The Process of Creating a Photographic Portfolio in 7 Steps:

Step 1 – Define Your Market (I have a 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. They’re not just buying a photograph. They’re buying a story, a constraint, and a level of execution that I’ve obsessed over. I’ve spent years behaving like a starving artist. I think that ends when you decide that your work has value.




Step 2 – Help Define YOU.

OK. I got this from like every book I have ever read on business. It sounds a lot like BS. I guess it boils down to what makes your art different? Before you figure out what images you want to 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. The first is I tend towards the hyperfocal. They generally have great depth. When I work in the field, my goal is to get as much as possible onto the digital file. When I post process an image later, I try to do as little as possible - not only because I don't enjoy post processing, but because I want to be as true to what I originally saw as possible. This means I want my images to have great tonality but also preserving things like shadow and dramatic light. 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? It is kind of simple. First, I proof at 12x18 and then I cycle through each of my prints repeatedly. Prints are sometimes sitting there for days or even weeks as I periodically go through them. The images that survive multiple passes stay. Everything else gets tossed back into the dust bin. I cannot underscore this - but don't settle for just what you see on the computer screen. The screen lies (i.e. differences in calibration....differences in how long the monitor has been on, etc)....prints though, that is what you actually have. If when you print something it does not look like what is on your screen, then that means your screen is not properly calibrated.





Step 4 – Seek 2nd and 3rd Opinions...

For folks who I am connected with on Social Media, you know that I asked for feedback about which images YOU think are the best. It has been really helpful to me (so thank you). I was honestly blown away at times 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. Or...perhaps my taste is just very different from my friends on Facebook. In the end though, you need to have the confidence to make the decision yourself. Just for giggles, I am including the images that I think are some of my strongest below in this section. They are all images that were almost universally "unliked and unloved," on Facebook. They will be part of my collection regardless as I think they are that strong.














Step 5 – Consider the Print as THE Object

Gallery work is inherently a physical thing. Paper, scale, framing, finish — these things all communicate intent. My preferred images are all printed big (24x36 or larger). Presence matters. Go big or go home. I mean it, lol. 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. When I sell a print (which I have lots of experience doing through the dog world), nothing goes out to a consumer without having been hand inspected by me. Quality control has gone to be everything. I try very hard to have the actual print looking even better than what I showed at the show.




Step 6 –Pricing

Let's talk about money...and honestly, I am not quite there yet, but I am planning on getting there. At some point, I will need to finally start putting a price tag on my images. I realize that pricing is not really a component for figuring out which of my images are strongest - but it IS important because it has a lot to do with what ultimately sells and what does not. i.e. this is a business and you need to sell what sells. This is why I started shopping out my catalog to everyone on Facebook- because it told me if what I think I see is actually what other people see. To my surprise, in many cases, it wasn't. Anyway, at some point, I need to put a price tag on it all. Pricing is as much about signaling as it is anything else. If you ask too little then your work will be seen as 'decorative.' You may find that you are getting Ikea shoppers, not people who value scarcity. If you ask too much, without having a track record, then your work will seem inflated. Value is weird. It isn’t inherent. It’s assigned — usually by reputation. How does the fact that Tom Mangelson took something actually make it better? Even if the work is inferior? It is wild, right? 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. For the record, I am not saying my work is better than Tom Mangelson's, lol. That would be hubris. I am just using him as an example. 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. LOL, let's put a pin on this point. I am curious how the chips fall in the 12 months after I get the website completely updated. I always think about that Burma Shave commercial, "I waited and waited, and when no message came, I knew it was from you."




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. The truth is also that I have learned a lot about how I like an image to look and a lot of my original work might have been compositionally good, but I am not sure what I was doing in the post processing. What once felt restrained later felt excessive. Too big. Too bright. Too saturated. 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.

So...what next? I am going to try to do this with all of my images from each major location I have been to. More to come.




All images (c) James Morrissey

Official Standard of the Finnish Lapphund
General Appearance: The Finnish Lapphund is a medium sized breed that combines the look of the northern type dog with the temperament of the herding dog. They are intelligent, alert, agile, friendly and eager to learn. Developed to live and work outside, north of the Arctic Circle, the breed is strongly built and thickly coated. These dogs were never intended as guardians, and are particularly submissive towards people. Despite its strength, the Finnish Lapphund conveys a certain softness, particularly in expression. Males are recognizably masculine and females feminine.

Size Proportion, Substance: Size - The ideal male stands 19½ inches at the shoulder and the ideal female is 17½ inches. The acceptable range for males is 18 to 21 inches and for females is 16 to 19 inches. Type and soundness are far more important than size. Proportion - The length of the body is slightly greater than the height at the withers, in a ratio of approximately 11:10. Care should be taken not to interpret a heavily coated dog as being too short of leg. In addition, a dog which carries itself in a more upright manner will give the impression of being closer to square than it is in actual fact. Substance - The breed has a greater substance than might be expected for its size: bone is substantial and muscles are well developed.

