Create a compelling photography website with ISO100

Crafting an impressive photography portfolio online can be a straightforward process, thanks to ISO100's innovative portfolio service. ISO100 is an online platform tailored specifically for photographers, enabling them to showcase their best work. Interestingly, ISO100 stands for the ISO 100 light sensitivity setting, which is ideal for shooting in bright, sunny conditions outdoors.

ISO100 founder Elbert Alias emphasizes that a portfolio is not merely a collection of good photographs, but a carefully curated selection that illustrates a photographer's unique perspective and the relationships between chosen pictures. While individual images may be strong, their sequencing can often be overlooked, leading to a disjointed and less impactful portfolio.

ISO100's online portfolio app has been designed with this in mind, allowing photographers to breathe life into their work while guiding viewers through a clear visual narrative. The platform ensures that the images lead the design, displaying the work with care without requiring a web design background. The key to creating a memorable online portfolio lies in showcasing the right images in the right order.

To achieve this, ISO100 provides users with a portfolio editor where they can curate a selection of shortlisted images. Elbert Alias suggests separating decisions, first determining the portfolio's message and then editing for strength and relevance. Once this is done, structuring the sequence becomes a more manageable task.

When importing and organizing images, ISO100 simplifies the process, enabling photographers to focus on creating a coherent portfolio. The platform's essential tips include the future work test, where potential viewers should understand the portfolio's message and desire to see more work in the same vein.

Elbert Alias also recommends keeping an 'A' and 'B' edit, stockpiling twice as many images as needed for the portfolio. The 'A' edit should be a shortest, defensible shortlist, while the 'B' edit keeps alternatives close at hand. This allows photographers to remove photographs without feeling like a failure, giving the remaining work more space and making the edit more effective and memorable.

Another useful technique is the neighbour test, where a portrait with the subject looking out of frame is followed by another portrait with the subject looking back. This creates a sense of connection between the two images, enhancing the narrative flow. Additionally, giving particular care to the first five photographs is crucial, as they establish the visual terms for the rest of the portfolio.