Graphics Reference
In-Depth Information
partnering
By now, you may have skimmed forward in this topic and felt a little over-
whelmed by how much work your personal project will take. As a result, you might be
concluding that your only option is a group portfolio website or a social networking
site, at least until you've mastered some new skills. That wouldn't be the worst deci-
sion. But a lot depends on why you are making a portfolio and what your specializa-
tion is. If you belong to one of the professions that expect a unique statement online,
or you feel strongly that you want to set yourself apart from others in your area, cre-
ating a personal site is still the best choice.
Instead, it might be time to ask yourself, “Do I need help?” There is no shame
in concluding that you can successfully master some portions of designing and pro-
ducing your digital portfolio, but not all.
Help can come in many forms. You can simply hire someone who fills the gap
you see in your skills and experience. But it may be that the very reasons that you
need a portfolio—short on work and cash—puts a hired gun out of reach.
If so, consider a creative partnership instead. Your partner may be a photogra-
pher who provides you with digital files of your projects. He may be a graphic design-
er who designs an interface for you. She may be a programmer who takes your graphic
design and implements its interactive elements in Flash and JavaScript. Many times,
partnerships are about bartering skills—a new business logo identity for one person, a
photo shoot for another.
What you need in a partner
A partner should complement your own expertise and be someone whose work
you are familiar with and respect. Ideally, he or she should be someone you have
worked with on another project, so that you know what their strengths are and
whether you work well together. Your portfolio is a very personal project, and the last
thing you want is a partner who isn't prepared to support you and your vision.
Be prepared to give full credit for your partner's creative input. That probably
means that you should not consider as a partner someone whose creative area you
hope to make your own. If you are an established print designer with no desire to
enter new media, it's reasonable to partner with a new media specialist to write the
program, create the database, and implement the navigation. It's not reasonable to
allow others to assume that you are a multimedia designer if someone else has created
the concept and implemented the site for you.
Your role in the partnership
Although you should trust whomever you work with to know their own area of
expertise, you should come to the table prepared to explain who you are, what type of
help you need, and how much autonomy your partner will have. If the areas you need
 
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