Open Thread: Do You Have a PDF or Web Portfolio?
Posted June 26, 2009 in Business, Open Thread
A good portfolio is a freelancer’s gateway to the world. It’s the primary factor that clients evaluate when hiring for a new project, and it’s the first thing peers and friends look at to determine a freelancer’s skill.
With the obvious importance of a portfolio, it’s no wonder most freelancers spend hours, days, or weeks creating something that looks awesome. Having a good portfolio is just that important.
But there are a number of different ways to create a portfolio — and not everyone agrees on the best choice. You could create a PDF with your top designs, so you can easily attach it to email sent to prospective clients. Or you could build a custom portfolio into your website (popular with designers) so you can simply link to that and be finished. Many freelancers do both.
Alternatively, there are some websites built specifically to showcase the work of freelancers, be it design, photography, or writing. Two popular sites of this type are CarbonMade and Coroflot.
How do you handle your portfolio? Do you use a PDF with all of your work, or a custom built website with your designs? Maybe both? Or, do you use something entirely different?
Share your thoughts and expertise in the comments.
Related posts:
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- Open Thread: Do You Work With Other Freelancers?
About the author: Mason Hipp is a designer, entrepreneur, and writer. He is co-author of the Book The Unlimited Freelancer, and has just recently launched a collection of premium graphic resources for web designers called MediaLoot. Follow him on twitter @MasonHipp
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30 Comments
Bill Prickett, APR
June 26th, 2009 at 12:03 pmAs a writing and PR professional, I make sure to have a variety of documents on my web site. I have them in PDF format. Part of that is to hinder the copying or editing of them (though I know that’s not foolproof). I include samples of the kind of materials the potential client might need. But I also make it clear that the samples on the site are not the full extent of what I can do. (Don’t want to limit my options)
Anne
June 26th, 2009 at 12:08 pmI use both.
Wish I had time to get to redesigning my site and portfolio though! I’ve been busy solidly with client work for the last few months and haven’t had time to tend to my own site and portfolio.
What I’d like to know is how do other designers handle this problem? I’m sure I’m not the only one who’s faced this conundrum. I loathe putting up an “under construction” sign on my site, that is even worse than an out of date site in my opinion. Or is it?
Rebecca
June 26th, 2009 at 12:13 pmI have my own website with a custom built portfolio. I took the time to get it completely set-up and then I update it when I have a new website or logo that I’d like to include. The updating doesn’t take long since I have an established format of how I display my work.
Anne
June 26th, 2009 at 12:15 pmThx Rebecca, you have an awesome site btw. :) Love the UFO. I want to redesign completely though, so it’s not a matter of just updating.
Rebecca
June 26th, 2009 at 12:17 pmThank you Anne! If I was completely redesigning my website, I guess I would just leave the old site up while I worked on the new version to avoid the whole “under construction.” I think and old site is better than no site at all.
Anne
June 26th, 2009 at 12:22 pmThat’s what I’m leaning to as well, thx. :) Don’t want to hijack the post, apologies! Anyone with advice is welcome to e-mail me (click on my name to get my link).
Jason LaRose
June 26th, 2009 at 12:26 pmAs a designer who has constantly updated his website (6 times over 5 years), I’ve finally come to a solution I’m proud of for displaying my work (jasonlarosedesign.com). So therefore, if you’re a web designer, a pdf wouldn’t exactly suffice as it doesn’t show what you can do with your site (and code). I also believe that its best to have a print-based portfolio. Something that can ‘wow’ the person interviewing you to show the full extent of what you can do. If your print-based portfolio can easily be converted into a well designed pdf, then all the more better.
My bottom-line thought: Create your portfolio in what you do best (website for web design, print for print design, pdf for writer), and branch out from there.
ilkut
June 26th, 2009 at 1:57 pmI just have an online portfolio at the moment. Which also is in the process of being improved both in terms of coding and look & feel. After I end my concerns about my online portfolio I will build a .pdf version as well.
Pablo Lara
June 26th, 2009 at 1:58 pmI use both. I have a website with my work and I use Carbonmade. The last one is a very useful choice if you don’t have the money or the expertise to use your own website. Carbonmade is a elegant and easy way to show off your artwork.
designfacet
June 26th, 2009 at 2:16 pmI have my site, but most of my new clients have not even checked the portfolio section on my site.
Nicole
June 26th, 2009 at 4:53 pmI have a web portfolio, but I am considering a PDF in the future. Right now, my web portfolio does wonders, but I wonder if a PDF would be a solution for quick attachments in emails.
Tiera
June 26th, 2009 at 6:49 pmI currently have a PDF portfolio (one for writing, one for makeup). I feel less vulnerable to thieves using PDF, yet it’s so simple to pass along to prospective clients. I am starting a blog, however, that can, in itself, function as an extension of my portfolio (as I hope it does).
