Hit the Books with Dan Milnor: Rotate your view and redefine your portfolio

Never operate on assumption. This is a golden rule of any business. Still, I find it especially true in the creative world where rules are meant to be broken, long-standing traditions are challenged, and eccentric behavior is celebrated. So yes, never assume anything.

For example, as an aspiring creative professional working in photojournalism, all the portfolios I encountered looked the same. A single clear sleeve of 20 slides with the photographer’s name at the top written with a Sharpie. At times, I saw stacks of portfolios indistinguishable from one another.

My frustration at this reality forced me to adapt. I approached the design department at the newspaper I worked for and declared my plans to create my own magazine. To say I was met with resistance is an understatement. I remember the exact response. “You are an idiot, go away.” Undeterred, I began experimenting with page design on a Macintosh Performa 630 computer, a cruel little machine with just enough RAM to design one page at a time. After months of trial and error, I emerged from the digital dust with 10 laminated and bound 11×17-inch spreads comprising my own magazine.

I began mailing this publication to all the clients I dreamed of working for. Institutions like National Geographic and German magazine Geo. Several weeks later, things began arriving in the mail. A full-page, handwritten letter from the photography editor at National Geographic which read, “We have never seen a portfolio like this. How did you do it?” My phone rang, and I was greeted with a heavy German accent. The photography editor at Geo magazine said, “We don’t normally hire American photographers, but this portfolio is so different, and I love your work from Guatemala. We have an assignment there later in the year, and I want to keep you in consideration.”

I realized I was not built to conform and live to the assumptions my industry was placing on me. I was going to be different with my photography and portfolios. As the years passed, the tools available for making portfolios expanded exponentially. The arrival of print-on-demand was life-changing because the technology allowed me to create portfolios tailor-made to individual photography editors, agents, or art buyers. Gone were the enormous, expensive, difficult-to-ship behemoth portfolios of the past, and in, were the nimble, personal, and easily updatable portfolios of today.

Now, when the need for a portfolio arises, I no longer think of one object. I think of an array of sizes, materials, looks, feels, and prices. I mix and match Space Age with Stone Age and Hi-Fi with Lo-Fi. I might make a gorgeous layflat book for my coffee table at home, knowing my visitors will take the time to engage, but I might also make something like an eight-page MagCloud digest to keep in my backpack to give away when needed. I love presenting my work in magazine-style publications, so I make both Blurb magazines and Blurb trade books to vary the presentation of the work.

The world is flooded with those hoping to make a career in the creative fields. Standing out can be tricky. Making the most unique work possible is a great way to start, but how you present that work should be equally unique. When someone sees your work or your promotional publications, the best thing you can hear is, “I know who made that,” even if they can’t see your name, brand, or business.

***

Dan Milnor is a professional photographer, author, and Blurb’s creative ambassador. His photography and bookmaking advice help creators of every kind realize their creative potential. Ready to turn your photography into a photo book? Join us at Blurb.