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GOALS FOR TONIGHT…

This course will be based on my philosophy of “Purpose in Presentation: A Portfolio How To”. This way of thinking about your work will help you determine the “why” of photography when putting together ideas for a new project or assembling a portfolio for a gallery, business proposal, or website.

Determining our goals and the “why” of any project will give us a clear direction of how we can tell this new story in a way that the viewer can identify with your work and message.

Creating Your Powerful Portfolio

Let’s talk on how to use your best photography to tell a powerful story in the form of a portfolio. An effective and concise portfolio can be your business card and introduction to open doors you never thought possible. We will talk about artist statements, identifying audiences, how to compile and view your work, Grant and Contest portfolio tactics, creating a portfolio from scratch as well as with existing work and much much more - Zack loves questions, so start brainstorming!

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I’VE BEEN AROUND A FEW BLOCKS…

Since 1997:

Exhibited multiple solo shows and group photography shows in the New Orleans area. Currently a 20-year portrait exhibit is up of my work at The New Orleans Jazz Museum called “Exit Stage Right: Zack Smith’s Festival Portraits”

https://nolajazzmuseum.org/

2007-2010 - exhibitions curator for CANARY Gallery on Julia St. in New Orleans’ Arts District

2015-2017 – Grants Coordinator for the New Orleans Photo Alliance and oversaw 4 photography grants of over $20,000 managing the Michael P. Smith and Clarence John Laughlin Photography Grant.

2015 – 2017 – Vice President, American Society of Media Photographers, New Orleans/Southeast Chapter.

2004- present: Zack Smith Photography Workshops serves to teach the budding to professional photographer how to see and paint with light with portraiture, landscape, street, and music photography in the lush Louisiana Landscape.

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YOU HAVE MORE THAN ONE…

Think about your portfolio as an assemblage of your best work. You may be thinking of a ‘best of’ containing your life’s work. Well, that’s one type. We tend to see portfolios used in a multitude of ways:

Gallery exhibitions
Photography services on a website
Request For Proposal/Quote (or, RFP/RFQ)
Photography Contests and Juried Exhibits

No matter how you use your portfolio, they should all contain your best work dependent on the theme and maximized for your target audience.

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GALLERY EXHIBITION PORTFOLIOS

You have a body or bodies of work you feel are strong enough to propose a solo or group exhibition at a local gallery. Most galleries will have clear submission standards which may include both online and in-person submissions. Galleries will want to see the breadth of your work but also how it physically feels/fits in the space.

What is your ‘best work’? How do you know?
What work do you have that you can get 30 images from that feel strong and tell a story…about a place, a people…about you?
Is it a gallery 1^st? Or maybe an art space, lobby, coffee shop? My first showings were in restaurants and coffee shops. No shame in that game.

MY LOUISIANA MUSE Portfolio Site https://zacksmithphotography.smugmug.com/My-Louisiana-Muse-Zack-Smith/i-R7CsqLb

My Louisiana Muse http://www.mylouisianamuse.com/

Exit Stage Right https://zacksmith.com/exit-stage-right-festival-portraits/

https://zacksmithphotography.smugmug.com/Exit-Stage-Right-Zack-Smiths-Festival-Portraits/

Louisiana Portraits https://zacksmithphotography.smugmug.com/Portraits/Zack-Smith-Louisiana-Portrait/

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PHOTOGRAPHY SERVICES

I started my career exhibiting my fine art photography and really put time, money, and energy behind it. In 2009 when the housing crash took alot of disposable ($ART$) income out of the market, I pivoted to more commercial work concentrating on branding, event photography, and later in 2015 to business headshots, business branding video and more.

Identify the need in your market. How is photography used in social, billboards, TV? What industry dominates your area? Health, law, outdoors, Oil/Gas, etc.
How do you feel you can fit your creative talents, and especially your love and desire of photography, to create a niche business in the market?
A Website with clear services, about me page, and Blog can help tell your story and drive traffic.
Always choose your best work in each field – composition, sharpness, but most of all does it tell the STORY

www.zacksmith.com

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REQUEST FOR PROPOSAL

If you have established yourself as a freelance photographer in any area, and your website is WORKING (generating traffic based on your keyword SEO) then you will get a Request for Proposal/Quote. A company seeks photographers to bid/submit for a photography need they have.

RFP’s come in a variety of ways, usually a generic email that has an attachment of a PDF, or a link to a submission form on their site.
The RFP’s are usually clear on their goals, image needs, what they expect from you, and how to submit that and a total estimate to them. (oh, and sometimes they aren’t that clear)
Using the words THEY use in context of their needs, you can craft a simple proposal echoing their needs, and what you can accomplish.
The images you choose should be reflective of their industry, what they want (is it people, stock imagery, landscapes…etc.) they usually state what they want – so why not show them YOU ARE THE ONE!
Make sure you follow their submission guidelines – proposal managers are less likely to let it slide if you don’t submit properly

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WRITING YOUR ARTIST STATEMENT

The ever evolving and changing YOU should reflect in your ever evolving artist statement. A great statement should showcase your story as well as what you make and why you make it. I feel this isn’t a ‘one and done’ thing.

You are passionate about your work so reflect on when you first felt that calling. What year was it, where were you, what gear were you using? (So many photographer AS start with “…I then got my dad’s hand me down Canon AE-1 and the rest is history” (including mine…haha)
You’ll submit artist statements when you apply for residencies, grants, and sometimes, exhibition opportunities. Surround yourself in the work you are writing about…consider the theme, the work, and who will be reading it!
KISS. WWH (keep it simple stupid…What Why How!) – WHAT is your medium, WHY do you make this work, HOW is your work unique?
Let’s add the WHO – is your audience the local art collective, a gallery juruor, or an art board for your $10,000 juried show?

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KEEP IN TOUCH!��

www.zacksmith.com

IG – zacksmith_photography

FB - /zacksmithphotography

https://www.youtube.com/c/ZackSmithPhotographyLLCNewOrleans

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