Images of your work -- slides, prints and digital images -- are crucial. At one time, artists relied on specialized 35mm film to create slides and prints. With a high-resolution digital camera and sufficient light, you can take your own quality images by keeping the camera centered on the work you wish to photograph.
The major advantage of digital images is that you can instantly edit and process the shots using software. You'll need between 10 and 20 photographs for your portfolio; professional-caliber printing options include online ordering or a brick-and-mortar photo lab. Any prints you have in your portfolio should be finished, signed, matted and ready for sale.
Ideally, your work will look cohesive and have a certain flow within your portfolio. Color, theme and medium should convey that you have understood and explored a certain concept or technique, to create confidence in those reviewing your work. It also reflects your ability to follow through with your vision. Reviewing different types of layout possibilities for portfolios will help you find the one that suits your work. Your logo should be included throughout, and presenting your best work first creates a strong initial impression.
Presenting your portfolio in person is the traditional method of offering your work to a gallery. Before doing so, you should put yourself in the shoes of a gallery owner or collector reviewing your work. Your portfolio should look professionally packaged in an appropriate case or folder. Artists should adhere to any guidelines set out by the gallery -- such as the format and number of required images -- and include all pertinent information in the form of a professional resume, mission statement, the dimensions of each piece and the materials used.
Another option, an online portfolio, costs nothing on some artist community websites, many of which have multiple layouts available. Creating your own website, if you have the skills or time to learn, gives you complete control of your portfolio presentation as an independent artist.