Tips for Your Commercial Photography Portfolio

A great commercial photography portfolio is your calling card in the industry, and your ticket to winning clients and landing jobs as a professional photographer. Read on to learn 3 key tips that will help make your commercial photography portfolio shine, so prepare to start getting the gigs you need to advance your career. These commercial photography portfolio tips will take your clips to the next level, so that you can scale the ladder to your dream job.

1. Offer Your Commercial Photography Portfolio In A Variety Of Formats

When you hand out your commercial photography portfolio, one of the things it is crucial to communicate to a client is that when they hire you, you will do everything you can to make his or her life easy. You want to be seen as professional and responsive, and as someone who proactively anticipates your client's needs. One great way to make this impression fast is to have your commercial photography portfolio available in a number of formats, including in print, on CD, and online, as AllArtSchools suggests. When you follow this advice and have print, digital, and virtual clips available, your first question to a client can always be "What's easiest for you?", a sentence that will be music to any prospective employer's ears.

2. Pitch Your Commercial Photography Portfolio Directly To The Job At Hand.

Instead of having one commercial photography portfolio, have several, one targeted to each kind of work you're hoping to do in your career. Have you taken some gorgeous nature images? That's great, but a client who's hiring for a fashion shoot won't care! A prospective employer will hire the person who seems most likely to do a great job on the specific project at hand, so make sure everything in the commercial photography portfolio you hand to a possible client is directly relevant to the task they'll need you to do. Try doing as PhotoCritic suggests, and put together a portfolio of just your fashion work, another that highlights your nature shots, another for photos you've taken of products, and so on for each genre you've got clips for, and are seeking work in. That way, as you move forward in applying for a variety of jobs, you'll always have your most specifically relevant work at your fingertips, ready to impress your next boss.

3. Include The Right Written Information In Your Commercial Photography Portfolio.

As Marketing For Photographers and Photography points out, you don't need to include much written information in your commercial photography portfolio. However, what you do put in can make or break a client's interest in your work. By reducing the amount of text, you help keep your prospective employer engaged with the images you're presenting, which is the goal of your commercial photography portfolio. You don't need to put forward the technical information for each picture, like your equipment choices or shutter speed, because the client only cares about your end result, not about the road you took to get the shot. You should offer a brief description of what each picture is, to provide some context, and a clean, professional, and specific title for each shot, so that it's easy for clients to reference a particular image in your commercial photography portfolio when they're in discussion with you, or with any colleagues who may be involved in making the decision to hire you.

Insel Hombroich: A Unique Nature & Art Preserve in Neuss, Germany

Just minutes from Düsseldorf, Germany Museum Insel Hombroich fuses architecture, art and nature on over 62 acres of meadowland. It is both a park and a museum where spaces are carefully designed so that the visitor experiences an effortless flow between structures and open air.

The inception of Insel Hombroich occurred in 1982 when Düsseldorf, Germany real estate broker Karl Heinrich Müller purchased Rosa Haus, an overgrown villa and garden built in 1816. The Rosa Haus property was bordered by the Erft River, agricultural fields and an abandoned NATO missile base. At the time, Müller was looking for new ways to present his art collection and the Rosa Haus property held that potential.

Müller's vision grew with support from local artists and architects. Landscape Architect Bernhard Korte set about restoring the old gardens and began planning minimalist landscapes. Sculptor Erwin Heerich's elemental sculptures became the design base for the gallery pavilions and artists from the Düsseldorf Academy of Art took up residence. Müller's art collection had found its home and a once neglected parcel of earth became a refuge from dense industry and urban existence.

Insel Hombroich can be seen from the highway, the train and just about every other transit pathway in the area but once within its borders the visitor is transported to tranquility, thus its "island" designation. The journey begins in a dusty, gravel parking lot hidden behind tall hedges. One unpretentious building welcomes guests, serving as the museum's entrance and bookstore. Emerging from the structure, the museumgoer wanders through a woodsy path to a steep incline fitted with stone steps. The park landscape begins to form below in a low lying water meadow and the first of Heerich's geometric pavilions appears.