Head: The general appearance of the head conveys strength, yet the expression is soft. The skull is approximately as broad as it is long. The top of the skull is slightly domed. Depth of skull is equal to breadth. The stop is well defined, with an easily distinguishable frontal furrow. The ears are set rather far apart, just off the top of the head and should be small to medium in size, triangular in shape, broad at the base and rounded at the tip, and covered with a heavy coat of hair. Ears may be erect or semi-erect (tipped). Drop ears are a fault. Eyes are oval in shape and as dark as possible. The color of the eyes may blend with the color of the coat, being lighter in lighter colored dogs. Yellow or blue eyes are a serious fault. The muzzle is strong, broad and straight. When viewed from above or in profile, it tapers slightly but evenly. The length of the muzzle, from tip of nose to stop, is slightly less than the length of the skull, from stop to occiput.

Pigmentation of the nose leather, the eye rims, and the lips are preferably black. However, brown dogs will have dark brown pigmentation. The jaw is strong, the lips tight, and the bite is scissors.
A bite that is overshot or undershot is a serious fault.

Neck, Topline, Body: The neck is medium in length, strong and well muscled. The back is broad, strong and straight. The loin is short and muscular. The croup is of medium length, well developed and only slightly sloping. Overall, the topline is level. The depth of chest is slightly less than half the height of the dog, reaching almost to the elbows. The ribcage is rather long and not very broad. The ribs are slightly arched, with a clearly visible, but not strongly defined, forechest, never barrel-chested. The underline includes only a slight tuck up, more pronounced in males than females. The tail is set on rather high and is covered with a profuse coat. When moving, the tail is carried over the back or side. When at rest, it is often dropped, particularly in females. A mobile tail is desirable. The tail may have a "J" hook in the end, but should not be kinked. A kinked tail results from the fusion of vertebrae and cannot be straightened out completely. A kinked tail is a serious fault.

Forequarters: The front legs give the appearance of being strong and powerful, with heavy bone emphasized by thick coat. When standing, the front legs are straight and parallel when viewed from the front. The shoulder is moderately laid back. The upper arm is equal in length to the shoulder blade, and the angle formed by the two bones is slightly greater than 90 degrees.

The elbow is just below the bottom of the rib cage and points straight backwards. The pasterns are of medium length, flexible and slope slightly when standing. Front dewclaws are normally present and should not be faulted, but may be removed. If present, they are set on very close to the leg and are barely visible under the coat.

Feet are well arched, oval rather than round, with toes slightly spread, to act as a snowshoe. Pads are thick and elastic. Pigment in the pads and nails is generally dark, but may blend with the color of the coat. The feet are covered with a thick coat of hair, including between the pads. Hindquarters: The rear legs are strong and powerful, appearing straight and parallel when the standing dog is viewed from behind. From the side, the angulation is clearly marked but not extreme, and in balance with forequarters. The upper thigh is of medium length, rather broad, with well developed muscles. The stifle is well angulated. The second thigh is at least equal to the upper thigh in length, and is well developed. The hock joint is moderately low set and well defined. The metatarsus is rather short, strong and vertical. Rear dewclaws may be present, but are not desirable. Removal is acceptable. Rear feet are the same as described in Forequarters.

Coat: The coat is thick and profuse, but shorter on the head and the fronts of the legs. The outer coat is straight and long, and very harsh and water-repellant. The under coat is soft, very dense and plentiful, so that it makes the outer coat stand erect. The outer coat may have a slight wave, particularly in young dogs, which is less desirable but permissible as long as it is still harsh. Males, in particular, should carry a profuse mane. It is important for undercoat to be present. Color: All colors are permitted, but the primary color (the color which covers the largest portion of the dog) must cover the body. A color which consists of bands of different colors on a single hair shaft (sable, wolfsable, or domino) is considered a single color. Secondary colors are allowed on the head, neck, chest, underside of the body, legs, and tail.

Gait: Movement is effortless and changes easily from a trot to a gallop, which is the most natural style of movement for the breed. When working, Finnish Lapphunds are very agile and capable of sudden bursts of speed. When moving at a trot, the limbs angle slightly toward the midline when viewed from the front or rear. Viewed from the side, the trotting dog appears powerful, with a medium stride.

Temperament: Finnish Lapphunds were developed to herd reindeer, an animal that is not as fearful of dogs and wolves as many other herd animals. As a result, the breed has a temperament that reflects a basic need to both control, and get away from, these animals. When herding reindeer, the dogs are extremely active and noisy. They must be constantly on the watch, as a reindeer may turn and try to trample them at any moment. As a result, the breed has a very strong "startle reflex", as well as being extremely agile and alert. However, they also recover quickly after startling, and will return to their work, exhibiting extreme courage. When interacting with people, Finnish Lapphunds are calm, friendly, and very submissive. At times, they may appear a little distant or aloof. This combination of submissiveness and reserve should not be misinterpreted as shyness. Although excited barking is typical, excessive sharpness and snarling are by no means acceptable, not even in males toward other males.