“When will my reflection show who I am inside?” If you have ever tried to build your own photography website, you can relate to Mulan’s struggle. Except that instead of reflections, we’re talking about online portfolios. To overcome this challenge, you will have to spend so many hours developing your style and building an outstanding portfolio. No one knows your work as well as you do. So why is it so difficult to put together a website that reflects everything that your work is?
Sure, an image is worth a thousand words. But even if let your photos do all the talking, you still have to figure out a way to display them. It only takes a few minutes of web browsing to realize how unique every photographer’s website is. And because every shutterbug puts so much effort into creating the perfect site, we believe the best way to learn how to do yours is looking at what others are doing.
This is why we have put together a list of outstanding fashion and beauty portfolios that will definitely inspire you. And don’t worry, the lessons to be learned from these talented Wix users are useful to any shutterbug regardless of their genre and style.
Paolo Azarraga
It all starts with a captivating homepage. Paolo gets the attention of his visitors from the very second they reach his site with a full-screen monochromatic video. The pixelated texture of the clip and the slow movements of the model transmit just how unique and personal Paolo’s work is. From an artistic perspective, this video is a powerful representation of his photo’s delicacy.
Stepping into his portfolio, viewers encounter a beautiful grid display, which also occupies the entirety of the page. In here, Paolo offers a compilation of his most recent work on different projects. Variable column heights break the potential monotony of a full-screen gallery, as images are adapted to the frame size and format rather than the other way around. Paolo’s extraordinary use of the Wix Pro Gallery is, simply, the perfect example of how “less is more”.
A beautiful and colorful portrait occupies Kees’ homepage. The model’s face captures the attention of the viewer, while the site’s menu and social media links take the background as they sit on the top of the page. This makes for the perfect description of his work. As no matter what is going on in the photo, one cannot help but focus on the models’ facial expressions.
This is the main trait of his portfolio, the one that ties all his projects together. Unlike other photographers, Kees does not have a clearly marked photography style. Instead, he completely adjusts his work to the demands of each photoshoot. This adaptation is clearly visible on his main gallery, where he showcases a selection of his projects in a single grid.
His chameleonic skills go one step further, as the full scope of each project is displayed in a different page using a unique set-up. Just like his work, Kees’ portfolio excels in meeting the needs of every situation. As a great philosopher once said: “Be water, my friend.”
If we have to describe Aditya’s work in a single word, it would be “dynamic”. Supposing we had a few more words to use, they would be “colorful images were the model is the sole star”. If we had no words at all, we would let his beautiful homepage do all the talking. An autoplay one-photo gallery of diverse examples of his work sits on the center of a white page. Above it, a menu to his full portfolio. Below, the links to his social media channel. And one clear message expressed without words: this is all about my work.
This homepage style is maintained across the rest of the portfolio, with a single column gallery on the center of a white page. Except now it’s up to viewers to do their own browsing. Rather than breaking down his portfolio into diverse project galleries, Aditya showcases a few images from diverse photoshoots on the same gallery. This adds up to the vivid nature of both his work and the rest of the site. After all, isn’t life all about seeing the bigger picture?
Marion Ida, the photographer behind DIE IDA, brings her unique view of the world to both her work and her portfolio. Her homepage is headed by two black and white photos of herself with a brief introduction to her work. Below, a two-column gallery surrounded by white space offers a look into a variety of shots and projects. The combination of these two opposite elements perfectly reflects how Marion’s creative mind fits within the fashion industry’s marked organization.
The “About Me” page is where her personality truly shines. Using the same header as in the homepage, here she focuses on her own story and inspiration sources. Being able to read about her experiences and motivations makes it easier for visitors to connect with Marion and her work. This is especially important for professionals who shoot people for a living (in a legal and photographic way), as potential clients are likely to decide who to hire based on a combination of how much they like someone’s work and character. Introducing yourself is the first step towards many successful professional opportunities.
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This duo’s work is unique in so many ways, and they have built a portfolio that perfectly captures it. One of the main characteristics that make Kavin and Tryn’s work so special is the way their subjects interact with their surroundings. Wide shots in landscape format make up most of their fashion work. In a world of close-up portraits, Kavin and Tryn are an anomaly.
Breaking with the general rule and general interaction: these are the two main qualities that link their work and website. How exactly? With a one-page site that starts with an “About Us” section and includes five different genres. This interesting composition allows visitors to seamlessly browse the duo’s entire portfolio while still seeing each genre as its own. If there’s anything that Kavin and Tryn’s portfolio should teach you is to not be afraid to take some risks while designing your own, as something beautiful can come from it.
A single full-screen monochromatic close-up represents the daring nature of Carlos’ work on his homepage. It’s also an amazing representation of how comfortable models feel while working with him. This is actually one of the main challenges of portrait photography, as photographers must build a connection with their subjects in order to achieve this result.
On his portfolio, Carlos uses dynamic galleries to showcase most of his work. Images are shown based on their style rather than by project. This results in homogeneous displays where each subject brings a unique character. Editorial photoshoots are the one exception to an otherwise consistent structure. These are showcased with a gallery of galleries – a photography version of Inception, so to speak. For every one of these projects, Carlos displays both single images and final prints. The lesson to be taken from this outstanding portfolio is quite straightforward: Dare to be bold.
A single static image on a white page. That’s how Carmen welcomes visitors to her website. This simple display is a great representation of her work, where the subject is always the star. In most of her photos, Carmen uses colorful makeup and props to make the models stand out. In others, she achieves this effect with strong contrasts and repetitive compositions. Either way, the final result makes it very hard for viewers to look away.
Carmen’s portfolio is all about balance, both on her photos and her website. Bright colors with traditional framing. Bold poses with flat backgrounds. Structured galleries with images that break the order. A powerful display of energy in an otherwise neutral environment. Ever heard of the yin and yang? Keep it in mind when building your portfolio and good things will come your way.
