Five Tips To Improve Your Photo and Prop Styling Portfolio To Get Work

If you are finding that you are not getting booked for photo and prop styling jobs and you think it may be your images ~ it IS an easier "fix" than you think it is!  This post will show you step by step how to fix it and start getting those styling jobs you want! As a Photo and Prop Stylist, there has been many occasions (and many reasons) I may have to hire a Assistant Stylist or Junior Stylist because of complexity of job, length of time of assignment or I’m traveling and need assistance with on-location assignments.  I have hired assistants for my own business as well as for Large Brand Studios that work with 20+ stylists a day on a regular basis.  So, I’ve seen TON’s of photo styling portfolios!

It’s not often I write a post in the “I didn’t hire you because . . .”  vane.  (one other time was in five reasons you will not be hired back as a stylist. ) But, I do think that sometimes we learn MORE in the “don’t do this”!   Our business is dedicated to getting photo stylists organized, prepared and protected ~ so I gotta go with the “no-“filter”, no fluff guidance!

When I’m looking for styling assistance  ~ I go to their website.  (That being said, if I am referred to a photo stylist, who may be just starting out or does not have a website, I don’t discount them.)  So, if you don’t have one yet ~ don’t let it stop you!  (That’s what Dropbox and WeTransfer is for)

If you're asked “Do you have a website?”  from a prospective client, be mindful not to be negative with answers such as “no, I know I should have a website", "no, I’m working on my website", etc.  Say it in a positive tone  . . . “I do have photos I can send you . .  . I will send them by WeTransfer”!  Same goes for when you are on set/on location working, I chat about it in phrases to avoid when you are on a styling assignment. Always use a positive tone.

Sooo, I’m looking at your Website,  THIS is why I will not hire you:

1. YOU HAVE WAY TOO MANY PHOTOS IN YOUR PORTFOLIO

Resist the urge to “stuff” your portfolio or website.  Better to have a handful of photos of variety than to see many photos just to show me you have alot of images.  Quality over quantity ~ every time.  Worst thing is seeing all photos in a portfolio with what was obviously one photo shoot and seeing images that are pretty much the exact same photo cropped in a different way. (Better to show 5 GREAT images from a photo shoot ~ not over a dozen.)

How To Fix It.  Do a one day photo shoot with a Photographer.  Invest in your business. Do yourself a shot list and style 5 different scenes that look completely different. (BUT, have some cohesiveness in style, color palette, lighting that is used.)  Style a variety between lifestyle shots and product shots.  Remember to style, shoot and show the work you want to get hired for.  This post will give you guidance on how to style images to get the work you really WANT.  You direct your career by this.  (I have done personal project shoots to place in my portfolio to SHOW a client that I can style in a way that fits their brand style.)  Oftentimes, clients need to SEE that you can do work to echo the style of their brand.

2.  YOU ARE SHOWING BAD PHOTOGRAPHY

Yes, I can “see” through “bad photography” to see if you have skills necessary for an assignment ~ like composition skills.  BUT, I do want a stylist to take their styling and career seriously by showing their styling and skill in the best possible “light”.  And that includes beautiful imagery.  Yes, we all start somewhere. (& investing in a professional photo shoot to style images for your portfolio can be expensive.)  But, you have to invest in your images.  That can be doing a day shoot with a photographer so you can get beautiful images to get yourself work and hired.  You can vary those images to show many sides to your talent.  In our Resource Library we have a Guide that could help you get/collaborate to get images, Photo Stylists Guide to Styled Collaborative Photo Shoots. (This Guide will give you the steps and a sample outreach letter.)

If YOU don’t invest in yourself to properly promote yourself and show your styling in the best possible way. (even if you are just starting) why would I invest in you?, right?  Remember, when you are hired as a new stylist ~ the person hiring you is investing in you and trusting you.  If you take pride in showing your images ~ the chances are you will take pride in what you do at the photo assignment you are being hired for.

How To Fix it.  Take those bad photos out of your portfolio. Determine your styling “style”.  What lighting are you drawn to.  Do you gravitate to light and airy, or dark and moody?  THOSE are the photographers you want to get work from.  In time, your portfolio will have a distinct, recognizable style.  (You want to have a style so distinct that people will know YOU styled it without even seeing your name.) It will guide your work and who hires you.  Whatever style you choose, be consistent and only put great images in your book. (even if you don’t have alot of images.)

