Creating the perfect photography portfolio

For any emerging photographer, a fantastic portfolio is fundamental. It could mean the difference between landing that all-important first professional commission that accelerates your career or finding yourself stuck in a less creative job, still knocking on industry doors.

A portfolio is a photographer's greatest asset, showcasing their work and demonstrating what they can do. But with minimal time to impress busy editors, you need an immaculately crafted portfolio, presented with real passion, to stand out. So what should a photography portfolio look like?

Here, four experts share their advice on building a portfolio: Pulitzer Prize winning photojournalist Daniel Etter, portrait and documentary photographer Travis Hodges and Huck Magazine's Editor-in-Chief Andrea Kurland, who have all been Canon Student Development Programme (CSDP) mentors, and Junior Art Director and former CSDP participant Sarah Köster.

• Select the work that best represents you
• Find the essence of a story to build a narrative
• What makes a strong photography portfolio?
• How many photos should be in a photography portfolio?
• Go digital and be creative
• But don't overlook the value of print
• Showcase your creative abilities through video
• Don't be afraid to ask for help
• Make connections and follow up

Whether you'll be emailing your photography portfolio or showing it directly to a reviewer, choose only images that make you feel proud – no fillers. "It's really important that you show your unique style – what it is you want to be known for, and what you want to continue doing," advises Sarah.

After you make an initial selection, Sarah recommends getting a second opinion from fellow students or mentors. "As the photographer, you can be too emotional when it comes to making decisions. You may choose based on memory rather than what is the best photograph," she explains.

At the same time, when you're preparing a portfolio for a particular purpose, tailor it so that it is relevant. "If you're presenting your work for a grant or competition, where editors see many thousands of photos, it's important that the first photo is very strong to hook them," advises Andrea. "But if you're presenting a portfolio to an editor for a specific publication, you have to adapt it to be relevant. You can have a base with your strongest images, but change it slightly depending on who you are addressing your work to and for what purpose."

"Good stories normally take a lot of time and patience to put together, and you need to make people forget you're there – the more they forget you, the better the picture," says Daniel. He gives the example of photographing loneliness: "Loneliness can be sadness, boredom and desperation, but it can also be something lonely people try to fight by joining a dancing class. So just try to find these moments that distil the essence of a person's character and of their story."

Travis's clients include Time Out, The Big Issue and Cancer Research, so he has both reviewed and presented many portfolios over the years. "The strongest portfolios I have seen are ones with intent. The photographer knows what they are trying to say and both their images and verbal storytelling are clear and concise," he says.

Daniel has advised many students as a CSDP mentor, and he believes that powerful stories can emerge from the simplest of narratives. "I had a student from Galicia, Spain, and I was mentoring his story on this little village," he recalls. "Not much happening there but that's what makes it interesting. It's a small village and you have a close connection and intimacy there. It's just a few houses on top of a hill but as soon as you have the intimacy and if you have the access, you can make pretty much every place interesting. You must have a story but if you spend time in a place and you keep your eyes open, you can turn pretty much anything into a good story."

The image industry has become increasingly specialised, so don't feel like you need to tick every genre box. When he's doing portfolio reviews, Daniel expects to see one or two strong stories or projects in detail. More than this is too much to take in. "Don't overwhelm people with too many images. Keep it concise and really understand what you're trying to say," he advises.

For a big story, you're probably looking at 15 images; something shorter might be seven to 12 images, he suggests. "Of course, if you spend years and years working on something, you can go broader and bigger, but I wouldn't. Even if you aim for more and if you have more variety that could, in theory, make an edit longer, it helps to keep it short and precise and just use your best images."

You could also have multiple renditions of your portfolio, as Sarah does. "I have a shorter version which shows only my best work, and I have a longer version – which I developed during CSDP – where I focus on two to three projects in the beginning and then have another selection afterwards, which showcases my best work," she explains. "It should be balanced so that people want to see more of your work but can still see who you are and what you're about."

In the digital age, emailing portfolios has grown in popularity. Sarah has PDF portfolios that she can present remotely or send to potential clients, and PDFs allow her greater adaptability and control. A digital portfolio presents a unique advantage: the ability to adjust the layout as and when you want. "It's important to play with your images to present them in the best possible way," Sarah says.

However, remember to keep things simple – it's easy to get carried away when experimenting with layout. "In the beginning, you might try to bring too much into it – like typography, or adding too many photos to one page," she explains. "But you should try to keep it simple and minimalist. The layout and the photos should benefit from each other and make the portfolio stronger, not weaker."

It's an investment when you're starting out, but a printed portfolio is well worth it if you want to showcase your work to best effect. The easy-to-use Canon PIXMA PRO-200 offers high-quality printing for colour and black-and-white imagery, while the Canon imagePROGRAF PRO-1000 is an A2 desktop printer with an advanced 12-ink system for exceptional results.

While Sarah's main focus is photography, she has a small video selection on her website. "Showing that you also do videography, and that you can do both, can give you an advantage over others," she says. "That way, clients can see and understand how I view the world and frame a moment. Additionally, you can also show the client that if they hire you, they won't have to book a separate videographer. It can be an advantage, but remember, you don't necessarily have to do this to be successful as a photographer."

Daniel agrees, but emphasises that you should include video only if you're confident in your abilities.

You can learn a lot from others. Whether they are your peers or mentors, everyone has a unique perspective. Participating in a programme such as CSDP, as Sarah did, can prove useful in your journey as a photographer. "Talking to expert photographers really helped me," she says. "It taught me how to bring everything together in a portfolio, and how to show what your work stands for, what you want to be known for and even what you'd like to be booked for."

Travis adds: "Seek advice from people whose opinion you trust. Do mock portfolio reviews and refine both your edit and personal story through those. But remember, everyone's opinion is different, so go to multiple people you trust to give a valid, honest opinion."

A portfolio is a marketing tool that can help you build your network. Give the reviewer a postcard or business card so they can look you up afterwards, and follow up with an email. "The meeting is the beginning of your relationship," says Andrea. "So be personable, and touch base on a regular basis."

It is also important not to feel defeated after a rejection. Even though an editor might not be looking for a particular story you've done right now, that doesn't rule you out indefinitely. "Don't go into every meeting feeling disappointed if it doesn't come to fruition right away," says Andrea. "The reviewer might come back to you even years later saying a story has just landed that is perfect for you."

But don't take a scattergun approach to pitching. Daniel advises. "Try to get a feel for the person, what they need, what they want and what you can provide for them. And then, when you're ready, contact them. Wait until you have something to offer."

With these tips in mind, you can take your photography portfolio to the next level. Be confident, enthusiastic and committed – and, Travis adds, "Be prepared for the question, 'What are you working on now?'"