Looking for HIGH quality portfolio book

[m.shalaby]

I'm looking for a high quality portfolio book that has sleeves to allow me to change photo's as my book changes. Any good high quality recommendations?

[aliengin]

iPad2

[fashionphotographer]

The downside to iPads is that you can't realistically send them out to clients or drop them off. If you're working a lot, most photographers have at least a few identical portfolios. An iPad would probably work for in-person stuff, but I would sure hate to fedex a magazine or ad agency my ipad and hope that I got it back. (or got it back in one piece)

There are tons of options when it comes to physical portfolios. Most art supply stores sell basic portfolios that have sleeves like you're looking for. The standard size for photographers is 11x14. The art supply store portfolios are not typically of a high quality, but they start at about $5. They have very cheap sleeves and tend to get bent quickly.

Above the el cheapo portfolios, you have hundreds to choose from. What might work best for you is a screwpost portfolio book. A few of the options are acrylic or aluminum. They look classier than the cheap floppy portfolio books or three ring binders and will probably cost $60-$80. They typically come with a protective zip sleeve to protect the book. Most come with archival grade polypropylene page protector sleeves, but you may need to buy sleeves more depending upon how many images you want in your book. Pina Zangaro is one of the higher quality manufacturers of screwpost portfolio books. I think their books usually come with 10 sleeves, which would hold 20 images. Compare prices to find the best one for whatever you pick.

Above this price point, you have many customizable options for portfolios. For a price you can get just about anything you want - some people get leather bound books with their name & logo embossed on the cover. Some get portfolios with bamboo covers engraved with their name. Some get hard bound books with custom cases. The sky is really the limit. A lot of people are pretty convinced that their particular portfolio is the best...and maybe it is for them....but if you've got good images inside it and a charismatic personality when you show it to people, I think that counts a lot more than having a diamond encrusted portfolio book.

Also, the number of images to put in a portfolio is often debated as well. In general, less is more. The saying, "You're only as good as your worst shot," holds true - don't put anything in your book that you aren't 100% proud of - show only the very best. I think 15-25 photos is about the perfect number.

[mtimber]

Ipad for personal presentation.

Memory stick for mail?

[cbknight]

Ipad for personal presentation.

Memory stick for mail?

I agree with fashionphotographer. I too thought and even justified buying an Ipad to use as a portfolio. It just made sense. Before the Ipad I would constantly pull up pictures on iphone to show people. I knew that wouldnt work in the long run. So I bought an Ipad and an app and went to showing my work when people would ask. I thought it was great. People would flip through the pictures and rotate the ipad to view. I thought it was going well until....

I had a previous customer call and ask me some questions about her daughter who had an interview with a modeling agency. She was asking me questions I did not know. What I did know was when we were talking about a quick portfolio for her to take to the interview, I knew that her taking my Ipad wasn't going to work. So I offered to LOAN her some 11x14 shots of when her daughter was one of our senior reps. I sent off an order to WHCC and as usual had them delivered the next day. I had an OLD 11x14 sleeve book from God knows where and I bought some new sleeves for it and loaded up 10 prints and handed it over about 4 hours before she was off to her interview. When I handed it to the mother and she opened it up her eyes started getting watery and she hugged me and said they were beautiful. I told her she had seen them many times before, but she said "it's not the same on the computer as it is on these large prints".

That's the moment I started building portfolios and have never looked back.

Just my opinion, but it's not the portfolio binder as much as what's inside it. I still use that OLD book as one of my books. Its beat up, scratched up, wrote on, but the zipper still zips and it shows character.