Jillian Noelle wrote:
So is it bad if you put a few 8x10 images in a 9x12 portfolio?

If you don't have a choice, just use them.

Jillian Noelle wrote:
So is it bad if you put a few 8x10 images in a 9x12 portfolio?

No.  But, can they be cropped to 9x12 without seriously hurting the image?  If so, talk to the photographer (don't try it yourself unless you know how to use some photo editiing software) about cropping in Photoshop.

Jillian Noelle wrote:
So is it bad if you put a few 8x10 images in a 9x12 portfolio?

Best to have your lab drop them onto a 9x12 canvas for consistency. We usually print 8x10 cropped images as 8.5x10.63" with a narrow border that is as neutral as possible for the image submitted.

Also 8x10's in larger books tend to shift and slide around.

Brian Diaz wrote:
I was just curious as to what size prints others are using for their portfolios.  Also, what is your stance on horizontal photos?

Seems like that last time I checked, agencies were asking for 9X12 size prints. As for horizontal, I try and shoot verticals as much as possible. It cuts down on people that view a printed book having to flip it around to view the image. I guess it has to do more with consistency. Just my view

LeslieAnne wrote:
Sorry to bring up the old thread thing again, but if I print my photos in 9X12, aren't they going to get cropped since they are in 4X6 format? I don't feel comfortable cropping the images and I'd hate to bother all of the photographers I worked with to do it for me. Just wondering if 8x12 prints will work or not. Thanks!

I'm pretty sure 8 x 12 is the "normal" size for a cropped digital sensor.



In any case, just tell the photographer what size you need, and he/she should be able to accommodate.

LeslieAnne wrote:
Sorry to bring up the old thread thing again, but if I print my photos in 9X12, aren't they going to get cropped since they are in 4X6 format? I don't feel comfortable cropping the images and I'd hate to bother all of the photographers I worked with to do it for me. Just wondering if 8x12 prints will work or not. Thanks!

Check this out, it shows aspect ratio for 9x12 and 11x14 printing.

Damon Banner wrote:

I'm pretty sure 8 x 12 is the "normal" size for a cropped digital sensor.



In any case, just tell the photographer what size you need, and he/she should be able to accommodate.

Or work with your lab on the correct layout for your needs.

Dan Hood   wrote:

If you are asking about photographers portfolios 11" by 14" is the norm but there is more flexibility in photographer portfolios as they must be higher in quality. I've seen mini books to fur covered books, in the old days one would often have a carousel of duped slides to drop in a Kodak projector.  Unless you have put real planning into your book best keep it safe and use a standard 11" by 14" If you deviate from that make sure it screams WOW!

Horizontal photos, treat them the same way, DON'T make some art director or client sit and have to spin your book back and forth. keep every thing on an even keel.

Thanks Dan, great advice, for both groups.

Damon Banner wrote:

I'm pretty sure 8 x 12 is the "normal" size for a cropped digital sensor.



In any case, just tell the photographer what size you need, and he/she should be able to accommodate.

I didn't mean to be confusing, I was planning on printing them out at 8X12 size, but I read in this thread that 9x12 is preferable, and in order to get that extra inch, something will have to be cropped. So I was double checking to see if the photos inside the portfolios are supposed to be 8x12 or 9x12. Or at least hoping that 8x12 is acceptable. Thanks!

Dan Hood   wrote:
Opps this is for models looking to work with land based agencies, see below for photographers.

First, Do you need a portfolio? If you want to be a net model then a high quality website is probably what you need most. If you want to do land based agency go see's and such your comp card will be your main marketing tool. In fact in most commercial situations the comp card is all you need.

Having said that it is a real good idea to have a portfolio anyway as some clients will want to see it and it�s a great thing to take to shoots to show the photographer or client.


O.K. so you want a models portfolio, here's the basics.

Most models books are 9" by 12" there are other sizes but 9x12 is the standard agency size. If you are freelancing use what you want but if you go to a casting and everybody else has a 9x12 and you have 8x10 you are going to look silly and kind of amateurish. My advice is go with what other real agency models use and odds are 9x12. 