** As a Photo Stylist, likely you have not taken the photograph ~ yet the photography effects you and how your business is perceived.

3.  YOU HAVE NO PHOTO OR PERSONALITY ON YOUR ABOUT PAGE

If I’m going to work closely with you on set or location ~ I want to know a littl’ something about you and your personality.  Give me a feel of what It would be like to hire you.  While you many feel or think ~ it’s your styling that will get you the job (& in some cases that is true) your personality matters.  It matters to me and I have spoke with MANY Art Directors, Creative Directors and Photo Studio Producers that will tell you the same thing!  All things being equal (in terms of styling ability and talent) people go with who they love to work with!

Also, I know hiring managers and principal lead stylists who will hire the stylist that is not “absolute perfectly talented” to the pro, tons of talent stylist on this basis.  So, show your personality on your website.  AND, like we said, if you don’t have a website, just do a one page personality bio with your photo on it instead. 

How To Fix It.  Do your own brand shoot.  (Oftentimes, we are so busy working for brands (& or approaching clients for work) that we neglect getting our own brand photos for our OWN brand.  Yes, I feel we as stylist do develop a “brand”.  Then write your bio with personalty and what makes someone want to hire you.  To help you with some “action words” in writing your page, we did a post on skills and traits of a photo stylist to help you.

4.  YOU HAVE NO NICHE, SPECIALTY, OR FOCUS TO YOUR STYLING

I love to see a focus of styling direction in photo stylist photos.   I generally will hire a stylist with a speciality, like soft styling, food styling, product styling, interior styling with a skill set in that niche depending on the assignment I am hiring for.  THAT being said, in my career I evolved from a wardrobe stylist (when I first started in the business) to a Lifestyle Stylist. (Now, styling wardrobe, food and interiors)  Through years in the business I have both been asked to style different niches and I have gotten training in additional styling disciplines and niches. So, I position my portfolio as a Lifestyle Stylist ~ so you can do that as well.  Just ensure there is a cohesiveness to your styling “style” when you do this. 

When someone is looking at your images ~ there needs to be some cohesiveness.

How To Fix It.  You don’t have to “decide” all at once.  Get out there and do different types of styling and see what you love!  As you style more ~ you will naturally gravitate to what you love. (& as I said, you can put you styling under one umbrella ~ with lifestyle styling. AND remember, everything you style from a photo shoot does not have to go into your portfolio.  Do you own photo "editing".  Only put your great photos in your portfolio.  

Another example of this:  I am primarily a children's lifestyle stylist (I do fashion, food and interiors/home styling of the "life" of a child.  I was asked to do a assignment for LaPerla, the lingerie brand.  I did it and LOVED doing it!  But, I did not put those images into my portfolio.  I have a very focused "lifestyle children" portfolio.  It would be confusing for a potential client to see children mixed in with lingerie.  I always style, shoot and show the work I want to get hired to do.  My preference and love is to style bright, happy, colorful images for children brands.  I "direct" my portfolio to do that.

5.  YOUR WEBSITE IS FULL OF TYPOS, OUTDATED OR BAD NAVIGATION

To me this speaks to work ethic and attention to detail!  I want to work with a stylist that has great attention to the small and big things.  As an Assistant, you are a reflection of the person that hires you.  You could be hired by any number of people in different creative roles:

▪︎  Lead or Principal Stylist
▪︎  Creative Department
▪︎  Brand or Company Direct
▪︎  Ad Agency
▪︎  Photo Art Director
▪︎  Producer
▪︎  Photographer

How To Fix It.  So, you could have many types of hiring people looking at your website.  Dedicate time to carefully go through your entire website for typos, grammar, broken links, outdated information ~ everything.  It speaks to your "attention to detail" and how detailed you would be on set from the styling you do to shot lists, call sheets, mood boards, keeping track of styling budget ~ everything.

So, take some time to hone your craft, style and get great images and clean up your website copy and imagery.  After you will have a tremendous amount of confidence and pride and be EXCITED to share your work knowing you are READY and you are showing yourself, your styling and company in the best light.  That being said, all to often stylists tend to be perfectionists ~ don’t be in a constant stage of what I call the when I syndrome.   Do this 5 Step Task List and get your styling imagery and business out there! You got this!

Bonnie ~

ALSO: QUICK TIPS FOR PORTFOLIO PREPARATION
How To Build Portfolio As A New Stylist

Image Credit ｜ Make Stories Studio