How can you create a photography portfolio that appeals to both commercial and artistic clients?

Curate a diverse portfolio that showcases your versatility as a photographer. Include a mix of commercial projects highlighting your ability to capture products, brands, or events in a visually appealing and marketable way. Intersperse these commercial works with artistic projects that demonstrate your creativity and unique style. This combination allows potential clients to see your adaptability, ensuring that you can meet both commercial and artistic needs. A well-rounded portfolio communicates that you understand the nuances of different photographic styles, making you a valuable choice for a variety of clients.

Ask yourself what kind of clients do you want to appeal and work with, this is going to define your style as well as your portfolio. When I was first starting out, I did content around many different niches. Including, portraits, events, birthday parties, etc. I would later use these to pitch to potential couples for engagement shoots which would eventually lead me to doing weddings. I do the same now for corporate clients and commerical, using similar or sub niches to promote and create a target audience for specific niches of photography / videography. Don't try to do everything and put everything out. It looks messy! Choose a couple niches and stick with those and get super good at them and then promote your work!

Ensure that your portfolio is presented in a cohesive and professional manner, reflecting a clear brand identity. Organize your work into categories, such as commercial and artistic, to make it easy for clients to navigate and understand the breadth of your capabilities. Pay attention to the overall aesthetic and design of your portfolio to convey a consistent visual identity. Clear branding and presentation not only enhance the professionalism of your portfolio but also instill confidence in potential clients, whether they are seeking commercial or artistic photography services.

Tailor your portfolio to resonate with the specific needs and preferences of your target clients. Highlight projects that align with the industries or themes your ideal clients are interested in. If targeting commercial clients, emphasize your ability to capture brand stories effectively. For artistic clients, showcase projects that evoke emotion and creativity. By adopting a client-centric approach, you position your portfolio as a tool that speaks directly to the desires of both commercial and artistic clients, making it more likely to attract the right audience for your services.

I’ve found it helpful to have an intentionally organized digital portfolio to showcase my work. With a digital portfolio, you always have a link (or links depending on the diversity of your work) easily accessible to send to potential clients or pull up on your device to display on the fly. If a website is out of budget you can use Google Drive for free when just starting out and refine as you go. Don’t overthink it.