If you land an agency you will use what the agency wants. (Elite has used a smaller book)(you still pay for it) Otherwise, 9x12 is the norm.


You can get portfolios online here.

http://www.models-mart.com/Portfolios.html
If you buy from them get the scuba its simple, classy, no need for fancier ones.

http://www.houseofportfolios.com
Great stuff but not cheap. I have two from them and the quality is outstanding. Great customer service.

http://www.designbureau.net/customportfolios.html
Never used them personally but colleagues have and the books look nice.

Here are a few other sites that sell portfolios

http://www.reedpresentations.com/portfolio/index.html
http://www.artmediaonline.com/artProduc … ctID=21286
http://www.nabookarts.com/portfolios.html
http://www.pinazangaro.com/
http://www.flaxart.com
http://www.lost-luggage.com/flash.html
http://www.brewer-cantelmo.com/

I just bought a new Pina Zangaro and like it.

Honestly though don't spend to much as it matters far more what you put into your book than what kind of book.

What do I put in my book?

The main thing is not really the size but the content that is the 1st 2nd and 3rd priority in you book. You need to get really kick ass photos in there and only show the best. Don't be tempted to put in more because of all those black page slots. Some books you can take out the unused slots and those are better.

You will be so much better off showing 3 BANG POW images than 3 BANG POW and 10 "yeah, she's pretty" images. You are only as good as your worst shot. I'd rather see 3 wow'ers than 3 wow'ers and 10 "pretty goods".

What booker wants a tour of mediocrity?

EDIT RUTHLESSLY!!!!!!!


How do I organize them?

If you want to make a book that's presentable to an agency you need to do it the agency way.

Here are the basics of a models book. Photographer�s books and Makeup people�s books can be quite different this info is geared to models who are seeking to work in the mainstream world.


1. Nothing fancy, you will be caring it around a lot so if the agency doesn't give you one of theirs keep it simple as they do wear out. I wouldn't spend more than like $75.00 on one. But don't get too cheap, it will reflect on you. Those portfolios with the big handles and zipper are SO out Hello 1980's. A simple Scuba style book like this is all you need. (Example)




2. Start with a strong clean Beauty shot. DON'T OVER PHOTOSHOP IT Any manipulation will get trashed, as clients want to see you, not some photoshoped version of you. 95% of the shots on the net are way too over shopped. Clients want to see skin, freckles, pores, skin texture. If they see you have over tweaked it, you lose credibility. They don't give a rats as* about some photographers Photoshop ability. Yes spend some money on a kick ass beauty photographer and a kick ass make-up person. Don't try and fake it. They want to see exactly what you look like. If they cant believe your beauty shot they cant believe your book................ (Example)





3 Start strong your best couple of shots first. Grab the audience. If you don't grab them now you wont grab them latter. If you have shots that have you looking at a left or a right direction put them so they face into the gutter (center of book) (Example)



4. Horizontals. First don�t put them in sideways nobody and I repeat nobody wants to sit and spin your book back and forth to look at your shots. Remember a client may be looking at 20 to 100 books in a day trying to decide who is right for a job. Make it hard on them and you loose. Plain and simple. Keep the book vertical to view. There are two ways of doing this.

One-Way is to double-truck them. That means to print them as a 12" by 18" print and then cut it down the middle. If you do this it needs to be a show stopper shot as at that size it takes two slots and therefore demands twice the look. Only do this if the shot is a flat out "bang pow" shot. (Example)




The other way is to print them horizontally on a vertical print. In other words the print will be 9" with by whatever height the image is. You can either go with Black borders on top and bottom or leave them white. Either way is fine. I prefer black as it matches the black paper but is really doesn't mater that much. (Example)




How many

Only your best. No more. And even if you get a boat load of killer shots 15 to 20 is MAX Nobody important is going to view more than that and most likely far far less. If you cant show your ability in 10 shots you need better shots!!! Don't be tempted to fill up the pages. Don't put more than two shots from any shoot no matter how much you like them It shows real inexperience. One shot per set up is normally all you want and besides if you get one killer shot per shoot consider your self lucky.

