Mounting & Presenting Your Portfolio

1. Mounting & Presenting Your Portfolio Tips & Guidance for a successful portfolio

2. Think!! • Your portfolio is about QUALITY over QUANTITY!! • If you have images that are not perfect, show flaws, are images you are not proud of, or that do not promote your strengths … • Don’t put it in your portfolio!!

3. It’s about you …. • This is not about mounting everything, its about mounting the best work that you have produced!! • If you have to go back to the darkroom to reprint, or you need to refine an image … • DO IT!! • University and employers will judge you by what you put in your portfolio and how you present it.

4. First … • 1. Gather all of your potential final outcomes. • 2. Trim all images of any white borders • 3. If your image is not sitting straight on the page or is crooked, trim it so that it is straight. • 4. ALL OF YOUR IMAGES NEED TO BE THE SAME SIZE. • That means that: • If you have printed some images even slightly larger or smaller, you will need to trim some of the image away to make all your images equal in size • Or, you may have to re-print your portfolio images to make them the same size • If you have some images that are 8x10 and some 5x7, we can be creative about the layout.

5. Second … • Layout 2 x A2 sheets of card to mount your images onto. • Chose whether white or black card is most appropriate for your images – they need to be the same. Ideally you are mounting 1 set of final images over 2 pieces of A2 card – this will give you a double-page spread in your portfolio where both pages relate. 4. If you are unable to fill 2 pages for 1 project, you will need to make sure that your double-page spread of images is complimentary.

6. Third … • Start to design your pages by just spreading your images out over the 2 sheets. • Places images next to each other and in a line, box, or grid and see what works and what doesn’t. You chose a design based on what feels right. • You are trying to organize your images next to each other and on top of each other to compliment the visual language within your photographs. • You want to create a pleasing and organize layout and design for your portfolio. • You may have to eliminate an image to make this work and that is ok!

7. Measure Twice, Glue once … • Once you have decided on your layout across the 2 pages you need to do some math. • The space between your images needs to be equal • The space around your images needs to be equal • Complete the practice worksheet to help you to think about how to measure your images and working space to determine your spacing. • Once you have figured out your measurements, mark up the sheet LIGHTLY in pencil to show where the corners of your images are and visually check you are happy with the arrangement. • You can now glue/stick your images.

8. Double Page Spread … • Your double page spread should look complimentary. • Its doesn’t have to be an exact mirror … although that would be best … but it should be somewhat evenly weighted. • For instance, don’t put 9 images on one page and just 2-3 on the other. • Create and sense of balance and symmetry across your double page. • Equally – if you mount the A2 sheet so that it is vertical, both pages need to be vertical. If you mount horizontal, both pages need to be horizontal.

9. DON’T …. • Write on your portfolio pages • Stick titles or explanations of your work on your portfolio pages • Put anything else on your page other than your images!! • Include any work from any other courses in your portfolio!!