Original subtitles

Right, a short exercise for you all here

and this is something I do after each

wedding season without fail.

I go back through my entire library of

best images and I narrow them down to

my top ten.

From this process I also end up with

an updated folder of my very very best

work, usually a folder of 50-60 images

that form the main pool of images I

use for any marketing material or website updates.

Now it's hugely important that you recognise that

your portfolio should always be your best work,

not your most recent or as I've seen

in some cases a list of blog posts.

If your portfolio page shows your most recent

weddings in a blog form it's not your

portfolio.

This is all about controlling what the user

sees when they land on your site.

Don't make it hard for them to find

your best work.

You have a few seconds to show them

two or three killer frames, make them count.

And also remind yourself that although you see

these images all the time and some of

them you might have seen for five years

now, potential couples might only be seeing them

for the first time on your site.

Portfolio is your very very best work.

Have I made that clear?

Okay so I'll cover how I organise my

catalogues and folder structure further into the course

but at the end of each year I

end up with a folder of my best

images that go into producing my best of

blog post.

From that I get them printed out.

I use Simlab which I'll link to below

and from that I try and narrow my

selection down to a select few that go

into compete with my previous best ten.

It's always a healthy exercise to do as

you can only pick ten so they have

to be the very best you have and

inevitably you will have to kill some good

images but understanding why one image trumps its

competing frames is a positive trait to have.

So let me share my latest round of

top ten and why I picked them.

Notice it's a variety of couple portraits and

documentary moments.

First up Emily's dad this is from 2014

but it's still one of my favourites.

Would it be in the top ten if

Emily's hand wasn't coming into the frame?

Probably not.

Abigail in London this is all about perspective

and grabs attention.

Three Amelie and Steve this is just a

relaxed portrait a moment during dinner but there's

a strong fashion element with the black tie

and Amelie's dress and I just love the

simplicity of the frame.

Four Scarlett again from the early years but

just another simple frame and I love the

lines and composition and again the hands creeping

in from the right of the frame.

Laura and Will I just smile back whenever

I see this frame it just shows the

atmosphere and joy of a wedding day just

look at all those teeth.

Number six Katie and Luke this ticks the

party box these guys are target client the

venue and festoon lights look ace and it

shows that I stay late.

Seven Amy and Tim the sunset the light

the location the dress it just ticks all

the boxes.

Elle this is five years ago and this

would never have normally made the call let

alone my top ten it's out of focus

but actually I love it for that it

captures the atmosphere of the night and exactly

how I want people to feel when they

relive their images.

Nine Emma and Jade I love these girls

they look incredible hugely aspirational strong dress choices

and an amazing venue in Badminton House.

And finally number ten Ruth's dad possibly the

most powerful image I've ever taken emotion trumps

everything for me.

So that's my latest top ten now there's

an argument I could do that tomorrow and

pick an entirely different top ten depending on

my mood but even if I did it's

still a beneficial exercise.

Once you've got that body of ten these

should be used to create a mood board

alongside website examples you like with fonts and

layout ideas you're ready to start a design.

If you opt for a design agency Ruth

use that mood board and by the end

of the process any design agency should supply

you with brand guidelines which will include fonts

sizes and colours stick to them.

If you go and build from a template

on your own create some brand guidelines and

stick to them be consistent