As a photographer, building a portfolio that highlights your unique style and skills is key to landing new opportunities. But beyond just showcasing your best work, it’s crucial to make your portfolio easily discoverable and tailored to the needs of potential clients.
In today’s crowded photography industry, standing out is more than just about great shots – it’s about making sure the right people can quickly find and assess your work.
For photographers on VSCO, one of the most effective ways to achieve this is by utilizing Albums. This tool is specifically designed to help you present your work in a curated and organized way, allowing you to make a lasting impression.
Whether you’re specializing in portraiture, fashion, or food photography, organizing your work in a way that brands can quickly browse is a game-changer for getting noticed in a competitive market.
Using Albums to Make Your Work Discoverable
One of the best ways on VSCO to show a brand your capabilities in a particular genre is by using photo albums. Currently, Albums can be created on the iOS app and be viewed by visitors on both the mobile app and online.
If a brand is searching for a portrait photographer and they come across your profile, they will want to see specific examples of your portrait work. This means your portfolio needs to go beyond just being aesthetically pleasing; it must demonstrate the skills and experience areas you’ve chosen to list on your profile.
Brands aren’t just looking at pretty pictures – they want to know if you can deliver results. It’s crucial that your work demonstrates the skills and experience areas you’ve chosen to list on your profile. Brands always want to see examples, so you’ll want to make sure that your portfolio accurately reflects the kinds of projects you want to take on.
What Are VSCO Albums?
Albums function like photo collections on your profile, allowing you to group your work in an organized way for potential clients to browse. This makes it easier for brands to find specific types of work and gain confidence in your ability to deliver what they need.
The real advantage of using Albums is how they let you focus your work around specific skills or project types. For example, if you say you specialize in portrait photography, it’s crucial to have an album dedicated to Portraits on your profile. This not only backs up your claims but also makes your portfolio much more discoverable and digestible for brands looking for photographers in specific areas.
Instead of forcing a potential client to sift through your entire portfolio, Albums give them an easy, organized way to see exactly what they’re interested in, increasing your chances of being hired.
How Many Albums Should You Have?
While you can create multiple photo albums, you don’t want to overwhelm potential clients. Too many albums can dilute the focus of your work, making it harder for clients to pinpoint what you truly excel in.
A good rule of thumb is to aim for 4-6 distinct albums. This gives brands enough options to explore your work without making it hard to navigate.
Keep the album names simple and straightforward. The idea is to make it easy for a potential client to understand exactly what type of work each album contains. Clear, direct naming conventions allow potential clients to quickly hone in on the type of work they need. For instance, instead of naming an album something abstract, stick with names like:
- Portraits
- Studio
- Fashion
- Travel
- Food
Building Your Photo Albums
You can organize work to create albums for these genres, grouping relevant images into distinct categories to match the genres you marked as having experience in, like Portraits, Studio, and Fashion.
Alternatively, you could create albums of some of the projects you’ve done with other brands that you’d want to highlight as an example of what you can deliver. This way, if you’ve worked with a recognizable brand or done projects that you’re especially proud of, it gives clients a quick look at your past achievements.
Now when someone visits your profile, they can quickly jump to the album that’s most relevant to their needs. For example, if they’re looking for a food photographer, they can simply view your Food album to see your work in that category. This makes the vetting process less time-consuming for clients, which is an invaluable asset in a busy digital world.
Be Both Discoverable and Consumable
With your albums set up, your profile is now more discoverable and easier for potential clients to navigate. Having an organized, easy-to-browse portfolio not only shows off your best work, but it also demonstrates that you value your client’s time and understand how to present your work professionally. Brands can see exactly what you have to offer in the genres you specialize in, which will make it easier for them to hire you.
When your portfolio is full of amazing work and albums that represent your style, skills, and experience, a Hub search can easily surface them to brands that are looking for a photographer just like you.
Organizing your portfolio in this way sends a strong message: you are prepared, professional, and ready to take on the next opportunity. With clear albums highlighting your strongest work, you make it simple for potential clients to see exactly what you bring to the table and feel confident hiring you for their next project.
Resources for Photographers
In addition to everything covered here, check out these other guides and resources from our team that can help you prepare for working with clients:
- How to Set the Value of Your Photography Work
- Photography Contracts Guide
- Updating your VSCO Profile for Better Visibility in Hub
- Working with Brands through VSCO Hub
Create Albums to Get Discovered on VSCO Hub
In today’s fast-paced digital world, brands are looking for efficiency as much as creativity. By taking advantage of photo albums on your VSCO Profile, you ensure that your portfolio isn’t just a collection of great photos – it’s a curated, easy-to-navigate showcase of your abilities.
Take the time to organize your albums, and you’ll see how much easier it becomes to turn profile views into real opportunities. Learn more about VSCO Hub and how you can show up for clients by optimizing your profile.
Once your VSCO Profile is updated for work and you’ve organized your photos into albums, learn What to Expect When Brands Contact You Through VSCO Hub.
