Choosing a Format: Landscape, Portrait or Square?

We’re going to start a series of posts I’m informally calling 

Which Portfolio Presentation is Right for Me? 

Where we’ll cover everything from the basics: Style, size and color, and structure to the tiny details that can set you apart- embossing, color blocks, insets, screen printing.

Let’s start with maybe the most basic decision, but an important one nonetheless. Landscape or portrait? Which one is the best to showcase you and what you do?

We find that the same sorts of people working in similar media and fields tend to gravitate towards similar styles of portfolio, and with good reason.

Landscape or Horizontal Orientation:

Architects, Photographers, Industrial & Lifestyle Designers.

Many of our landscape portfolios, especially those that lay flat, are perfect for two page spreads for panoramics and- even for those who may work a lot in more vertical, portrait oriented work- fantastic for showcasing dyptics and triptics or photos alongside text.

Album for my own Wedding- Photos by Lisa Callamaro

Rodney Richards sleek photography Portfolio. His logo and his work are stunning.

Overall, the 11 x 14 landscape hidden screwpost portfolio is our most in-demand style for visual artists.

Some prefer our 11 x 17 inch landscape portfolios for extra horizontal space.

Portrait or Vertical Orientation:

Portrait Artists and photographers, business manuals, playwrights, restauranteurs (the 11 x 8.5 inch format makes a gorgeous menu)

Handsome Portrait format Hidden Screwpost Menus for Miro Whiskey Room*     

Sharp Portrait Format Photos in the Portrait Format Portfolio of David Lopez *

Portrait Format Portfolio Showcasing the Gorgeous Photographic Portraits by Joy Wong*

And, lest we forget, the Square Format!

This is both a sleek and versatile option. Adored by analogue photographers and those who love the symmetry and timelessness of square format. The 12 x 12 inch Coffee Table Style Portfolio is also a favorite for those wanting a custom book to hold those precious family memories: for everything from baby books to Wedding albums!

Coffee Table Square format baby book for a bookbinder's daughter

Be Unique and Unexpected!

Know your style and trust your gut- no one knows your branding more than you. Just because you paint or design or shoot primarily in the vertical does not mean you necessarily need to use a portrait style portfolio or vice versa. 

Beautiful Landscape format Photos by David Lopez displayed in his Portrait format portfolio

Mixing it up! David Lopez keeps it interesting with mixed format photographs in his portrait style portfolio

The above from David Lopez's Portfolio show a prime example of how gorgeous and unexpected playing with the negative space of your page can be in highlighting your work.

We know how difficult it can be selecting a portfolio style can be. While there are many options to choose from it doesn't have to be a paralyzing decision. Remember that each format has it's benefits and hopefully the examples we've shared with you today give you some ideas.

It may also help to make a few mockups of your layout either InDesign or IRL- wherever you do your best work!