Pulling a cohesive portfolio together is a challenging process. I embarked on the Portfolio Distinction Program offered by the Photography Society of America which has 3 levels Bronze, Silver and Gold. Having obtained my Silver Distinction, I am now working toward my Gold distinction. Each portfolio level requires an increased level of skill and number of images from 10, 15 and 20. In addition to the individual images, you are also required to put together a Statement of Intent and an Overview Image.
While a successful Bronze Portfolio might reflect the standard of a successful club photographer, a Silver demands images of a higher standard. This may be manifest as an emerging personal style with respect to the photographer’s ability to see and interpret their theme. A higher standard of post-processing and presentation of images is also expected. The Gold, requires you to demonstrate a developed personal style and submit images of a high technical and aesthetic quality. The placement and organisation of the images in the Overview Image are also required to demonstrate creativity and style.
In this presentation, I will describe how I went about creating portfolios, pulling together an overview image that was cohesive, consistent, balanced and had symmetry. The Portfolio Distinction Program is an educational opportunity which is a great way to gain skills that can then be applied when preparing for competitions like the Sienna Drone Awards or Australasia’s Top Emerging Photographers run by Capture Magazine. I am also been regularly successful at such competitions especially with my aerial photographs.
Duration 60-90 minutes
All skill levels