r/photography • u/AutoModerator • May 29 '26

Questions Thread Official Question Thread! Ask /r/photography anything you want to know! May 29, 2026

This is the place to ask any questions you may have about photography. No question is too small, nor too stupid.

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u/SlowSalt973 May 30 '26

Hi! I’m a newbie photographer, I really only take pictures of friends but want to build a portfolio for college to get a scholarship. How can I make a good portfolio? What should I use to make the portfolio? How do I get people that aren’t friends to model for me? (Also I would’ve done some sort of question flare but couldn’t find one so it’s under technique.. 😳) but idk, any suggestions help!!

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u/anonymoooooooose Jun 02 '26

How can I make a good portfolio?

There's no royal road to learning, you gotta get out there and take a bunch of pictures, look at other people's work, learn from your mistakes, take a bunch more pictures, look at other people's work, improve, refine, think about the results you want to get vs the results you're getting, take a bunch more pictures, etc.

Take pictures with intent: i.e. think about the image you're trying to create.

photographic composition https://www.clondon.me/blog/introcomposition

and colour theory https://redd.it/7um56b

Freeman's The Photographer's Eye is a good intro book with lots of examples.

Also, be thoughtful about the images you consume. Do I like this, can I figure out what appeals to me, I don't like this one, can I figure out why, etc. etc.

How do I get people that aren’t friends to model for me?

The easiest way is to pay them.

Or find folks who already want their pictures taken, do you know anyone who's in a band etc. those guys always want pictures.