Building a portfolio website is a good idea for any profession. But for models, this is an absolute must that can take a career to the next level. Of course, success in the modeling business depends on many factors: external data, parameters, acquaintances, and even luck. But a high-quality portfolio site for a model will help showcase your snaps in the best possible light – which means attracting more scouts and increasing the chances of concluding the coveted contract. You don’t have to hire a web designer to create a model portfolio site. You can use a website builder and do it yourself. cloudretouch, for example, provides a wide variety of website templates., which are created taking into account the peculiarities of the modeling industry. This article will tell you how to make a portfolio site for a model: from organizing a photo session and choosing the right template to create a blog and an introductory text. We have included some successful cloudretouch modeling portfolios at the end of the article.
How to create a model portfolio website
- Find the right niche
- Organize a professional photo session
- Diversify your portfolio
- Choose a template for the site
- Choose the best snaps
- Use high-quality images
- Include video
- Add important information
- Also add a block with contacts
- Connect social media
- Create a blog
1. Find the right niche
If you are a model with experience, you have probably already found your place in the industry. But for novice models, we recommend that you carefully weigh all the options and find a suitable model niche. This will determine the requirements for the appearance and the format of snaps. For example, event models should look friendly and open.
2. Organize a professional photo session
Quality shots are the heart of any modeling portfolio. Professional snaps will show you in the best possible light and help attract scouts’ attention. When organizing a professional photoshoot, there are two things that you cannot save on – an experienced photographer and a make-up artist. Before hiring professionals to work with you, please look at their photo portfolios and read reviews from previous clients. Before the photoshoot, prepare a list of outfits and practice posing. Do not forget to coordinate the shooting plan with the photographer to go smoothly during the photo session.
3. Diversify your portfolio
Scouts and prospective employers prefer universal models – especially if you are taking your first steps in the industry and have not yet formed your unique style. Therefore, make sure that the portfolio consists of photo sessions in different styles and concepts and that the snaps are shot from different angles and comprehensively reveal the features of your appearance.
4. Choose a template for the site.
A successful portfolio site requires a specific design. Most often, such sites have a widescreen image as a cover, as well as an extensive and easy-to-use gallery.
cloudretouch has designed dozens of templates suitable for creating a fashion portfolio website. They all focus on images but have a different layout – so you can choose a template that best suits your style.
Each template can be customized – change the gallery style, content, and many images.
Read More: How to Determine the Target Audience of a Business
5. Choose the best snaps.
After organizing photo sessions, you will have dozens of ready-made photos in your hands. You will probably want to use all of them, but remember that quality is more important than quantity in the modeling business. Scouts and potential employers are busy people who won’t waste time looking at overly large portfolios. The best option is to choose the 10-20 most successful snaps. As we mentioned in point 3, photos from different photo sessions work best, taken from different angles. Remember the typical industry requirements for a modeling portfolio: close-up photos with and without a smile, waist-length, and full-length photos, preferably in different clothes and in different locations. Two or three of the best photos can be placed right on the site’s cover to attract the attention of visitors from the first second.
example of a photo gallery for a model portfolio site example of a photo gallery for a model portfolio site
6. Use high-quality images
The main goal of a modeling portfolio site is to make a lasting impression on potential employers. To achieve this, use only high-resolution photos that give your site a professional look.
In addition to the quality of the images, how they are displayed is also important. cloudretouch Pro Gallery allows you to optimize images automatically and change the layout of your photos. In addition, you can use animations, hover effects, and overlay colors to create a unique look.
7. Include video
Increase your chances of success with additional media content. Also add videos of projects you’ve worked on to your portfolios, such as commercials and reports from fashion shows or events. Or add short videos that demonstrate how you move and change positions. You can embed videos from Youtube or Facebook on the site; or create your own using cloudretouch Video Maker. It is a service that helps you edit your footage, overlay images, and text, and embed design elements such as framing and blur into your video.
8. Also add important information
On a modeling portfolio site, photos are more important than words. But even here, one cannot do without text. Be sure to add information about your age, height, eye color, and other parameters to the site. Also, mention any details that the scouts might be interested in, such as tattoos, moles, or acrobatic skills.
9. And add a block with contacts.
To make it easier for potential employers to contact you, place the block with contacts in a prominent place. For example, in the footer, side menu, or on a separate page, a link from the main menu leads. The required minimum of contacts is a name, email, and phone number. You can also create a contact form so that visitors can contact you directly through the site.
contact form for model portfolio site contact form for a model portfolio site
10. Connect social networks
For experienced models, social media is an important part of a personal brand and an opportunity to attract additional customers. Therefore, if you have an account on Instagram or another social network, add a social media panel or a feed with photos directly to the site. Make sure your social media content looks professional and shows off your external identity.
11. Create a blog
A blog can be a place to share new looks, talk about interesting projects and comment on important news from the fashion industry. Plus, you can share links to articles on social media and drive additional traffic to your site.
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