My Website Portfolio - Your advice pls

[AFK_Matrix]

Hi,

 

I am slowly redoing my website to make it a lot more professional. Now I am just debating how to present my portfolio.

 

Currently I have all my images in a list under a menu item and they are ordered by the Job Site and Date (most recent to oldest).

 

Now I am looking at a proper image gallery tool and can have some categories but I am unsure what categories to use. I was thinking about:

 

Exterior 3D Images

Interior 2D Images

2D/Misc Images

 

Or I could do it by the year they were created? How would you want a porfolio to be organised if your going to be looking through it?

 

Here is my website at the moment (very basic as I knew nothing of web design when I made it): www.kds-cgi-portfolio.co.uk

 

Thanks.

[Horhe]

It depends what content you have in your portfolio.

Some companies divide their work into architecture categories (commercial, educational, etc.). I would stick to what you suggested, exterior/interior/product renderings or misc. images sounds fine.

You could then arrange taking the year into consideration in each category.

 

A larger firm (do) tend to categorise in sectors (while making a demo reel of their yearly work each year), while freelancers (do) tend to categorise using the date.

[AFK_Matrix]

Hi Jakub,

 

Thanks for your advice, at the moment the majority of the images I have are exterior renderings of houses. I am slowly building up some interior shots as well.

 

I think the idea of doing the years as a sub category is a good one, didn't think of that

[Nic H]

keep it simple, only your best work in one gallery called visualization or something.

 

unless you have heaps of work i wouldnt seperate them, its just more unecessary clicks for someone to do.

[mattclinch]

i agree with nic. also consider the colour scheme of your site. you want your images to be the main draw.. no bright text, banners or gradients should distract the viewer. consider which background colour images look best against too - black and white are not always the best way to go.

 

keep potential employers wanting more and showcase your best work. theres no need to show everything you have ever done. most people will only look at 5-10 images.

 

you might want to spell 'professional' correctly in the portfolio dropdown on the homepage too.

Edited February 5, 2009 by mattclinch

[AFK_Matrix]

Thanks for the advice guys, I too think I don't need to display that many pictures. And thanks for pointing out that mistake matt, glad that is my old website and the new one hopefully should be spelt right!!

[Peter M. Gruhn]

I'm going to get tired of popping up to the drop down menus all the time for navigation. Lots of fine motor control, have to read when my mind is in "look at pictures" mode, have to remember which one I just clicked on so I can click on the right one to get the next picture....

[robert taylor]

Hi Great Work !!!, may i ask what your rendering application is ??, and do you use photoshop for the final touches ??.

[Magnus_Alexander]

you spelled "spelled" wrong.... (spelt)

[BVI]

I found that it depends on who you are marketing the site to and the maturity of that audience. I’ve closely managed our portfolio stats and I find that visitors click on one gallery (i.e. exteriors) and then seldom click on interiors etc. This may influence decisions if one area isn’t as strong as the other. I suspect that the African market may just be immature when it comes to browsing sites or possibly more impatient to wait for things to download (crappy speeds here).

[AFK_Matrix]

Hi Great Work !!!, may i ask what your rendering application is ??, and do you use photoshop for the final touches ??.

 

Hi Robert,

 

Thanks for your comment I used 3DS Max to produce them and used the Lightracer engine in max for the lighting (I didn't know anything about Vray at the time). And yes I used photoshop to add the vegetation, sky and to touch up shadows etc.

 

Yeah I am thinking I will probably either go with no categories or just have 2 categories, a 3D Images and a 2D Images category.

[robert taylor]

Hi, I think if someone of your capabilitys created a tutorial from start to finish in your particular style, which is highly acceptable,I for one would pay for it.....Maybe a good idea with the current climate ( and you are u.k based ( very rare ).

[1eo]

I'm sorry.... but........ did you put your school grades (by class/semester) in your portfolio/site????

 

UNIVERSITY INFO

 

I studied at the University of Huddersfield, UK. Below are the courses that I studied over a 3 year period. In all the mentioned modules we were given a basic understanding of their principles.

 

Course Title:

BSc (Hons) Architectural Computer Aided Technology - ACAT

 

 

Year 1 Modules

 

TFA 101 - Introduction to Architectural History and Theory

 

 

Grade

 

B

 

TFA 205 - Building Science 1 A

TFA 207 - Building Services Engineering 1 B

TFA 209 - Building Construction 1 Passed

TFA 210 - Building Structures 1 Passed

TFA 224 - Introduction to Materials Science A

TFA 225 - Intergrative Assignment A

TFA 303 - Contstruction Law and Economics A

TFA 407 - Introduction to CAD and Draughting B

TFA 408 - Introduction to CAD and Computer Systems A

TFA 602 - Land Surveying A

 

 

 

Year 2 Modules

 

TFA 103 - Applied Building Services

 

 

Grade

 

A

 

 

 

TFA 203 - Building Construction 2

B

TFA 204 - Building Structures 2 B

TFA 205 - Environmental Design 2 A

TFA 301 - Measurement & Cost Studies B

TFA 302 - Legal Studies D

TFA 303 - Pre-Contract Studies C

TFA 315 - Specification Writing B

TFA 405 - Computer Aided Design I A

TFA 409 - Computer Aided Design II B

TFA 414 - Computer Aided Technology Application 1 A

 

 

 

Year 3 Modules

 

TFA 120 - Building Pathology

 

 

Grade

 

C

 

TFA 130 - Management for Architectural Technologists C

TFA 131 - Contract Management A

TFA 141 - Major Assignment 3 B

TFA 141 - Advanced CAD and VR B

 

I'm not an expert... But I'll think that is too much

[dean@pikcells]

what jobs are you applying for?

 

when i click on one of your professional projects the first thing i see is the plans for the scheme. have you designed and drawn the buildings?

it seems like the visuals are an extra, not the main work.

 

is it necessary to show floor plans?

 

i think overall you have a lot of work and info on there, and its hard to look through. if i were you id select the best work, most relevant info, and keep it tidy. that way prospective employers dont see bad work, or get bored with reading none relevant stuff.

[AFK_Matrix]

Hi,

 

Thanks for the comments. Yeah I kind of just put everything I did on that website I linked to as I had no idea what I should do for a portfolio.

 

For the new website I am only going to show the images and animations I have done, and only the best of those.

 

I put the University Information down as I thought it would show the broad range of work I did at university. The main thing I think is showing my CV and I could take out the Uni info if needs be.

 

Oh and this isn't for applying for a job as I have been at my new job for nearly 4 months now, I just want to update my website to make it look professional and to keep a record of my work.

 

And Robert I am assuming you were thinking about a tutorial about lightracer? As I didn't use Vray in those images you see. And thanks for saying I could do a tutorial, not sure how many people would be interested though as a majority of people use Vray.