Portfolios: Digital vs. Paper

There is much debate going on these days on the merits of showing a digital tablet portfolio versus a traditional paper book when meeting with art buyers and creative people. First, I think it’s important to distinguish between a photographer and a rep when talking about the values of an iPad vs. a paper portfolio.

From the point of view of an agent, the iPad has quickly become an indispensible part of our business. No longer do I feel like a door-to-door salesman, wheeling into agencies with 50-60 pounds worth of portfolios of varying weights, sizes, colors and dimensions – sometimes to meet with a single Art Buyer whose jaw is now quivering. Today, I enter these appointments, without loss of breath, carrying just two, 9.5 “ x 7.4”, 1.5 lb. iPad tablets – and they’re about to get lighter. Valuable minutes that these busy professionals have so generously given me are no longer occupied by me extricating cumbersome portfolios from my ginormous suitcase (usually one of my kid’s canvas travel suitcases with a Transformers theme – I actually miss that part!). Instead of worrying about adequate tabletop space, the book sequence, updated pages, etc., I can focus my introduction on more important topics like identity, positioning and branding.

We have conducted nearly 40 agency presentations, with over 100 Art Buyers, in the last ten months, with just the iPad portfolio (sometimes several). These meetings have received nothing but accolades – for both content, organization and the device itself. I have asked most of these people if they miss seeing physical portfolios from reps, and not one has said yes.

One of our important jobs as reps, besides promoting and representing our photographers to the best of our abilities, is to try to make things easier for the Art Buyer when dealing with us as an agency. We understand and appreciate how time-pressured Buyers and Creatives are these days, and how many hats they all wear. So doing things like focusing our roster on a few targeted categories, creating a great website, marketing only the most relevant work, and streamlining our presentations with an iPad, are important to us! With the iPad, people are quickly able to get a good feel and understanding of the work from each of our photographers – including style and vision. I can now do an even more comprehensive portfolio showing in less than half the time as before ! And, of course, Creative people love it because it is so fun to use (they love their new toys!) And we haven’t even talked about how much more economical it is to ship – and the savings in fuel because of its small size and weight.

From a photographer’s point of view, I think the same basic arguments apply. However, if the photographer plans on doing ‘face-to-face’ meetings, a physical portfolio can provide a nice supplement to the iPad, which I believe should still be the main presentation tool. Again, the ability to update it daily, to show motion, etc. can’t be beat. Plus, the fact that it can be viewed more quickly, allows the photographer to show more imagery in the same time-frame. As a supplement, a very killer and focused physical book, with unique and different imagery - maybe a few select branding campaigns - could provide a useful tool. One of our photographers went on his own portfolio meetings recently, with both his iPad and a physical book in tow. He said it was nice having the book to show, especially when there was more than one person at the meeting. But when I pressured him for an answer - would he have preferred to have 2 iPads, instead of 1 iPad and 1 portfolio? - he said 2 iPads would have been better. That tells you something.

Sure, like any new technology, the Digital Portfolio has its detractors. To say that people like to view the work in print, because that is how it is being used, doesn’t really fly any more. First, considering how many variables that go into printing - stock, size, inks, press, temperature, calibration, resolution, texture, etc – how close really is the photographer’s paper portfolio going to be to the final point of purchase display, or the poster, magazine ad or billboard?? Not very. Also, in most cases, the final product is just as likely to be viewed electronically as it is in print, if not more so. Most usage requests include web AND print these days – few are for print only. So why not present the imagery in the same digital format that they will eventually be reviewing?

Consider these recent statistics, from Crain’s New York:

591 print magazines closed in 2000.
525 died in 2008.
367 more closed their doors in 2009.
Stats aren’t even available yet for 2010.

I don’t even want to guess how many websites have been either launched or updated in that same timeframe that will require new or fresh imagery. That’s not to say other print avenues like point of purchase or billboards are not important. But many publishing experts are predicting that the one thing that may save the print industry …… the iPad!!

http://www.ajr.org/Article.asp?id=5022

According to a recent report on Bloomberg, Apple could ship between 37-40 MILLION iPads this year. And they are only one supplier of tablets. Hello? Where do you think people will be reading their magazines and newspapers in the coming years – and how will the imagery be displayed? Yes, electronically!

There was a time not too long ago when a physical portfolio was the main way a photographer promoted himself, and the only way he or she could get a project was how that physical book was presented. It was absolutely essential and required an enormous investment of resources - time, money, creativity and effort. Today, 99% of all projects we estimate never require a physical portfolio. Which means that nearly all art buyers, producers, art directors, clients, etc. are relying on digital imagery, via websites, iPads, etc. to make these important decisions. I know that some people still like feeling the pages, touching the books and appreciating a well-designed portfolio, and that’s totally cool. If a photographer can get in front of people with a physical book, great! But I would put creating and designing a wonderful portfolio at the bottom of the priority scale these days – well behind a great website, testings, a blog, direct-mailers, networking and identity.

Any new technology has its early and late adopters. We jumped on the iPad bandwagon so early, that we were actually on a waiting list at Apple last March. And we now have three iPads in circulation! I guess it’s kind of like when digital photography came on the scene, there were the detractors and hold-outs. Digital wasn’t real enough or authentic enough. It was too expensive an investment. Anyone could now shoot a great photograph (oh boy, that’s another blog!). The learning curve was too steep. It was a fad (huh?) Now, nearly everyone has embraced digital photography. And those who don’t fully and willfully embrace this next mini digital revolution in our industry, could be left holding the (travel) bag.

Mark Winer
President – Paula Gren Representatives