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Last week, Leslie Golden said something very important: “I want to see nice renderings, and the thinking behind the design. I need the whole package put together, start to finish. I need to know that the applicant can take a project from concept through construction documents and beyond.” Landscape Architects’ work has one huge thing in common. Our projects start with the raw site, a client, and project program, and then go through a series of phases from conceptual towards more detail and direction. I enjoyed watching this video where a photographer demonstrated his process for arranging work, and much of what he does applies, except that Landscape Architects usually organize by project, not individual images. In today’s market, a good many careers are being shaped by opportunity; directe...Read More

Last week’s post on print portfolio resources was so much fun, and I have more stuff for you in the future….but as I mentioned, this week I have another “Interview with an Employer” to share with you and here it is. As I mentioned in the first “Interview” post, I have been asking colleagues for their perspective on resumes and portfolios. Each of them is in the position of doing the hiring and portfolio review for their respective firms. I encourage them to tell me what they feel is important without many specific questions to respond to. It is very interesting to see what comes up spontaneously, and I hope that these bits of advice give you something to consider in your own portfolio design process. I type my notes and send them to the Employer, then th...Read More

Last week’s Interview with an Employer post was not the last, I have another in the works….but first, let’s get back to your portfolio. I recently posted about digital portfolio options. Today, I have resources for printed portfolios. While many digital options are free, getting stuff printed isn’t. It doesn’t have to be super expensive, though. With little more than access to a computer with a word processing program (and either a simple binding or sweet folding) you can make a portfolio. In fact, some view a well-done hand-made portfolio as a sign of your attention to detail and appreciation for excellent craftsmanship. Below are only a few resources for your printed portfolio – there are so many excellent products and services out there! Please feel free to add your suggestions below in...Read More

I recently hinted that this post would be a bit different from previous ones. As part of my research for these posts on Land8, I have been asking colleagues for their perspective. Each of them is in the position of doing the hiring and portfolio review for their respective firms. I have asked them to tell me what is important to them without many specific questions to respond to. It is very interesting to see what comes up spontaneously, and I hope that these bits of advice give you something to consider in your own portfolio design process. You should know that the information was typed by me (from my notes), then approved or modified by the person interviewed, and posted here for you. It is through this process, that as much as possible, these are their words. Mr. H (who has asked me to ...Read More

I felt the need to share some inspirational things after writing the post on design last week. Interesting design ideas don’t always spontaneously burst forth, so below are some of my favorite web-hosted portfolio options. I know you are all resourceful, clever designers, but maybe there is something in this list that will help you solve a problem or give you some inspiration. If a digital portfolio isn’t for you, don’t worry, more resources are coming in the future! Issuu: It appears from reading posts in Land8 that web-hosted book formats are very popular right now. Issuu seems to be the most popular of these, and it is free! VisualCV: In this website, you can have several different versions of your resume with images and also upload pdf files (like letters of recommendation!...Read More

Using the work and opinions of others to jump-start ideas for your portfolio (like those listed in last week’s post) is awesome, but copying someone else’s portfolio design to showcase your own work is a lousy idea if you want to be recognized for your design abilities. Your portfolio is the one place where you are the only common denominator. I could repeat what other people have said about the principles of design, but I won’t. That information is out there for you to find, and if anyone is interested, here and here are a couple of places to start. Having said that, how can I craft a blog post that covers portfolio design for all formats at all levels in one shot? I really can’t, and I would have to be an absolute fool to try. What I can do, however, is to begin the discussion with some ...Read More

Last time, we talked about content that can be added to your portfolio regardless of employment status. While I try to keep my posts specific to Landscape Architecture, comparisons can be made with Architecture, Photography, and Graphic Art among other creative fields. If you think about what these folks are saying and apply that critical thinking path to your own work and your target audience, you’ll be in good shape when it comes time to make critical decisions about your portfolio. I have accumulated an embarrassingly long list of online articles, and below are my current favorites: Landscape Architecture: Writing Project Descriptions, Landscape Architecture Dept. University of Illinois Preparing Portfolios for Landscape Architects, Landscape Architecture Dept. University of Illin...Read More

Last time I posted suggestions of what you might consider putting in your Landscape Architecture portfolio. Today, however, I ask you to consider each project and take a look at how well your materials represent the work and you. Did someone else do a rendering? Did one of your favorite projects take a detour from the way you hoped the design would go? Well don’t just sit there, do something about it! Consider the work you intend to show and decide if there is anything that you can do to add depth to individual projects or to better represent your own skill set. Hand-drawings. Of landscapes. Go out and practice, it is free. New renderings: If you have the ability to do a better job on the rendering than you did before, or maybe the rendering that was done was not your handiwork, think abou...Read More

In the last post, we compared hard copy portfolios with digital versions. Today, we need to find something to put in it, whatever platform you are working with. Below are a few ideas, some are obvious, but perhaps not all of them. While you read through these, consider who you are making this portfolio for. Technical Drawings: Site Plans, sections, elevations, details, and GIS maps. The bread and butter of getting work built! Graphics: Beautiful renderings, sketches, perspectives, and models are important and speak to an ability to communicate your ideas. Process Graphics: Conceptual plans and other doodles that went into conceptualizing your work are especially important to prospective employers. These may not seem so important, but they do illustrate your thought processes. Photography: ...Read More

Last time, I posted about portfolio formats. The ways we each approach and use our portfolios are sometimes as unique as we are. There are countless examples out there on the subject, and I wanted to share my top ten favorite (in print) resources. Portfolio Design by Harold Linton. Geared towards architecture, it shows many examples of portfolios. Designing a Digital Portfolio by Cynthia Baron. Good general information on the thought process of developing a digital portfolio, but this book is a little older (so technical information is out of date). The Graphic Designer’s Guide to Portfolio Design by Debbie Rose Myers. Another well-rounded book. Written for graphic design, much of the the information is still applicable to Landscape Architecture. Designing Creative Resumes by Gregg Berryma...Read More

Last time, I wrote about the elements of a marketing system. Most of those elements can be in either digital or print format. The format is less important than the decisions you make around content, design, and presentation, but a poorly designed portfolio will drag down the impression it leaves no matter how good your work is. Just about every article, discussion thread, and book I read in my research agreed that both a digital presence and printed material were important to have, the online component being in support of a printed portfolio. For the sake of argument, let’s consider some of the practical considerations of both digital and print portfolios: Digital media: website, blog, pdf, files on a USB, CD, DVD, iPad, or laptop are the most common. Online “books” (like Issuu.com), video...Read More

In the previous post, I wrote about what a portfolio is and listed some audiences you may be trying to impress with it. The portfolio itself is not the whole picture, though. Regardless of whether you favor an online format or hard-copy portfolio, you will need additional items. Every one of the things mentioned here needs to contain your name and contact information. When viewed together, they are cohesive, and seen individually, they must be able to hold their own. Consider the following list as elements of a marketing system that includes your fabulous new portfolio. Cover letter: A cover letter accompanies all marketing material that is sent out, period. In an email, what you say in the body of the email may stand in for the cover letter, or you can attach a separate file for this. I w...Read More