Photography Print Portfolio Resources
Photography Print Portfolio Thoughts.
I am in the process of geting myself sorted out with new print portfolios for my photography, and am busy researching what is available out there now. I have had portfolios in the past, that are print books with acetate sleeves. This time, when I get new print portfolios, I want to do away with the acetate sleeves and make something that is not the traditional black leather portfolio, that I have had in the past.
My old portfolios came from:
Brewer and Cantelmo: My first professional portfolio and it really got a battering as it got shown around and I personally felt it looked better with wear and tear on it as it developed the look of a survivor. http://www.brewer-cantelmo.com
Simon Baker: Made one portfolio for me and it is beautiful, it is a padded screw post black leather portfolio and was my favourite one of the three, the question is, do I want another one with my new branding as I can’t use my old one as it is. http://case-maker.com
House of Portfolios: I had two a3 landscape portfolios made by these guys when I was in Paris. they where well made and looked professional. http://www.houseofportfolios.com
All of these (older to me) portfolio books, that I have, used acetate sleeves inside them, and I now want something else. I could use adhesive strips to attach the prints, so they can be housed inside the older portfolio books. Pina Zangaro makes adhesive strips that can be attached to prints, so that I can use any paper inside the physical portfolio.
They do not do what I want this time so I am looking further afield for new portfolio suppliers.
You might ask why a print portfolio when I could use my iPad, I do have two different portfolio apps on my iPad and they are set up one for each of my photography brands so that they are separate and give a distinct different portfolio experience. I still think that it is nice to see prints in a book as we react differently to printed portfolios and the portfolio that I want to take out with me should give a different feel to that of looking at my website, this I feel that the iPad does not always give.
On the Pina Zangaro site, while looking at the adhesive strips, I found their Linen Potrero Portfolio Books, which I like the look of but not their colour range. I want to have something that is different form what I have done before. I was thinking White or Grey as I have two Brand Identities to work on one for my documentary photography and one for my corporate site.
Something else on the Pina Zangaro site is they stock prescored Moab Lasal Photo Matte 235, double sided printing paper. Moab paper is something that I personally would love to try as it gets great reviews but it is hard to get in the UK.
One from Canada, that I have found that I like the look of is:
Iris Portfolios and their Buckram portfolios, I also like their slip cases for the portfolios. http://www.irisportfolios.com/buckram-portfolios,, Unfortunately, they force you to sign up twice (with up to a 24hr delay) to be able to get an idea of their pricing, which creates to many friction points, between looking and buying. If they simplified the process, I am sure these people would do better, as their work looks great.
UPDATE: Since I originally wrote this post, Iris Portfolios have changed their website and I am not so sure about their portfolios now, as they look more like wedding books, than photographers portfolios.
I also like the look of www.mullenbergdesigns.com they also have a Mullenberg Facebook page and a Mullenberg Wordpress site.
I have decided that what I want is a linen book in white, with a slip case that can be in a different colour, not sure bout this last bit. I think that it is dangerous to have a white book as it will get dirtier quicker. I think though that it looks good and will give a crisp clean look that would reflect both websites and enable my logos to show more effectively. I was considering a grey book for a while but I am not so sure as both logos have grey in their typography and that could be harder to then see the branding.
Plastic Sandwich: www.plasticsandwich.co.uk Are based in here in London and they do Leather portfolios which can be done with pages without acetate sleeves. They also do a slipcase but it is limited to one colour which while looking nice is not the colour that I want to have for either of my two new portfolios. The leather books look good though.
Resources on developing photographers portfolios I would recommend are, this Blog post by Sean Stone on A Photo Editor: http://aphotoeditor.com/2013/10/14/expert-advice-print-portfolios from 2013 and a book called ‘No Plastic Sleeves’ by Danielle Currier (Amazon Link) her blog is here: noplasticsleeves.com
As I am in the UK I am going to check out Cathy Robert’s Delta Design which has been going for approximately 30 years.
I have an idea of what I want and am thinking of something that is like a great slip case and a white portfolio and yes I know it will wear quicker than a black leather book but as it will not be going out as much as I used to send them out prior to the iPad then I want something that is different. I am also thinking orange for my other corporate portfolio could be interesting. Then I have to work out how to have the logo put onto both of them. The logo for this website is easier as it is black and grey whereas my corporate website also has a vibrant orange in it.
I will do another post sometime in the future following up on this research, when I have actually ordered and received a portfolio. At the moment I am leaning towards Scott Mullenberg, this is partly because of this video on his work, by Dave White:
Scott Mullenberg, Bookbinder from Dave White on Vimeo.
Update 1: I have just found this video by Andy Biggs the first part looks at Moab, the paper company and their screw post portfolio’s.
Portfolios for Photographers by Andy Biggs from Andy Biggs on Vimeo.