Possible freelance work - advice required!!

antc · 6 Aug 2006 at 16:13

Popped along to a couple of free photo classes a month or two back now and one of the guys I met there was a freelance photographer for the Nottingham Evening Post. I chatted to this guy quite a bit and showed him some of my work and he was quite impressed. He said he would have a word the picture editor at the post as he thought I was good enough to get some work.

Feeling very flattered at this point I forgot all about it really until I recieved an email from the picture editor yesterday asking me to send in some jpeg samples of my work. He wants 10 to 15 examples. I dont have to send the shots in till the 24th august so I have a bit of time to get this right.

Well that gave me the shock of my life and made me realise i need to sort out some kind of portfolio (dont actually have one at the mo) and sort through all the shots i have to pick out my best ones.

Now at this point im not entirely sure on what to do so i thought where better to ask than here, in the ocuk forum where i have learnt so much over the last year or so.

my questions are,

1. would you send a selection of everything or just one subject?
2. what size would you send these pics at? i was thinking 800x600
3. where is the best place to get portfolio folders from?
4. what size would you print the pics off to go into your portfolio?

at this point in time I have all sorts of questions going round in my head so if I think of anymore I will add them.

thanks

Anthony

cyKey · 6 Aug 2006 at 16:24

I'd say A3 for the portfolio if you can afford it. A4 will still be expensive. Print landscape pictures portrait. It doesn't sound right but it says people turning the heads or the portfolio and it'll flow better. Send a range too. You need to show that you can cover various types of photography. Good luck with it

philio16 · 6 Aug 2006 at 19:48

cyKey said:
I'd say A3 for the portfolio if you can afford it. A4 will still be expensive. Print landscape pictures portrait. It doesn't sound right but it says people turning the heads or the portfolio and it'll flow better. Send a range too. You need to show that you can cover various types of photography. Good luck with it

As it is for newspaper work, I think it'd be ideal to send in images of things that might possibly be seen in the paper maybe? Such as events, people, places etc? Probably best steering away from macro shots etc.

cyKey · 6 Aug 2006 at 20:09

philio16 said:
As it is for newspaper work, I think it'd be ideal to send in images of things that might possibly be seen in the paper maybe? Such as events, people, places etc? Probably best steering away from macro shots etc.

Well yeah obviously. I didn't think I needed to be that specific.

antc · 6 Aug 2006 at 20:19

all help and suggestions appreciated guys. keep it coming

cheers

Broadbandplacey · 6 Aug 2006 at 20:34

look through the paper in question and look at the photos in it.

your likely to have shots of local places = e.g. local shopping mall has revamp.

events such as a carnival or lots of people/tourists in the town centre = e.g. increased sales for local businesses as tourist season hots up, local carnival comes to town.

sports photography - the classic cricket shot of the bowler who's just delivered or the batsman who's just wellied it

thats about it for my local paper - other than mugshots of people who have been put in jail etc (usually the worst photo they can find of the person making them look really criminal)

no need to stick exclusively to those but id certainly say emphasize them in your specific portfolio being sent to them.

philio16 · 6 Aug 2006 at 20:46

cyKey said:
Well yeah obviously. I didn't think I needed to be that specific.

I just wanted to sound clever

bigredshark · 6 Aug 2006 at 20:54

Broadbandplacey said:
look through the paper in question and look at the photos in it.

your likely to have shots of local places = e.g. local shopping mall has revamp.

events such as a carnival or lots of people/tourists in the town centre = e.g. increased sales for local businesses as tourist season hots up, local carnival comes to town.

sports photography - the classic cricket shot of the bowler who's just delivered or the batsman who's just wellied it

thats about it for my local paper - other than mugshots of people who have been put in jail etc (usually the worst photo they can find of the person making them look really criminal)

no need to stick exclusively to those but id certainly say emphasize them in your specific portfolio being sent to them.

I'd be careful doing that, send them your best general work (ie. no macro or fisheye etc..) rather than looking for specifically relevent shots. you want to show off your ability!

Broadbandplacey · 6 Aug 2006 at 21:56

bigredshark said:
I'd be careful doing that, send them your best general work (ie. no macro or fisheye etc..) rather than looking for specifically relevent shots. you want to show off your ability!

oh no i didnt mean go out and take shots of local events, start the job early so to speak.

just if he had good shots of people, places or events these are ones to think about.

bigredshark · 6 Aug 2006 at 21:59

Broadbandplacey said:
oh no i didnt mean go out and take shots of local events, start the job early so to speak.

just if he had good shots of people, places or events these are ones to think about.

yeah, my point was, if it was me i wouldn't be looking for good shots of those things in particular I'd taken, I'd be looking for the best shots I'd taken regardless of subject.

Broadbandplacey · 6 Aug 2006 at 23:37

bigredshark said:
yeah, my point was, if it was me i wouldn't be looking for good shots of those things in particular I'd taken, I'd be looking for the best shots I'd taken regardless of subject.

if you're applying for a job, you make the CV relevant to that job, whilst not destroying irrelevant informations you emphasize the points in the CV which are most likely to help you be successful in applying,

i dont see how a portfolio is different, the fact is in the job (which im sure he'll get

) he will have to take these type of photos, and the employer needs to know the shots he takes of these things are of good quality.

why put in 'lots of' excellent irrelevant photos? focus on your best work from the criteria your trying to get a job in

just my 2p worth (about 8p worth now i think)

bigredshark · 6 Aug 2006 at 23:54

fine if you're a professional photographer, but if not i'd put in the very best you have at risk of irrelevence. obvious rubbish like macro and similar isn't worth bothering with though.