After the fire .. the fire still burns The heart grows older but never ever learns The memories smolder and the soul always yearns After the fire .. the fire still burns —Pete Townshend Back in the day .. no, really .. back in the day, I ran my own commercial photo studio which specialized in advertising stills and portraiture. Something I would do for models who wished it was to review their portfolios to suggest edits and arrangement.  A well managed portfolio is a powerful asset to a model or photographer. The biggest challenge in presenting a selection of work to an artist's advantage is emotional objectivity.  There is a unique story to each and every work we create.  These experiences tend to influence how we evaluate the worth and influence of our works. The trouble with such emotional attachment is that a person viewing a portfolio for the first time has no awareness of the story behind each image and is indifferent to our personal connection to each piece. When choosing images to include in a professional presentation we need to place ourselves in the position of an editor or agent who has seen countless portfolios, perhaps many on the same day she or he is viewing ours. As best as possible, we need to consider what this person is looking for before presenting our work.  Portfolios are easily customizable and we should always consider retooling the selection and order of our images for each and every presentation. If you are not sure exactly what is being looked for in your portfolio the best approach is to focus upon what you know or believe your strengths to be.  We are all good at some things and weaker at others. Accentuate the positive in your work and you will always feel more confident handing your portfolio across a desk. Whatever the outcome you will know you "showed your best" at this particular time. As an example of this type of pruning process I looked to the works which I have already posted to Ren' and, after time, selected some groups to re-present. I will put together and upload a few sets like this over the coming week for those who may derive some benefit from these examples.  These will not be re-crafted. I am not retouching a single pixel.  The only changes between these images and the originals is cropping and a reduction in size. Essentially, if I had to chose just a handful of images from these 80 to show as my best work in this medium .. these would be my selections. Choosing a strength to accentuate I selected portraits; no big surprise.  For you it may be something entirely different. Self editing is always tough work, but it is essential if you are serious about showing your art.  This process is fluid and you should practice and refine your methods of presentation as much as any other aspect of your craft. The best of fortune and creative fulfillment to you! Terry If you would like to view the original images for any of the above works they are, from left to right: She's a Little Different .. but I Like Her "Who are you thinking about?" Wherever You May Be ... Green Eyes A Portrait for Charley Gothic Memories