The idea of putting your first real portfolio together might seem daunting, especially if you feel you have nothing great to start off with. But there are plenty of ways to get started and stay motivated. Just giving yourself some interesting assignments and projects to work on can make a difference.
Start An Art Project
One of the best ways to expand your body of work, as well as come up with new imagery that you otherwise might not have thought of, is to start a photo art project. Starting with just a simple idea or theme, you might find yourself discovering many different ways to express it. Even a very general concept has a tendency to build upon itself as it becomes, at the same time, more defined and diverse. This process of creation and discovery can only enhance your artistic vision and technique.
As you progress and add to a project, you’ll find repeating patterns as well as areas of divergence which can lead to new projects, or at the very least, new discoveries about your work. Generally, art projects are not organized into sets of tasks with obvious completion points, so over time you might begin to realize that starting and working with a project is much more important than actually completing it. Like the idea of the journey being more significant than the destination, the images you create along the way will be the reward. At some point in a project’s life-cycle, a few images will be obvious standouts and the rest will simply be supporting pieces or building blocks that lead to the final selections.
What’s also interesting to note is that a project or series isn’t always obvious at first. Sometimes, with enough work under your belt, especially in an area of interest, you’ll find you have enough images that share a common theme to organize a series where you didn’t plan for one. Either way, it’s very satisfying to eventually end up with enough pieces to present as a collection in the form of a book or exhibition.
One of the great things about starting an art project is that it can attract the attention of other people who want to get involved. I’ve been offered the help of several people at a time by simply mentioning that I’m working on a new portrait project. Once your project starts to pick up steam, and you have a few images to show where you’re going with it, more people may want to get involved. These things have a tendency to take on a life of their own.
I really feel that getting a serious photo art project started can be the catalyst for many new and important images for you, and it can lead to opportunities for working with new collaborators as well as clients. People take notice when someone is on a mission to do something different. When you announce that you’re working on a new art project, you’re letting people know that you’re an artist with something going on. You’re telling the world that you love what you do enough to elevate it to a higher level.
When I’m creating imagery that speaks to me I remain interested and passionate about it. Working with subject matter and techniques that you’re excited about will likely result in images that resonate strongly with some segment of the population. These people will be your natural audience. You won’t have to work hard to attract them as clients and fans of your work because the attraction is built-in.
Experiment Whenever Possible
I’m a big believer in experimentation as it applies to the technical aspects of photography like lighting, ways to use the camera, and post-processing. But I think it’s also important for photographers to push themselves creatively. You can certainly use an art project to develop a creative idea, but the opportunity to really use your imagination and push against the creative boundaries is always there.
Fortunately, many of the people who get in front of your camera will be willing to play along if they feel that you know what you’re doing. If there’s a reasonable chance that one of your ideas might actually turn into something interesting and have some artistic value, people tend to be up for it. If your work is any indication of your willingness to push the boundaries, you’ll find that many of the people who want to work with you choose you for those unconventional images. These are people who want to work with someone interesting and creative. Even if all they’re looking for are headshots or lifestyle portraits, something about how you present yourself through your work has made an impression on them enough to want to work with you over someone else.
Your photography is your chance to show your adventurous, silly, or unusual side. Indeed, it gives you the opportunity and license to explore self-expression through the help of those willing to pose for you. There are benefits for these people, too. As the artist, you’re in a unique position to give them the permission and confidence to express themselves in an artistic, sometimes cathartic way.
One of the best ways to stretch your creative muscles is to simply ask your subject — any subject, even a client — if they’d like to try some creative pictures. Explain that sometimes trying something unconventional can make for some surprisingly interesting portraits. If you enlist the help of a model or actor who is willing to try out some creative ideas with you, there’s no telling what you might end up with. These are people who are used to playing characters.
I love to collaborate with other creatives like this. The slightest suggestion from me can start the ball rolling on a great shoot. Even if several of the ideas don’t completely work out, you’ll know that some of them might have just barely missed the mark for one reason or another, and you can expand on those ideas in a subsequent shoot, with the same subject or someone else.
The direction and degree to which you push the boundaries are a personal choice, but where it is within your artistic sensibilities, allow yourself to explore. Some of your subjects will be less interested in participating in your creative exercises than others. There will also be some who are interested in being photographed in ways that you opt-out of. But more often than not, you’ll find people who will be just as happy to try some of your ideas, as you will be to try theirs. That’s when the magic happens. Photography can become an amazing adventure for you and your subjects when all the pieces just fall into place. And many of the resultant images can be great additions to your body of work and possibly your portfolio, too!