Photography Guide

Photographer Portfolio Website: Showcase Work & Book Clients

Build a stunning portfolio that does more than look pretty - one that actually books clients and grows your photography business.

Your Work Deserves Better Than Instagram

Instagram compresses your images, controls who sees them, and shows competitors alongside your work. Your portfolio website showcases your photography exactly how it should be seen.

Why Photographers Need a Portfolio Website

Full Resolution Galleries

Show your work in full quality. No compression, no cropping, no algorithm deciding what gets seen.

Get Found on Google

"Wedding photographer Manchester" - your website can rank for this. Your Instagram can't.

Professional Credibility

Serious clients expect a website. It signals you're an established professional, not a hobbyist.

Book Directly

Inquiry forms, package details, availability calendar - turn browsers into booked clients.

What Your Portfolio Should Include

1

Curated Gallery

Your 20-50 best images. Organised by category (weddings, portraits, commercial). Quality over quantity - only show work you want more of.

2

About Page

Your story, your style, a photo of you. Clients book people, not just portfolios. Let them connect with you.

3

Services & Packages

What you offer, starting prices (or "from £X"), what's included. Help clients understand what they're booking.

4

Contact/Inquiry Form

Make it easy to reach you. Include event date, location, how they found you. Pre-qualify leads.

5

Testimonials

Real reviews from past clients. Photos with the people if possible. Social proof closes bookings.

Portfolio Websites by Specialty

Wedding Photography

Full wedding galleries, couple portraits, venue categories. Inquiry form with date/venue fields. Testimonials from couples.

Portrait Photography

Headshots, family, maternity, newborn categories. Session info, what to wear guides. Online booking with packages.

Commercial Photography

Product, food, architecture, corporate. Client logos, case studies, licensing info. Quote request form.

Event Photography

Corporate events, parties, concerts. Past client list, turnaround times, package options.

Instagram vs Website: Use Both Right

Purpose Instagram Website
Discovery Great for reach Google SEO
Image Quality Compressed Full resolution
Control Algorithm decides You decide
Booking DMs only Forms, calendars, payments
Professionalism Casual Established business

Strategy: Use Instagram to attract, website to convert. Your bio link should go to your portfolio.

Technical Must-Haves for Photo Portfolios

Fast Loading

Optimised images that load quickly despite high quality

Mobile Perfect

Galleries that work beautifully on phones

Lightbox Galleries

Click to enlarge, swipe through images

Right-Click Protection

Basic protection against image theft

SEO-Friendly

Alt tags, meta descriptions, schema markup

Clean Design

Let the photos be the hero, not the template

Common Portfolio Mistakes to Avoid

Too Many Images

50 great images beats 500 okay ones. Curate ruthlessly.

No Contact Info

Make booking obvious. Every page should have a path to contact.

Slow Loading

Unoptimised images kill portfolios. Compress without losing quality.

No Pricing Hints

"Starting from £X" helps qualify leads. Saves time for everyone.

Build Your Photography Portfolio

Stunning galleries. Easy booking. Your work, showcased properly. From £8.

Start Building Now