A Portfolio Checkup: Chapter 3 From My New Book
I help photographers and creative entrepreneurs over 40 reclaim their confidence, cut through the noise, and build bold, independent lives through no-BS insight, experience, and action. Welcome to my Substack. I am glad you are here.
Today is an excerpt from my upcoming book on keeping ahead of the changing markets. Enjoy.
NOTE: All Premium Members will get the book and workbook free with their premium membership.
Chapter 3: Building a Market-Ready Portfolio
A portfolio isn’t a scrapbook. It’s not a memory wall or a “greatest hits” reel. It’s your visual sales tool—the clearest expression of what you do, how you think, and why someone should hire you.
If Chapter 2 helped you define your niche, this chapter shows you how to prove it—with strategy, curation, and intent.
Your Portfolio Is Your Strongest Business Tool
Your images don’t just need to be good—they need to be useful. To the viewer. To the client. To the job you want next. A market-ready portfolio isn’t about showing off, it’s about showing up—with work that says:
“This is what I do.
This is who it’s for.
And yes, I’m ready.”
Curate With Intention
Start with 20–30 images. That’s it. Every image should earn its place.
Ask yourself:
Can someone instantly tell what I specialize in?
Do these images look like they came from the same photographer?
Would a paying client want work like this?
Could any photographer anywhere make this image
Leave out the one-off experiments.
Ditch anything that doesn’t align.
Consistency beats variety.
You’re not showing everything—you’re showing the right things.
Group Your Work Like a Buyer Would
Don’t make clients work to “get” you. Instead, organize your portfolio the way they think:
Product: Clean on-white shots, styled product scenes, or packaging in context
Food: Flat lays, plated dishes, restaurant environments, process shots
Lifestyle: Branded scenarios, natural moments, people interacting with products
Editorial: Story-driven imagery with a strong sense of narrative and place
Clear categories make it easier for clients to self-select, and for you to be taken seriously in your niche.
Show Range Without Losing Focus
Yes, clients want specialists.
But they also want to know you’re versatile within your lane.
Let them see:
Bright daylight and dramatic controlled lighting
Studio cleanliness and on-location chaos
Detail shots and environmental context
Your style bursting through in every image
Keep your visual language consistent.
Even with variety, there’s a throughline of you in every frame.
Sequence Like a Story
Whether it’s a website, PDF, or print book, order matters.
Start strong. Lead with your best image.
Build rhythm. Mix wide and tight shots.
Vary pacing.
End memorably.
Your second-best image goes last—leave them with impact.
You’re not “showing” work.
You’re guiding a feeling of credibility and professionalism.
Context Is a Multiplier
Add short captions where it helps.
No fluff—just function.
“Shot for X brand’s spring campaign. Used in print, web banners, and point-of-sale.”
That context shows you’re client-ready.
You think in deliverables, not just images.
No Client Work?
No Problem.
Make Your Own.
You don’t need to wait for permission to prove what you can do. Fill gaps with intentionally crafted personal projects.
Mock up a campaign for your dream brand
Style and shoot your favorite products as if you were hired
Create a photo essay for a magazine that doesn’t exist (yet)
If it solves a client problem and fits the brief, you’re already doing the work.
Format Like You Mean It
One portfolio isn’t enough. You need options:
Website: Clean, fast, and updated quarterly
PDF: Easy to send with cold pitches or follow-ups
Case Studies: For your blog, newsletter, or deck
Instagram: Not just pretty, but aligned
Every platform is a handshake.
Make sure your have a solid grip.
Review Quarterly, Ruthlessly
Your portfolio is a living document.
Set a date every quarter to:
Add new work that fits your direction
Remove anything that feels tired, off-brand, or below your current standard
Re-sequence for flow and relevance
You’re only as strong as your weakest image.
Don’t let old work sabotage new opportunities.
A Final Thought
A great portfolio does more than get you attention for your work.
It builds trust.
It shouldn’t say, “Oh, look what I can do.”
It says, “This is exactly what you’ve been looking for.”
When you align your focus (Chapter 2) with your presentation (this chapter), you don’t just look professional.
You are a professional.
If you’re over 40 and still hungry to make, build, and create, stick around. This space is for people who aren’t done yet (and never will be). I’ve got five decades of wins, failures, comebacks, and creative battles under my belt, and I’m sharing everything that still works—and burning the rest.
No fluff.
No hustle porn.
Just real tools for building a creative life on your own damn terms.
My Personal Website
My Photography Website.
Me on Medium.
PREMIIUM MEMBERS:
Here are three books for you.
One is my business book from Project 52, the second is my massive Ultimate Guide book for creatives starting business, and the third is a Quarterly from 2019. I have resumed the quarterlies this year and am finishing up the Spring one now.
All premium members have access to all of my books for free.
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