Pinterest and Portfolios

As a designer, it's getting harder and harder to create a portfolio that will have any sort of impact on potential employers. The rise of Pinterest in recent years means that original ideas are becoming less commonplace and once vibrant portfolios are in danger of being taken over by shot upon shot of identities laid out in grid formation.

I like a portfolio to be neat, tidy and well presented, I really do. But does this mean that now we're all expected to present our work in this specific way? A general search for graphic design on Pinterest will throw up reams of images of designers' work that is difficult to distinguish from one another. The work could be (and usually is) awesome, but we tend to glaze over it because we're sure we've seen that image before. It's sad to see really great work get lost amongst the masses. 

I feel that now more than ever, there is becoming a standard as to how work is presented in portfolios. All of the print should be laid out a right angle to each other, any digital work comped onto a Matchbook/iPad. We are looking at many varieties of the same photo. Graduates in particular seem to be jumping on the bandwagon with this trend.

Just once, I'd love to see someone really think about how they compose their portfolio imagery. I mentioned in a previous post that when applying for a job portfolios should have a sense of neatness about them - especially in the corporate environment - but does this mean that we as designers need to sacrifice all of our creativity? Now that great looking portfolios are so accessible online, It's becoming increasingly important to separate ourselves from the masses and up our game. I almost feel that maybe it's time to go back to the tangible, rough and ready work. Get the sketchbooks and the prints out, bring it all with you so employers can have a feel of the boss paper you've printed on and get a sense of how your pieces work together. It's time to re-evaluate how we do things and start thinking outside of the grid.

So please, please can we get over the right angles already?

Svea xo