Photographer Online Portfolio Website

A photography portfolio is a collection of work that illustrates who you are as a photographer. A portfolio website takes this a step further and allows photographers to put their best work on full display for the world to see.

More than just a place to showcase your work, a photography website is also home for your brand and your business—a place to talk about your background as an artist, discuss the inspirations and process behind your work, and even sell prints of your favorite pieces. Essentially, photographer websites have become one-stop-shops for artists to build their brand and connect with collaborators and potential clients.

But what makes a good portfolio website? Here are three key things to remember:

Feature work that defines who you are as a photographer. While versatility is a plus in any creative profession, most photographers hone in on a specialization early in the game. This just makes it easier for you to establish your brand and make yourself more marketable to future clients.

As such, your photography website should comprise of pictures that speak to your brand. It isn’t just about posting high-quality photos—your work online should tell your story, whether that means you’re a fashion photographer with a flair for the dramatic or a food photographer who injects a lot of fun and quirkiness into your layouts. If you do see yourself as a jack of all trades, consider having separate pages or even websites for different styles.

Tell a story. Your work should be able to speak for itself, but that doesn’t mean it should do all the talking. People connect with stories, and the more context you add to a photo or a set, the more compelling it becomes. Talk about the inception of each project, what you did to prepare, even what headspace you were in when you were conceptualizing for it. Of course, don’t forget to introduce yourself and your background as an artist too.

Build a professional website. More and more photographers have turned to social media to display their work and connect with clients. While this is convenient, you need to remember that not everyone is on social media. Plus, a professional photography website can do so much more for you than an Instagram or Facebook page—think organized galleries, SEO, even an online store for prints and merch!

Now you have everything you need to put together a photography portfolio website. Where do you go from here?

Less is more. Take this piece of writing advice, learn how to “kill your darlings”. This means cutting work that you might have worked hard on or have some kind of attachment to but are ultimately unnecessary for your website. Clients don’t have a lot of time to sort through hundreds of photos, so narrow down your options to 10 to 20 photos that exemplify everything you’re about as a photographer.

Diversify your pieces. With a lean profile, you have less room to show off your range, so it’s vital to pick pieces that are as different in mood, lighting, angle, and subject matter as possible.

Organize your work. One of the most common mistakes artists make when building their photography portfolio websites is ignoring the sequence and order of their work. Photos should be lumped together by theme or story, with a coherent narrative tying everything together. Also, remember to put your best work forward!

Choose a no-frills website builder. Displaying work on social media is ok, but it’s not the most professional. Plus, believe it or not, not everyone is on social media. However, for a busy photographer, website building can take up precious time that should be spent attending to clients and booking shoots. Find a website builder that makes it easy to put portfolio websites together and to edit and customize later on.