More Than A Portfolio...

This month, as I'm working towards my final portfolio submission for my Diploma, somewhere between planning my first exhibition, selecting images, & days of overthinking, I realised it's given me the opportunity to pause & think about the kind of photographer I want to become. 

Rather than simply collecting beautiful images, I want to create a portfolio that reflects what I value most: authenticity, connection & purpose.

Throughout my Diploma work, the teachers & industry professionals have talked endlessly about style, composition, visual language & all the technical aspects photographers are expected to understand, all of which are, of course, important. They've taught us how bodies of work are built on these foundations & the ability to tell a story through our photographs.

But once I started applying these concepts to my own work, I realised my style wasn't just a reflection of my technical skill set. It was also a reflection of the stories I keep coming back to...the stories I want to tell most.

I want to capture the character of your pets.

The connection between couples.

The sense of belonging families provide.

The purpose behind your business.

The wow that comes from something completely original.

In a world that's becoming increasingly artificial, filtered & driven by trends, I find myself craving the opposite.

I want people to feel something.

The human connection that AI will never be able to replace. 

I want my portfolio to not only tell stories, but to attract my kind of people.

Speak to the clients I want to work with, whether that’s a wild, chaotic family wanting to be captured exactly as they are or a grounded business owner needing professional imagery to bring their brand to life.

As people, we are not AI generated.

We are not smooth skin.

We are not perfectly poised & posed at all times.

We are not a filter.

We are only human.

I want my portfolio to reflect this.

My final portfolio submission will be a testament to everything I have learned about myself, both personally & professionally.

It will be filled with the stories of the people I have met throughout some of the most significant chapters of their lives

And ultimately, it will be the reflection of the kind of photographer & the kind of soul I want to be...openly authentic.....