How to present a portfolio

[Ed Richards]

Assuming one has a body of work to present, how do you present it to a gallery or at show? Matted? Framed under glass? Loose prints? I am thinking about 24x30 prints as the base size.

[paulr]

Are you talking about a portfolio for introducing your work to them?

Matted prints in a box are pretty standard for most people, but 24x30 is getting pretty huge. I wouldn't show up with prints that big (especially matted) unless I was sure there was a work space big enough for them. People often like to be able to flip through work, to see images side by side, etc ... the only way to do this with such big prints is on the floor. And only if the room is big. You might consider bringing one or two full size ones to give them a sense of the originals, but to bring the rest in a more manageable size.

If in doubt, you can always ask the galleries in question. You'll probably get more than one answer. If it's a portfolio drop, a lot of places have specific requirements.

[Frank Petronio]

I would bring one sample print framed exactly the way you would want to sell it, and a portfolio book of very select and harshly edited images. A few sample 8x10 inkjets with your name and contact info to leave behind as reference or as a calling card is a good idea.

Of course it depends whether it is a coffee shop gallery or MOMA, but you want to make a short but powerful first impression so they ask for more. Most people show too many things and weaken their presentation.

[julian_4860]

At the last porfolio review I did, out of the 150 people there, no one had matted prints. The prints need to be of a comfortable size to see. 20x16 or 20x24 - although a lot of people had 13x19. take 2 or 3 full size prints in a tube in case they want to see it. If you've had them exhibited take along an installation shot, or fake one with a framed print in a room setting

[John Cook]

This may not be exactly the answer you were looking for. But way back in the days when I was trying to show my portfolio to a busy agency, the main challenge was always for them to find time in their frantic schedule to sit through a presentation of my work. Absolutely impossible to spare a moment.

My solution was to hire the most intelligent, lucid, personable and gorgeous model I could find, and send her in there wearing her shortest micro mini skirt and blouse with the deepest decollete.

It worked perfectly every time.

We men are so predictable. Every red-blooded male in the place found a few minutes to attend her presentation. Art directors, copy writers, account executives - the lot!

Any advertising major will affirm the value of packaging.

[paulr]

The question, John, is did anyone remember a single picture (besides the animated ones in their heads)?

[Frank Petronio]

I hired a hottie to be my representative too, and while she always got the meeting (and plenty of lunch dates) she never actually sold a job. She went for call backs galore, but I think they just wanted to see her again.

[Ed Richards]

Very useful info - although I think I will skip the model.:-) The reason I am thinking about big prints is that they really show off the large format, and the images I am thinking of benefit from the extra detail. I like the suggestion of bringing at least one full size and framed. If you are not mounting prints, do you want to use a heavier paper to give them a better feel? I assume one limit on the size of unmounted prints is that the big ones are hard to handle without tearing.

[Paul Butzi]

In the past I always took matted prints, in a box. Actually, I took two boxes - one to show them up front, and another of prints to show them if they ask "Do you have any more?" at the end.

This works for prints up to, say, 14x18 matted to 20x24. Beyond that, the box of matted prints is just too darn big and too darn heavy.

But recently, I wanted to be able to carry a large selection of prints around and show them to people, and I printed up three large portfolios in presentation cases. The prints live in plastic pages, which sucks, but can be pulled out in a pinch. I can fit about 30 prints into a presentation case. That's more work than any gallery person would look at. They just don't have time!

The cases I used are fairly nice, and hold prints 18x14, which lets me get a image size of 16x20 or so. Not as big as I'd like but at least they can flip through the prints given even a reasonable amount of space.

[Amadou Diallo]

Ed,
You've gotten some good advice here BUT it's crucial that you ask whomever you're presenting to, what they want to see and how they want to see it. Galleries have submission guidelines. Some want jpegs on a CD, others prefer prints at a 20x24 max size. Most will only want to see 10-20 images tops. The initail review is generally just to see if they are interested in seeing more of your work, either through a studio visit or receipt of full size prints. You want to make an impression for the quality of your work, not for the inappropriateness of your presentation.

As for editing, keep in mind that galleries are interested in a single body of work that they can envision up on their walls for a show. Make it easy for them. Curate a "show" of your work, around a common theme. Think about image order with regard to pacing. Make it easy for them to flip through prints quickly and repack everything. Show them you have invested enough time not only in your work, but your presentation to make it worth their time. Best of luck.