What gives Insel Hombroich its presence is the constant redefining of relationships: indoor and outdoor space, art and architecture, man-made and natural. Heerich's pavilion designs are no exception. They are works of art, "walk-in" sculptures which impress the senses and change hour to hour with the sun. In turn, these works of art house the collection that inspired their creation.

Each of the fifteen pavilions holds selected works from Müller's collection. Somehow, perhaps because the grounds of Insel Hombroich are the museum, the egress in and out of the galleries is completely barrier-free: no turnstiles, no ticket check and the buildings are mostly sunlight. It is a unique way to experience works from East Asian, Mexico, Africa, Polynesia and from an impressive list of well known artists including Klimt, Matisse, Cezanne and Rembrandt. The exhibits are as direct as possible, void of even signs and captions. The unconventional presentation without air conditioning or artificial light adds to the visitor's perception of being in a protected haven for art and nature.

Heerich's designs sit in their surroundings as if they shared a long history. Near the Erft River and the Rosa Haus, structures mimic the round trunks of rare trees and open to the restored villa gardens. The "Snail" building winds around an inner courtyard that provides illumination for the artwork. The Labyrinth building, the heart of the gallery displays, is a large square building barely noticed behind high hedges. It can be accessed from four different labyrinth-like gravel paths, a nod to the English gardens of Rosa Haus.

The path and approach to each pavilion is part of the Insel Hombroich experience. Gravel paths, wooden bridges and tree canopies add to the choreography of the visitor's journey. The site invites a wide range of wildlife to enjoy between each pavilion. Herons and many other water birds shift around the meadows and fields and the Erft River banks. Wildflowers, ponds and a diverse array of trees emerge at the turn of each path and outdoor sculptures peak interest between galleries.

The museum grounds buzz with activities: talks, lectures, meetings, artists at work and recently a bee keeper. It is a dynamic community and in 1994, Müller enhanced the project further with the purchase of the neighboring NATO rocket base. The parcel added 32 acres to Müller's vision and merged the museum's existing design ideas with military relics.

The Raketenstation Hombroich came as abandoned bunkers, launch pads, earth berms, hangars and a control tower. It was not marked on any map as it served defense purposes and was used for storage of cruise missile warheads. In 1992 it became obsolete with the disarmament agreements between the NATO states and the former USSR.

Müller invited Japanese architect Tadao Ando to design the Rakentenstation's transformation to an extension of the Insel Hombroich cultural center. Some military remnants were removed such as barbed wire fences, spotlights and other security elements. The hangars, bunkers, earth berms and control tower were all renovated and became part of the overall design.

Ando created the main building with a geometric simplicity and streamlined materials of cement, steel and glass. It sits behind the main entrance flanked by curved cement acoustical walls and a sparkling reflection pool. The parcel is dotted with more of Heerich's pavilions and wildflower paths familiar to the Insel Hombroich. It differs that the pavilions house offices and studios, the grounds are open to public exploration but the buildings are in private use. The Raketenstation provides work space for artists, musicians, writers and scientists creating a vibrant arena for cultural exchange.

The Raketenstation Hombroich and the Museum Insel Hombroich became part of the Foundation Insel Hombroich in 1997 and today form the Kulturraum Hombroich: a community for art, culture, science and nature. Plans to further expand the cultural center are under way, fueled by the constant bubbling of ideas between the diverse participants. Regardless if the center expands, the Hombroich project stands today as an incredible example of land reuse and revival.

