The Process of Creating a Photographic Portfolio in 7 Steps:
Step 1 – Define Your Market
2026 is the year I treat my nature photography as both art and business. I have worked very hard to define who it is that will be interested in my work. These are people who value scarcity and authenticity. They are not tourists buying décor or price sensitive shoppers. They see art as part of an aesthetic, part identity and part asset. Typically, these are people who have purchased art in the past and understand editioning. To this end, each image will be limited to ten prints. No soft limits. No “limited by demand.” Ten. If the first buyer wants exclusive rights, that option is available (but only if the purchase the first image of an edition). Scarcity must be real, or it’s meaningless. These are customers who are buying a combination of narrative, scarcity and technical excellence. I’ve spent years behaving like a starving artist. I think that ends when you decide that your work has value.
Step 2 – Define Your Point of View
Before you curate, you must articulate what distinguishes your work in a saturated landscape (pardon the pun). The Tetons are endlessly photographed. Why should someone even consider MY images? What makes them so good? I like to think that my work is a bit of a throwback. I photograph with restraint - trying to preserve shadow, depth and tonal integrity. Even though I use digital as a medium, they are done the old fashioned way. Most of the images I take are done in ONE frame. Authenticity of what I saw is integral. I don't employ methods like "high dynamic range" that emphasizes color but unfortunately destroys shadow. My image are dramatic, but they are not a spectacle, so to speak. My work prioritizes atmosphere over drama and structure over saturation. I am less interested in overwhelming the viewer than in drawing them in slowly with strong foreground elements that lead to the main event. That might be hubris - but that is what my goal is.
Step 3 – Curate Ruthlessly
I have already said this, but it is very important to keep in mind. The Tetons are one of the most photographed landscapes in America. “Pretty” is everywhere. Pretty doesn’t sell at the gallery level. This is the part that kind of kills the soul a bit. I have tried very hard to eliminate technically strong but emotionally neutral images. I kept only the photographs that hold attention beyond a glance. How do I do that? I do that in two ways. First, I proof at 12x18 and cycle through each of my prints repeatedly. The images that survive multiple passes stay. Everything else gets tossed back into the dustbin.
Step 4 – Seek External Critique
For folks who I am connected with on Social Media, you know that I asked for feedback publicly. It was really instructive. I was blown away actually that some of the images that I thought were my strongest were not favorites at all. This is a learning process - and not everyone sees art the same way. I am drawn by the technical - but that is not always the most emotional. In the end though, you need to have the confidence to make the decision yourself.
Step 5 – Consider the Print as Object
Gallery work is inherently a physical thing. Paper, scale, framing, finish — all of it communicates intent. My preferred images are all printed big (24x36 or larger). Presence matters. Every print is produced by me on a commercial printer to ensure color consistency, tonal control, and cohesion. Nothing is casual. Nothing is accidental. For larger images (think 40x60), I have to sub those out, but they come to me first for me to inspect. Nothing goes out to a consumer without having been hand inspected by me. Quality control is everything.
Step 6 – Price and Position Strategically
Let's talk about money. Pricing is not arithmetic. It is signaling. Ask to little and your work will be seen as 'decorative.' You will be getting Ikea shoppers, not people who value scarcity. Ask too much, and without having a track record, and your work will seem inflated. It is a really tough thing. The photographers on Cache Street in Jackson Hole get outrageous amounts of money for runs that seem endless (i.e they really lack exclusivity) because people know who they are. I am no one. At the same time, I have learned in my portrait photography business that there are definite tiers and price points that your work is expected to sell for. To this end, edition size, print scale and price must all be aligned with the market we are seeking.
Step 7 – Refine and Revisit
A portfolio is never finished. As your eye sharpens, your edit must as well. I’ve reprocessed these files countless times, chasing fidelity rather than effect. What once felt restrained later felt excessive. My rule is simple: look at the greens. Green reflects light the least in nature. If the greens are right, the image usually is too. This was one of the boons of the Pandemic. It was in 2020 that I really had a chance to look back at my former work because there was no where for me to go.
