The Importance of Creating an Online Creative Portfolio and How to Make One for Free
Every photographer and videographer needs to make an online portfolio. Whether they are amateur or professional, it presents more exposure and job opportunities.
Think about it – when someone is looking for a service, what is the first thing they do? They do a Google search or check social media. Well, if you’re not online, how are they going to find you?
Below we’ve explained the importance of creating an online portfolio as a photographer or videographer and how to make one for free.
Why you need an online portfolio
Whether you are doing this to make money or make art, you need an online portfolio to be a successful photographer or videographer. If you aren’t already convinced that it’s in your best interest to make one, we’ve listed the reasons why you need an online portfolio below.
Customers need to see your work
First things first: your customers need to see your work. If they don’t know your style, they’re probably not going to use your services. A nice, informative portfolio composed of 8 to 10 pictures or videos will not only look more professional, but it will show future clients what they can expect from your work.
Clients will contact you through your portfolio
The best thing about an online portfolio is that it connects you to future customers and job opportunities. Creative community platforms like Dissolve Creators allow clients to scroll through your portfolio and contact you directly with a seamless messaging feature. This means that you don’t have to rely on applying for jobs – the jobs come to you!
It will help you sell your work online
Having an online portfolio will help you sell your work online because it serves as an advertisement. You can include a link to your website or online store in your portfolio. Some photography and videography platforms even allow you to sell directly through their websites, so purchasing your prints or stock photography is just a few clicks away.
If you’re interested in selling stock photography and footage, Dissolve Premium has been the go-to provider for exceptional stock content since 2013. You can easily apply to become a Contributor here.
Social media advertising
Most photographers and videographers find success through social media engagement. Advertising your services on social media will bring in more customers and strengthen your brand. If you post your portfolio link to social media accounts like Twitter or LinkedIn, the website will show a preview of your work that may catch the eye of a potential buyer.
How to make a creative online portfolio for free
Many photography blogs suggest that you set up a website to sell and showcase your artwork, but making a website can be expensive and difficult. If you go the affordable route and set up the website yourself, you run the risk of the site not working properly, which will only turn off buyers.
Many websites offer online portfolio features, but many come with issues. For example, very few of these photography platforms offer their services for free, and the free versions are often low-quality and unprofessional looking. Dissolve Creators separates itself from the competition by offering professional creative tools including a photo editing application for no charge.
Below we teach you how to make an online creative portfolio for free with a Dissolve Creators account. You can also follow detailed other Dissolve Creators feature guides here.
Step One: Make an account
When you enter the Dissolve Creators home page, click on the orange “Sign up” button found in the top right. The website will take you to an information form that asks for your first name, last name, company name, and email.
Step Two: Set up your user name and profile picture
The next web page that you will come across is the account settings. There you will enter your desired name and profile picture. When choosing your username, make sure that it sounds professional and isn’t something like “Viper911.” You don’t want your name to sound like a gamer tag. We suggest using your last name or the name of your company and including something about your services.
For example, if you specialize in wedding and event photography, you can choose a name like MichaelGrayWeddingandEvent. Using a username like this will help customers understand and discover your profile easier.
When choosing a profile picture, you must remember you are advertising yourself. If you don’t choose a good profile picture, people are less likely to trust your services. Ideally, you will use a self-portrait because customers are more likely to purchase from a photographer or videographer who shows their face.
Step Three: Fill out the rest of your profile
After picking your username and profile picture, you have the option to include your title, company name, location, and biography. While filling out this information is optional, we highly suggest that you fill out the social link section. Dissolve Creators gives you the option to link your personal website or social media accounts like Facebook, Twitter, Instagram, Youtube, and Vimeo.
Step Four: Start uploading your content
Now that you’ve set up your profile, it’s time to upload your photography and videos so others can appreciate them. Click on the orange button at the top of the webpage that says “upload.” A welcome window will provide a brief how-to guide for uploading content. Once you’re done the tutorial, the website will prompt you to upload. Either browse your computer or drag and drop your files into the window and wait for them to finish processing.
Remember that Dissolve Creators has a 100 KB minimum file size and 1 GB maximum size and only allows ten pictures per upload. If you need to upload a photo or video of more than 1 GB, Dissolve Premiums offer a 2 GB plan.
Step Five: Fill out the Description, Keywords, and Location
The next, and most important step, is to fill out the description and keywords. The description will serve as a title for your picture, so make sure to be brief but detailed. For example, if you took a photo of a model posing, title it something like ‘Model posing with white background’.
Keywords are extremely important because they connect you to your viewers. When clients and customers look for specific stock images, they type a keyword into the search bar. Examples of keywords may be bird’s eye view, landscape, outdoors, wedding, etc. Think about the services you offer and tailor your keywords to meet your customer’s expectations. Dissolve gives you the option to include an unlimited number of keywords per upload, so add as many as you can!
You don’t have to include the location if you don’t feel comfortable sharing it. However, if you specialize in travel photography or videography, we recommend that you always tag the photo’s location.
Step Five: Allow users to download
The Dissolve Creators community values the inspiring and empowering of creators by providing a library of accessible, high-quality photos and videos. Alongside their portfolio items, Creators in the community share photos and videos as free downloads for anyone to use within their creative projects.
Before uploading your work, decide if you want users to download it. This is completely optional, and you will always have the chance to go back and click it if you change your mind. If you want users to download and utilize your photos and videos in their creative projects, check off the ‘Allow users to download’ box.
It’s recommended that you allow others in the community to utilize your photos because members are advised to provide credit for the original artist that uploaded the content. This would provide more backlink opportunities for your photos and videos, thus more exposure to your work! This is completely optional, and you will always have the chance to go back and click it if you change your mind.
Conclusion
One thing’s for sure: if you’re an amateur or professional creative, you need to create an online creative portfolio. Not only will it allow future clients to discover your work, but it will also open up an array of opportunities for your career.
Dissolve Creators fosters a community of amateur all-around creatives and industry professionals. Let the community know that you’re available for hire, get your work seen by an array of artists, cultivate meaningful connections, as well as download a ton of free photos and videos to utilize in your content.
Creating a profile is easy and free- so what are you waiting for? Sign up here.
