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Question: Will The Professionals Think Any Less Of Me For Using CDs!.!.!.!?
I Want To Put in some Applications/Portfolios into the Local Photography Studios(Some commonplace Portrait/Wedding And Some Commercial)!.
I Know A Portfolio is Crucial!. But I Don't know if ordering 50+ 8x10s and Buying Nice Little Binders is the best thing to do Money wise!.
In This Digital World I've heard that Some people Accept CDs With the portfolios on then!.
Will using CD's hurt my chances!?
How Should I Set up the Cds and pictures!?
-Is A Fancy PDF or PowerPoint necessary!?
-I Don't Have Microsoft's office Suite or Adobe PDF making software!.
I'm Looking To Get Some More Experience With Photography and Possibly Make a Career out of it because its something I'd love to Do more than Anything else!.
Thanks For Any HelpWww@QuestionHome@Com
Best Answer - Chosen by Asker:
My opinion is to do both!. Do a paper portfolio with maybe 10-15 of your BEST pics, and then a cd with maybe the 50 or so pics that show your range of ability and creativity!.
I agree that you just cant completly replace the actual print portfolio!. And its really not *that expensive!. I mean, say 15 prints, so that like 30 dollars give or take at 8x10 (an 8x10 print off of flickr is 1!.99usd and other places are close to that) and a black paged scrap book at the craft store is like 10-20!. Ok, so that may be a lot of money for you!. Well, then you save up for it!. I agree that putting in the expense shows that you care about your art!. This is after all your ART!. This is what you are WANTing to do for a living, not what you are being forced to do, not the hohumdrum of a boring job you dont like!.
However, this is the digital age!. And in that respect, most professionals are using digital now!. And since you are asking this, I assume you are taking your pics digitally, meaning that other than paper type and callibrating the printer, there is really nothing special about the actual print vs the digital file!. It is becomming more popular to give customers cd's of the pictures as well, instead of just prints!. Customers are purchasing digital photo files instead of prints!. I think using a cd or whatever digital format (please, no emailing digital pictures though) like your own website (as in your own, not flickr) shows knowledge of the digital era and technology!. Customers are going to want to be able to see digital pictures, even if they are proofs only!. Customers want to see their photographers previous work, and the internet/technology is the easiest way to do that!. also, with a digital format it is completly acceptable to have more pictures, therefore showing as I said a wider range of work/style/creativity!.
As far as set up!.!.!. I dont know!. I tend to want to just be able to access the file rather than seeing a slide show that will often be set to change either too fast or too slow!.
Remember however, that when giving out digital portfolios that you need to protect your images!. Watermarks and all that good stuff!. Perhaps a pdf file would do well there!. However, if you are not familur with adobe already, their software is outrageously expensive!.Www@QuestionHome@Com
Why dont you ring the people and ask them!? 50+ pics!? Far to many, why not 8-12!.
Prints are the best way to view photographic images, they might go for CDs call them and find out!.
aWww@QuestionHome@Com
Well, this is an interesting question, and one that I suppose could really depend on the agency who views the portfolio!. I will just give my personal opinion for what it is worth!.
Yes, this is a modern, computer, digital age, but there are still some areas where the "old ways" just can't be replaced!. To me, the "real" portfolio is one of those areas, !.!.!.!. at least when you are meeting someone in person!.
It just makes things much easier to open a book of nice photos rather than having to put in a CD, wait for photos to load, open some type of program, etc, etc!. To me it also says something about the photographer if they think enough of themselves and their work to make the effort, and yes, expense, to put together a really nice, professional portfolio of actual photos!. Anyone can dump stuff on a CD!. If *I* was looking to hire someone, a CD would just be telling me this person has little respect for their work, and does not want to make the effort to make things easier for ME either!.
A CD portfolio certainly has it's place though!. Such as if you want to send it long distance for review!. That is fine and totally reasonable!. But if you are meeting with someone in person, I say you need a "real" portfolio!.
The expense may hurt a little now, but it will pay off in dividends in the future!.
My very best to you in your future endeavors!.
steveWww@QuestionHome@Com
Well to put it bluntly yes most of them will!. The people who are doing the hiring are not of the Myspace generation and they want to see something in their hands!. If for example a newspaper was looking for a photographer!. They might have prospective candidates first submit a CD!. They will then weed out those they don't feel are good enough!. The rest they will bring in for an interview!. When meeting with the photo editor he does not want to waste his or her time finding and then loading your cd!. They will also want to ask questions about your photos!. This is much easier to do if they are printed!. Having you come behind their desk to answer questions is not convenient and not professional!.
You should prepare both a cd and a printed portfolio!.Www@QuestionHome@Com