Laguna Art Festivals

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How can you improve on an artist colony near the beach in Southern California? Throw in a few art festivals during the summer and you’ve got my perfect birthday outing. I used to hate having a July birthday when I was a kid because I never got to celebrate with my classmates in school but the Laguna Art Festivals give me a reason to look forward to birthdays now that I’m at that age where I’d rather ignore them. Since birthdays mean I get to shamelessly torture my husband for 24 hours, I get him up early so we’ll be assured a parking spot. We exit the 5 freeway onto the 133/Laguna Canyon Road (be careful not to veer onto the Toll Road!) that winds through endangered pastoral land developers salivate over, but that’s another article altogether… A few miles down, we hang a right into the Act V dirt and gravel parking lot. Depending on the year, it’s been free and you pay for the trolley that takes you into town or, like this year (2005), we paid $5 to park and the trolley was free. I sure don’t want to think about the politics that go into those pricing decisions each year… Anyway, the trolleys run every 10 minutes or so to the festival grounds and also into downtown Laguna, which makes getting around this typically parking-challenged beach town pleasantly convenient. There are three major art festivals in the summer: The Sawdust Festival, Art-A-Fair and Festival of Arts-all along Laguna Canyon Road within walking distance of each other. The first two celebrate their 39th anniversaries this year and the Grande Dame, Festival of Arts, observes it’s 73rd summer. I advise logging onto the websites of the Festivals to see what kinds of discounts are being offered for admissions. This year, we got a two for one deal with my Bowers Museum membership card for the Sawdust and a half off coupon for Art-A-Fair. If you live close by and plan to visit more than once, most have seasonal passes. And every discount helps--and leaves you more to spend on art! We usually start at The Sawdust, not out of any particular design, just habit. After a visit to their well-maintained ladies room, I’m ready to stroll and gaze and sigh. All of these shows are well juried so there’s no junk here. I want one of everything! Of the three festivals, I think The Sawdust aims to give a total experience to their patrons. Not only do they have good art, you’ll find glass blowers, constant entertainment on a lushly shaded deck, lots of different food choices and art classes for the kids. Their atmosphere is casual (there really is sawdust on the ground), all artists are in individual booths and the art ranges from $2 cards to artwork in the hundreds, with lots of potters, jewelers and even my favorite toe ring booth (this year’s theme-The Toe-night Show with Johnny Carson). And the layout allows for gentle breezes even on the warmest days. We get our hands stamped and move on. Next, on the same side of the street, sits Art-A-Fair. More wonderful art of every description, a tad more serious than The Sawdust, more of a gallery setting as opposed to booths, though most of the artists sell greeting card versions of their work. Some of my favorite painters exhibit here and it’s like visiting old friends. It seems to me that more photography and sculpture find their way to Art-A-Fair and the layout is wide open and inviting. There’s a lovely sit-down restaurant at the far end of the gallery and children’s classes are held in the center of the complex. My husband’s one complaint the whole day (yes, he’s a saint…) was that the tarps stretched above the gallery kept out the sun but they also kept out the breezes. We didn’t have as much time in Laguna this year as usual because we had other Birthday Commitments so we went back to The Sawdust to pick up birthday loot. Something I learned this year is that, if possible, buy your art from the artist if they’re around. When the artists aren’t at their booths, you can pay for your purchases at the Sales Counter run by The Sawdust itself. I had picked up a print, some cards and a gorgeous, colorfully swirly, sparkly paperweight at booths without artists on our first pass and left them with our friend Kathy at the toe ring booth. When we came back, the artists happened to be present at their spaces so I paid them directly. One girl thanked me for paying her because, she whispered, The Sawdust takes a commission when they take payments. From a business point of view that makes sense… But as a creative person myself, I know I like to keep as much of my profits as I can. Since we didn’t get to the Festival of Arts this year, let me tell you about our experience when we took the community tour from our hometown to see the Pageant of the Masters, which everyone should see at least once in their lifetime. Most cities in Orange County offer the tour bus excursion to experience the art show and Pageant, which again makes it very convenient if you don’t have to deal with the raised blood pressure of finding a parking space in Laguna… in the summer… The Festival of Arts show itself rates to me as the most upscale of the Big Three. The pieces are expensive, sometimes bigger than life size and of utmost quality. For John Lennon’s jewelry rattlin’ patrons it’s a buying opportunity, but for the likes of me, it’s a museum where I walk with my hands behind my back and admire the precious items from a safe, non-breakable distance. The karat gold, handmade jewelry is found here and the elaborately framed pieces that belong in teak lined libraries. If I sound like a reverse snob, well, I’m just jealous. A walk through the Festival of Arts makes me long for fine things that I can’t afford. But it’s a rich experience humbled by a section of the work of talented school children. Throughout the summer, many classes and theme days attract families and art lovers. On our tour, we strolled around the Festival, ate dinner at a Ruby’s dinette outside the theatre, then found our seats for the Pageant of the Masters. Basically, the Pageant is artwork brought to life. All year, the hundreds of participants practice their crafts--costuming, lighting, standing very, very, very still… Paintings and sculptures recreated by actors fill the stage and spaces around the amphitheatre, narrated with stories of the art and artists. And you sit, fidgeting, wondering how they can stand with their arms outstretched or squatting like that for sooooo long. Several times during the evening, they put together an artwork piece by piece, bringing in the frame, setting the props, spotting the actors, so you can see how the effect is created. It’s not until the lighting clicks in, though, that the oohh’s and aahh’s echo in the bowl of the theatre. My husband, the actor, explains it this way: “In theatre, you light to create dimension. Here, you’re lighting to eliminate dimension.” You leave the theatre with an appreciation for all the time and effort this purely Californian art form requires. Just a little trivia and some resources before I must go and frame my art treasures from this year’s birthday spree. The Sawdust Festival accepts artists only from Laguna Beach, Art-A-Fair is a Co-op and run by the artists themselves and Festival of Arts admits artists from a limited number of cities in the area. Here are some website must-clicks: www.sawdustartfestival.org www.foapom.com www.art-a-fair.com www.lagunabeachinfo.org Wear good walking shoes, apply your sunscreen and bring your checkbook!

