On a popular local forum, I was once told by another photographer that I should post all my photographs so that I can show “growth” or “progression” in my work. Finding this comment a little peculiar, I ventured onto her website (out of curiosity) to find out what “growth” is. What I found was a portfolio of images of varying quality -- from good to bad… It was difficult for me to discern if this was any type of linear progression – or “growth!” It was obvious to me, from examples of her work, that she was either inexperience and didn’t know what she was talking about – or the more devious intention: to convince me to drag my portfolio down to a lower (equal) quality standard. Always looking to see the best in people, I opted with the former explanation... She probably didn’t know! I believe that if a photographer or artist is going sell his services in the open market, they should always display their best work. It’s that simple! Like a good premium cigar, the quality should be consistent and reproducible. While I believe that a photographer’s style might change or mature over time, there should always be a certain degree of competency and consistency. Rest assured, the pictures in my portfolio are my best images over the course of 12 years. And while, there are other photographers who produce better work than me, these are still my best images and I market my service in accordance with my skill level. In conclusion, when your looking to hire a photographer, look for consistency in the quality of their images. If you find that there are very few good images in a portfolio, they were probably accidental or captured by luck. Yes, we get lucky sometimes! And yes, most photographers will tell you that it’s a numbers game… But a good photographer will never display his or her bad shots! However, if a photographer doesn’t have enough good shots in a set and displays the bad shots anyway, then he or she is inconsistent, probably due to a lack of technical competency, and the quality of work that you will receive will reflect this. Again, if you need a recommendation for one of my fellow photographers or artists, please feel free to contact me. However, if you are in the market for a portrait, please consider me as well; I provide good quality portraits, in a variety of genre's at a very competitive price.
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