Its not rocket science. It might not of been how it was done 20 years ago. It might be different in 10 years, but here in 2005 that's how its done in most markets here in the US today.


Now if all you want to be is a "net model" then do it any way you want because only your friends and some tfp weekend warrior isn't going to know the real way of doing things or care.

I LOVE THIS ADVICE!

NEO ANDERSON wrote:
Book 9x12

print images at 9x11.75

Why not print a 9x12?

RebeccaRW wrote:
Is it unprofessional to have a photo in a model's book that has the photographer's tiny copyright on it?

Yes and no, depends.

Around here (MN) it may not really get you into any trouble, but it's still better to ask for a clean version to print from. And it better be a great shot by it's own merits...

Other parts of the country would be a bigger deal.

[edit] you're in one of the places that it's more than likely a big deal, so I would ask for a clean version or not use it at all.

UNLESS you were using it to go to an agency open call or to get your foot in the door.

Roy Levi wrote:
Is it uncommon to use 8x10 (20x25cm)?

are you planning to move anywhere soon?

Also, what do photographers in your area usually use?

Andrew Thomas Designs wrote:
are you planning to move anywhere soon?

Nah, just curious.

Also, what do photographers in your area usually use?

I think commercial photographers commonly go with a 20x25cm, while most landscape or architecture photographers look like they could need a hand ...

There's not a lot of fashion going on here, so I can only assume that a fashion port would be somewhere in between.

Roy Levi wrote:
I think most commercial photographers go with a 20x25cm, while most landscape or architecture photographers look like they could need a hand ...

Online we mostly agree that 11x14 is the way to go, with some even going a bit larger than that...

However, if you're not planning on moving, well, no sense getting a really big book if you don't want to pay that much for it.

Brian Diaz wrote:
I was just curious as to what size prints others are using for their portfolios.  Also, what is your stance on horizontal photos?

Size doesn't seem to matter much as long as the work is fabulous.   Got a landscape format?  Print it vertically anyway, just make it fit so they don't have to turn the portfolio back and forth.  If you don't do this, at least put all the landscape format shots together so they only have to turn it once.

Blue Cube Imaging wrote:

Check this out, it shows aspect ratio for 9x12 and 11x14 printing.

For the record, I use picasa to crop m images. You can select ratios to crop it with that makes it super easy...the only problem can be if your photos are a tight crop and you're losing them by cropping :-/

Kara Leung wrote:
What finish of paper should be used for printing a portfolio? Glossy, matte, or luster?

Matt and luster are the same.

Gulf Coast Glamour wrote:

Matt and luster are the same.

Nope.

Many labs will tell you that.

In fact there are different levels of lustre, matte, glossy and metallic papers.

Currently I offer four surfaces (soon to be six).

Glossy (medium gloss, high contrast, high saturation)

Metallic (medium high gloss, lower contrast, moderate saturation with "mica" beads for light refraction.

Matte (type c commercial) similar to glossy in contrast and saturation, slightly subdued appearance due to light (near flat) matte texture.

Lustre (type PD) lower contrast, lower saturation. Designed for portraits. Lightly textured with slightly more sheen than matte.

Soon:

Deep Matte, just that. Nearly completely flat, no texture. Beautiful samples so far. Great for commercial display.

Flex, Super high gloss. High contrast, high saturation. Looks like a photo printed on a mirrored surface it is so shiny. Like the old Cibachrome A papers.

Blue Cube Imaging wrote:
Flex, Super high gloss. High contrast, high saturation. Looks like a photo printed on a mirrored surface it is so shiny. Like the old Cibachrome A papers.

Whoa!  That's exciting.  Who makes this paper?

[/hijack]

Managing Light wrote:
Whoa!  That's exciting.  Who makes this paper?

[/hijack]

Fuji.  It looks nice. It's also expensive. The local place charges £25 for a 11 x 14