Organic Food Bad for Baby?

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Believe it or not, Which? Magazine and The London Telegraph have reported results of a study undertaken by the former which indicated that organic baby food is less healthy than previously believed.

The report showed that iron content was low in organic baby food; too low, argued the Which? piece. In addition, under current legal guidelines dictating the composition of baby food labeled "organic," the addition of iron is prohibited. As a result, commercially prepared organic products contain some twenty percent less iron, thereby implying that baby will need to consume twenty percent more to get the daily recommended allowance of the mineral.

Some mass-produced organic baby food products have been found to be oversaturated, causing a reduction in other nutrients as well. And just because those additives are natural doesn't mean they're good for your baby.

Also brought to the attention of the consumer was the danger in parental complacency regarding organic snack foods. Because the restrictions regarding food designed for those over one year in age are significantly loosened, sodium and sugar contents increase. Indeed, because of their well-known characteristics as flavor enhancers, these two ingredients can easily be abused by an organic production company wanting their food to be as tasty as possible.

Of course, one consideration must be made when looking over the Which? survey results is that all products studied had one thing in common: They were all products.

The fact of the matter is that, ultimately, should you want ultimate control over what and how much your baby eats, you have no choice but to make it yourself, plain and simple.

Organic baby food must be prepared at home from organic fruit and vegetables (and, if you are comfortable with the source, meat products) selected by you. Fresh food - absolutely not frozen, even if it happens in your own freezer - contains the maximum amounts of nutrition. It is also believed by some that creation of food at home inspires good habits in young children, who do not gain such an appetite for junk food.

Should you find feeding your baby commercially-produced organic food, there is little cause for worry. There is, however, great cause for reading labels and researching. Remember that baby can't read and you can. Do so until it becomes habit, and you baby can receive all the benefits of organic baby food.

Undertaken at about the same time as the Which? survey was an article appearing in "Coronary and Diabetic Care in the United Kingdom," 2004 edition. Working with commercially-available organic baby food, Policy Project Coordinator James Cleeton confirmed all that organic food adherents already know. The piece stated that an organic diet reduces intake of toxins; eliminates intake of genetically modified organisms; nearly eliminates intake of additives, preservatives and coloring; and increases vitamin, mineral and nutritive intake. An organic baby food diet may also, concluded the study, reduce the chances of heart ailments, cancer, allergies and hyperactivity.

Studies and statistics aside, the most effective tool in the fight to keep your baby's diet clean and organic is your mind. The importance of knowing what goes in your baby's mouth cannot be understated, and in today's world lay more potentially dangers in the grocery aisles than ever before. A little education can go a long way. And remember, organic baby food all means simply a happier and healthier baby.