Have you ever taken the time to take a long hard look at your collection of images?
Each image that you add to your portfolio – whether it’s for fine art or stock photography – will contribute to your body of work, which will become a representation of your skills and artistic vision.
But in order to have a portfolio that stands out, you need diversity in your images. Nobody really wants to browse through repetitive photos taken with the same subjects, same light and processing over and over at slightly different angles.
Here are a few suggestions on how to diversify your portfolio for stock and fine art photography:
Shoot different subjects:
This is the obvious tip. We all have a favorite subject to photograph. It can be landscapes, sunsets, flowers or wildlife. The more we photograph these subjects, the better we get at it.
But to avoid having a monotonous and repetitive portfolio, push yourself out of your comfort zone and seek something new to photograph. For example, try portraits instead of flower shots, or architecture instead of landscapes.
This will not only help you become a better photographer, but it will also diversify your portfolio and reach more buyers.
Try different techniques:
If you don’t have the chance to photograph different subjects or travel to new locations, you can focus on photographing the same thing in different ways, by using different lighting, or changing the composition.
You can move closer to try macro photography or focus on patterns and shapes. You can work on telling stories with your photos.
Playing with colors, varying your processing techniques or shooting in black and white can also give a fresh look to your images.
Curate your portfolio:
During downtimes such as this past year with the pandemic restrictions, it’s also a good opportunity to take a good look at your vast collection of images and learn from it.
Notice what types of images you shoot and what seems redundant. Judge your collection as objectively as possible and select only the strongest images to include in your stock portfolio or fine art online gallery.
We often have strong connections to particular images because of special experiences, but such images don’t necessarily translate into sales. And it’s better to have a balanced, diverse portfolio with strong images than too many photos that dilute the potential impact of your work.
A diverse portfolio is a healthy portfolio. It is also more lucrative.
It will not only make you stand out as a skilled photographer, but it will also make your photography more enjoyable to yourself and to your viewers.
— Daniel
