What Art Directors Really Think When They See Photographers' Portfolios
My honest, no-filter guide after reviewing hundreds of photographers a year
Hi everyone,
This one has been on my mind for a while. Almost daily, I get emails from photographers introducing themselves, sharing their portfolio, following up, sometimes within 24 hours, sometimes on every single platform at once. LinkedIn, Substack, Instagram DMs, you name it. And I get it. It takes guts to put yourself out there, and I really respect that.
But here’s the truth: nine out of ten portfolios don’t stick with me. And most of those follow-ups don’t help your case either. It sounds a bit harsh, but if you’re trying to book campaigns with art directors, especially freelancers who jump from project to project, a random cold outreach usually isn’t going to land you the job.
That’s because I’m never just looking for “a photographer.” I’m looking for a very specific photographer to fit a very specific idea, something I’ve been concepting for months, something I have to sell in to a client. When that moment comes, I want to pull up a folder of saved names who already feel like the right world and the right energy for what I’m pitching.
That’s why this piece feels important to share. After reviewing literally hundreds of portfolios, after saving, scouting, moodboarding, and recommending photographers for countless campaigns, I want to give you a truly honest, no-fluff perspective on what art directors, at least the ones like me, actually look for and how to stand out to them.
If you’re a photographer who wants to stand out, this is the straightforward, slightly hard-to-hear advice I wish more people would tell you. I’m not holding anything back, just my Dutch directness written as a guide today.