Tyler Kraupp
June 26th, 2009 at 6:57 pmI think it is essential to have both versions of a portfolio. For people who like either design, have both available. That also shows that you are qualified to think about every single realm of customers. Visit my website at http://www.hssmedia.com or my twitter page http://www.twitter.com/hssmedia.com. We also have a blog that can help you with some more resources: http://www.idahofallswebdesign.net
bogdan pop
June 27th, 2009 at 1:43 amI’ve both of them. You cannot hand out a website to immediately be viewed by a prospective client on a coffe meeting, although in the future years with the advance of technologies we may see browsers embedded into coffe tables. Only when that happenes PDF portfolio will be useless. Until then, both seem appropriate for their specific jobs.
Debbie Campbell
June 27th, 2009 at 11:32 amI have an online portfolio, I just recently updated it to use Highslide and am pretty pleased with the look. I think for a web designer, a PDF portfolio doesn’t seem to be as useful, but since I do some logo and graphic design too I should probably consider creating a PDF portfolio for that work.
Pat Ann
June 27th, 2009 at 11:51 amI purchased a squarespace.com site and portfolio pages from childrensillustrator.com and carbonmade.com. I use the squarespace site as my main page with a directory as well as a blog. I enjoy having my web site this way as I find the blog a great way to communicate my illustrative goals with friends and clients.
What I’m working on right now is a PDF mailer that I will have attached to my main page for editors and art directors as well as an email attachment.
~Pat Ann~
(who can’t remember what it was like to a self employed illustrator before the internet!)
George Fragos
June 27th, 2009 at 1:14 pmI’ve built an HTML page with JPEG snapshots of the home pages that links to the sites.
JR Moreau
June 27th, 2009 at 3:40 pmI’ve got both, neither of which are up to par by my standards. I’ve been wanting to make a conceptual portfolio for a long time, but framing my ideas and approach haven’t come easy. Hoping to get that out of the way this summer!
Mike Berg
June 27th, 2009 at 9:44 pmI have a printed portfolio that I use when requested, but it becomes out of date so quickly, it’s hard to keep it up. I built a Joomla site for my online portfolio, and structured it in a way that it only takes a minute (literally) to post something new. This has helped me keep it (almost) up to date.
Aaron Riddle
June 28th, 2009 at 10:06 amFor me it’s no contest….Web based portfolio all the way. When I post work to my portfoio, I also post a journal entry with it outlining the specifics of the project, background history and my thought process through the whole design process. Including this relevant content with my work not only helps potential clients read through my thought process (as graphic designers are visual problem solvers), but also helps with my Web sites SEO (search engine optimization) as well.
Brian
June 28th, 2009 at 4:51 pmI’m like Anne always seem to busy to update it and when I do get started I hate what I have before I can get back to it. I’ve never gotten work via my portfolio and I think only a few of my clients have seen it. Just really busy and get work of mouth business.
Tom Sinclair
June 29th, 2009 at 6:27 amI used to have both but I haven’t updated my PDF version in over 6 months. Everytime someone has asked to see work I direct them to my site which shows my latest work.
I spent the time building the site in ExpressionEngine and now everytime I want to add a new portfolio piece it takes a few minutes in photoshop getting an image of the project and I just upload it via EE form.
I think its worth putting the time/effort into using a CMS if possible, or even outsourcing the development side, as it makes things so much easier in the future. If your website is easy to update then you’re more likely to keep it up to date!
Nikhil
June 30th, 2009 at 8:22 amThe idea of PDF portfolio is great. I have never used it.
I generally prefer the web portfolio but now thinking about the PDF one…
This is really great to have PDF portfolio so that we can have a design per page with all of its details.
I am really running out of words, I just want prepare my PDF PORTFOLIO……
Thanks Mason for the great Thread….
Stephen Tiano
July 1st, 2009 at 9:18 pmI started with having a number of short, clean PDFs of work samples. This was before I had a website, so I’m talking a good 8-10 years back. Now that I’ve had a site the last 2+ years, I’ve referred potential clients to my online samples. But I always mention that I can send PDF samples, if they prefer.
Jeremy Mack
July 6th, 2009 at 1:55 pmI took the time to create a custom portfolio powered by a sql database (with a log-in) that updates in real time. Now I need only upload images and type a description into the CMS and, presto, a new project is added in under 5 minutes from any computer.
blue2x
November 17th, 2009 at 12:43 amI have a web portfolio, aside from my main site , but im planning to make a PDF portfolio and put a downloadable link in my sites, and other social sites.
Online Outsourcing
March 8th, 2010 at 8:02 amMay I know the difference between the web portfolio…and the PDF portfolio…..? Because I just know about the valuable source about the business process.keep sharing.
EratoRordMore
May 16th, 2012 at 1:15 pmHey, every one, I do hope the sharing might provide value for you.
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