How to create a photography portfolio website

If you work as a freelance photographer, you’ll need to market your skills to attract clients. The best way to do this is by creating a photography portfolio website. 

Your portfolio exhibits your best work and abilities to show potential client’s what you can do. It’s solid proof you’re worth hiring. 

But creating a portfolio that excites is no small feat. Luckily, we’re here to help. 

In this guide, we’ll discuss how to create a photography portfolio website, including:

• Creating a website
• Choosing your content
• Organising your portfolio 
• Marketing your portfolio
• BONUS! Find out below

To create a photography portfolio, you’ll first need to build a strong website. An online portfolio is easier to market and makes you more accessible to people. Plus, you can personalise your website to fit your needs. 

There are a few tools to build your own website if you don’t have one already.

You might consider using: 

• WordPress – Free website options with premium services for £7 monthly
• Squarespace – Free trial option with monthly pricing starting at £10
• Wix – Unlimited plan for £9.50 monthly 

If you’re new to website design, Squarespace and Wix are a bit easier to navigate. Still, all three options offer extensive design tools and templates. They each offer templates specifically for portfolios. 

On top of that, these website builders offer design tips and analytic tools. They also make it easy to connect your website to social channels. 

Unsure how to get your website started? Check out our guide on how to make your own website. 

You’ll need to choose your portfolio content wisely to reach your target audience. Of course, you’ll want to select the best of your work. But you’ll also want to choose pieces that convert clients. 

Consider your photography niche and circle your picks around that theme. Your portfolio should reflect the work you do most. 

For example, you might build a portfolio of: 

• Wedding photography.
• Event photography. 
• Nature and landscape photography. 
• Portrait photography. 
• Artistically edited work. 

Just be aware of who you want to reach and what you want to achieve. With clear intentions, you can pick work that makes a difference.

To earn gallery space for landscape photography, avoid overpopulating your portfolio with unnecessary samples. In this case, event photography won’t do much good. 

Still, be sure you add diversity to your portfolio to show off your skills. Each photo you include should show something different about your skills and techniques. 

Say you specialise in portrait photography. If you add ten similar headshots, each may not present anything new. 

But if you add headshots from different angles with varied lighting, editing, and backgrounds, this can show your wide-ranging skills. 

Putting together the portfolio can make or break your success. It all comes down to organisation. 

Include an introduction or about page on your website to explain who you are, what you do, and what experiences you have. 

This introduction will describe your services and what photography you focus on. It should also cover how long you’ve been in the business and any professional experiences or educational credentials. 

To make your photography portfolio easier to navigate, try breaking it into categories. For example, you could create different pages for each service you offer. 

If you specialise in event photography, you might separate your portfolio by: 

• Wedding photography.
• Corporate events.
• Birthday parties. 

By organising your work with clear categories, potential clients can easily find examples of what they might hire you for. 

Adding a reviews page on your portfolio website will bolster the photo evidence with client feedback. Consider asking satisfied clients to write testimonials. 

Reviews can show the professional side of your business. Your photography skills are important, but so is your ability to be accommodating and work well with others. 

Make sure your portfolio website also clearly lists your contact information. Including your email and phone number will help people get in touch with you when you win them over. 

So, add a contacts page and include the information at the footer of your website.  

Your portfolio will prove you’re up for the job. But you also need to make sure people find it. Let’s go over some key ways to market your best work. 

As you write the content for your website, consider how you can optimise it for Google. SEO tactics like keyword targeting will help you rank higher when people search for photography services. 

You might also want to claim your Google My Business account and add your portfolio website URL so people can find you. 

Marketing your services on social media will help you reach interested people. But also share a link to your portfolio website by adding it to your channel bios. 

Plus, you can post promotional content that steers people to your website. For example, you could post a few pictures or quote a client testimonial with a link.  

See also: How to promote your photography business on Instagram.

As you design marketing materials like business cards, be sure to include your portfolio link. 

To make it easier to access, consider using a QR code. This way, people can get to your page by scanning their smartphone camera rather than typing out the web address.   

Creating a photography portfolio website will help you spread your skills and win over potential clients. Just remember to:

• Make it look good.
• Pick your pictures wisely.
• Make it easy to navigate. 
• Market that portfolio well.

With the finished portfolio, you can earn new opportunities to capture the moment. 

As you bring in new clients with your photography portfolio, you’ll need to manage your money wisely. 

Countingup is the business current account and accounting software in one app. It automates time-consuming bookkeeping admin for thousands of self-employed people across the UK. 

Save yourself hours of accounting admin so you can focus on growing your business. 

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