapbook.
Questions and answers to help build a great portfolio...
How large should the photos be?
The correct answer does tend to be somewhat market specific. Generally in the UK, 8 x 10 and 8.5 x 11 books are usual. I would recommend purchasing a book that holds 8.5 x 11 pages - after all - if 
you are hoping to do print work, your tear sheets are likely to be 8.5 x 11, so you want them to fit in the book.
How many photos do I need to have?
Less is better! You will not impress with quantity - you will make a lasting impression with quality. If you think about it - I can take two good photos of you - a head shot and a full length shot - and show that you are beautiful and have a good, fit figure. So if this is the case - why all the stress about a portfolio?
The purpose of the modeling portfolio is not just simply to show that you are attractive - it is to show your ability to portray different characters, age ranges and importantly personality! As a new model, 6 - 12 pictures is adequate to present yourself to a new agency. 20 should be a maximum - but only if they are 20 "WOW" pictures. Good pictures don't make the grade.
Do I need to shoot with more than one photographer to develop my portfolio?
NO. Certainly if you have lots of money to spend or lots of local photographers willing to shoot TFP -use several photographers to help you develop your portfolio. You will not get more work because you have spent a ton of money or shot with loads of photographers. You will get work with a selection of pictures that show you at your best, show your range of emotions and ability to portray various characters.
Most of the models that you see featured carry portfolios with only photos from one photographer in them. The key here is a well thought out, well planned, well executed selection of pictures to best market you. The reason they use one photographer is usually down to the professional working relationship between model and photographer... this can take a while to develop, but is sometimes the best way of producing the 'wow' images consistently.
Should the pictures all be in Colour?
Short answer is no. Ask yourself... are all the photos in magazines in colour, no. It's up to you, but remember the mantra..only "wow" photos in your portfolio - black & white or colour
Are there any "must have" shots or styles for my portfolio?
There is NO type of modeling or photograph that you HAVE to do to be a model. You do NOT have to model swimwear. You certainly do not have to model lingerie, and you do not have to model anything that is in conflict with your cultural or religious beliefs. Certainly, the more that you are willing and able to do, the more opportunities that you will make available to yourself, and there is no legitimate modeling agency that will ever tell you otherwise. For a definition of the different types of modeling look at Types of Modeling.
Remember: Never criticise your own photos in your portfolio...! If you think they are bad, you should not be showing them in your portfolio! I have sometimes heard models say " I don't like this photo because....." when going through it with a potential client, photographer or agent. If you don't like it.. take it out.
Go to General Advice for a bit more information.
