Since purchasing my iPhone the day it launched, I’ve shown my portfolio to more people than I did the ten years before that date.
It’s amazing to me how much this has changed the way I show my work. In the old days, I’d spend literally hundreds of dollars (those are old days dollars mind you) on portfolios. Then I’d spend more money shipping the portfolio around. And more still keeping it up to date.
Now, most people see my portfolio on my iPhone. Of course, fewer big shot buyers see my portfolio this way, but the everyday exposure I get from showing images on my iPhone makes me as much money as I earn from the big shot buyers.
At the dentist a few weeks ago, I showed my portfolio via the iPhone to someone in the waiting room. Boom – “Cranes in the Fire Mist” sold.
I showed my portfolio via the iPhone to a man who just happened to own a new gallery in town. Boom – I have a show scheduled at his gallery.
Back when I did weddings, I would have made a killing if I could have kept my wedding samples on the iPhone. Every time I had a conversation with a potential client I could have immediately showed off my images.
Now the iPhone or iPod isn’t going to be the “be all – end all” portfolio. In many cases, it is just an excellent ice breaker. And that’s okay. Even if I have to eventually make a separate presentation on laptop, or send the buyer to the web, or even build an old-fashioned paper portfolio, the first contact via the iPhone makes it probable that I will have better success than if I had just started the old fashioned way.
Scott Bourne
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That’s a great idea, Scott. Do you use Aperture to organize your iPhone portfolio? If so, do you have any tips for doing it effectively? I have a selection of images on my iPhone but I don’t have them organized very well.
I do the exact same thing with my Microsoft Zune. I have different folders for each type of photography I do…
I too have recently began showing my portfolio on my iPhone & also have got a lot more business that I wouldn’t have gotten just a year or two ago. For users of Adobe Lightroom there is a company/website called the Turning Gate that makes a custom web gallery template designed specifically for the iPhone & iPod touch. I am currently using it and I love it so I thought I would pass it on to you. Check it out here:
http://theturninggate.net/lightroom/ttg-iphone-portfolio
It does cost $5 but I personally think it’s worth it. Give it a look and see if you agree.
I have been traveling around the world for the past 2 years. I’ve been to about 50 countries and a similar number of World Heritage sites and have probably taken close to 30,000 photos over the last two years.
My iPod Touch has been the single best thing I’ve purchased, and the main reason has been because I can keep a portfolio of my photography with me all the times. If I am in a cab, a pub, a hostel, or visiting some ancient ruins, I can instantly show someone a collection of where I’ve been and what I’ve seen in a few seconds. I also keep a screen shot of my route from Google Maps with my photos.
I don’t have any special software. I just copy the photos into a folder and sync it. I have also put captions on the photos so people have some context when they look at them. (If someone were to write a simple portfolio application which put a text overlay on images, that would be great.)
I can even imagine not having an iPod Touch anymore.
I’ve been doing the same thing since I got my iPhone. Mostly I’ve just used it to show off to friends, but recently I was in a frame shop to buy some matboard and the proprietor asked to see some of my work. I whipped out my iPhone and showed him my stuff. Right then and there he offered to put up some of my work for display and sale in his store. It was a first for me and pretty exciting. It never would have happened if I didn’t have my photos on my phone.
I have a special smart album I set up that shows all images 3 stars and up that have keywords and adjustments. I also synch the “in the last week” album for accountability purposes. I like to review what I and my wife have shot in the past week to keep us motivated to make great photos. I don’t want to have a portfolio with all great images taken more than a year ago. That keeps things challenging to keep up the quality.
I have a set in my Flickr account called Portfolio. I add photos to this set and use the Mobile Fotos app on my iPhone to show the set.
THIS is why I want the iPod touch.. I always have my iPod in my pocket.. so it would be perfect.
To bad I cant afford it 😛
How do you account for landscape vs. portrait images on the iPhone/Touch? I hate looking at landscape images squished into the thin screen and vice-versa. I also dislike switching the phone position in my hand while flipping through images (or expecting others to do it).
As a result, I have 2 separate slideshows on mine, one for each composition. This isn’t ideal either. Perhaps I should combine them, keeping the images grouped to minimize the flip flopping.
Any better ideas? Or am I the only one that cares…
I too have a slew of my best shots on my iPhone. It’s an excellent tool for showing you are legit when you tell folks “I am a professional photographer.”
“Yeah, sure buddy.”
“No really, take a look.”
“Oh! you really are.”
Great tip, this may just be the reason I need to get an iPod Touch.
Scott, what gallery are you showing your photos at? I live near you, so it would be fun to see your photos.
I’ve been doing the “iPhone-folio” for a while now and i have to say its fantastic. I also use my iPhone to store “Inspirational images” to help during a shoot. And i even snap pictures of things so i can remember them later, like books i want to buy, or pictures i like… Just about anything really.
Great Tip Scott!
My wife as the same experience with her business. She has a surf simulator for trade shows and corporate events. It was hard to explain what it was until she put a short vid on a ipod nano. People understand the concept instantly.
Not quite photo related but the same difference.
Actually, I do this myself – I have my favourites (which, for some reason, I tag as ‘favourite’ instead of rating) as a smart folder, which syncs to my iPhone. I love it.
And Scott, to be fair, you could probably just carry around the one print of ‘Cranes in the Fire Mist’ to peddle as your portfolio, and STILL sell loads of people. 😉
I’ve got the same thing going with my PSP and my regular iPod. Since I ALWAYS have my iPod, I’m never without at least a basic portfolio.
Anyone know of any other devices with nice, big screens suitable for this? The PSP’s kind of a pain to use for various reasons(mainly related to its software), but the iPod touch and iPhone are out of my reach. There anything else out there that will meet our crazy needs?
I’ve been doing this with my iPod Touch since I got it in April and it has gotten me several gigs. I agree that it is an excellent way to keep a basic portfolio with you at all times.
Another happy iPhone user here…I tag the photos I want in my portfolio, create a smart album, and keep it synced with my iPhone…The iPhone’s screen really does the photos justice
Agreed! No point taking pictures of family and friends when you can’t share them … I’ve just decided yesterday after months of debate to get a Touch ( already have a classic, nano and shuffle) and the primary driver was that I can have a decent size screen, portable to share photos in real time.
I’ve tried using the iPod (Classic) style .. but the screen is too small… and physical hard disks seem to suck power.
Debated getting a netbook to show off photos but the Touch has an upper hand as it can easily sit in your pocket and thus be carrying it around more often.
Great post! I had been considering an iTouch for this very purpose.
I’m glad to hear that you and so many others do this too! I carried a Palm PDA for years with a lot of my photos on it. Despite the poor display quality, it came in handy many times, even for something as simple as showing my zoo photos to a bored and fussy child (someone else’s, of course!) in church. In November I got a BlackBerry Storm and moved a bunch of my favorite photos over to that. The day I found out that I had won the Straight Lines photo challenge, we went to a neighborhood party. My husband told everyone about my exciting day, and I was able to show them a copy of the photo in question right there at the party. Technology rocks.
Scott, your so right !!
This is revolutionary. I saw this in Japan happening with phones a year ago, and was amazed. Nobody needs an album.
Hmmm. My wheels are spinning!
~r