Overall I think the layout is pretty great. It's very book like - easy to read, clear start and end points on projects, nice introduction pages, etc.

I think the 2 things I would probably reconsider:

- I found your resume a bit hard to read and follow. I think some of is the layout (some things being right aligned, some things being center aligned) and also a matter of making minor titles smaller or eliminated. Just play around with a few different things.

- I'm questioning the Photography section at the end. It seems like everyone these days is an amateur photographer and even though some of the these photos might be pretty good, I'm afraid that instead of having the desired effect of being different it's going to be received as being cliche. Clearly the images you have selected for your project pages demonstrate some level of photographic proficiency. If you are inclined to keep it I might reduce it down to one spread.

Oh and kill the hyphenation on your text.

abc,

the simplicity of the introduction pages and photos was a very nice beginning. unfortunately, i lost interest going forward.

the material structure of the portfolio is nice.

i think you are not including some of the most important work you have done. if you have been in concrete construction for almost 10 years, i would expect to see form work, completed baby-ass smooth concrete plinths, tie-back details, calculations and diagrams of rebar

if i'm not making too many assumptions, you have the opportunity to do a lot of big buildings with your background in concrete

i would rather see more construction documents in concrete work.

your resume says you have experience with many rendering/graphic programs, but i think there's some improvements that can be made. show me some more 3d work of the models you made. give me the structure in those models. add details. mullions, curbs, doorknobs

your introduction page is fine, but i wouldn't include all the photos. i think it's an advantage that you've traveled and are learning and know many languages, but a firm wants to know what you can do for the firm

I would agree that replacing one of the academic projects with some professional experience would be a very welcome addition to the portfolio and help to show a diversity of skills. Ultimately that is what you want to demonstrate is a diversity of skill sets to an employer.

In regards to the 3D work, it would be nice to see some of that as well in the portfolio since it seems like the majority of the work you are showing is diagrams, physical models and drawings. I don't know if I would go as extreme as the previous comment in making an excessively detailed 3D model though. Most offices only use 3D models up to the DD stage of a project and don't really have the man hours to spend detailing a model that is only meant to convey an idea to the client. Instead I would focus more on a little more of the professional experience to highlight your knowledge of building systems.

Having now made a second pass, I would recommend being a little more selective about the work you are including. I feel like all of the projects in here are getting a little too much exposure to the point where it seems like some of the images, although different, convey the same information as the image before it. I would see if you could eliminate one spread from each project not by cramming more on the pages but by eliminating material.

I appreciate all of the feedback and agree with pretty much all of it. Unfortunately you over estimate the amount of "design" done in my particular line of concrete work. There are no documents, no drawings, its not like im designing and specing things. I form, pour, and finish concrete with my stepdad. Mostly residential, some commercial. But all i would really be able to generate from this are photographs, which from the above comments, I need to get rid of some. You don't need construction documents, calculations and such when the man you are pouring with A: is Italian and B: Has been doing this for 30+ years. So im at a loss as to what I can do to express that in a professional portfolio.

I still have my capstone project from Undergrad to put in there are that has much more detailed 3d models. I think that self editing and making it HALF the size would be beneficial. Thank you for your critiques, they are much appreciated.

From a fellow Ohioan, I suggest that you cut back on the amount of pages in your portfolio.

-You need to scan in the drawings, not just take pictures of them, They are not really clear.

-The model with the green stuff on it is kinda distracting. Photoshop some people in your model pics to give your buildings a sense of scale.

That's it...a BGSU Falcon

the drawings are scanned....dont know what else to really say about that

and yet again i know its long but i think that is more a function of it being my first go round at it and that it was for graduate school and not professional.

Add more 3D, you'll need that for jobs. I'd even consider making some new models/renderings, something new or building on an old project, doesn't matter. I'd try to get a good project in there that is 3D, from start to finish. Maybe add some 'cool and creative' renderings in the end, those don't have to be anything beyond good looking. Then add a few photo real ones to show you can do that.

3D is a skill every firm desires, photography is just something that people find interesting, I don't think it'll help you get a job. Show some diversity in your 3D skills: diagrams (like basic GI, white, etc.), creative renderings/collages, and photoreal.

Overall, it looks very good. I agree it could be shorter. Every project doesn't have to be tons of photos and drawings. And make sure that you are showing only your best.

ok.

i think the photography section could be shorter...but there are some nice pictures and it's laid out well.

you need to clean up the photos of the dresden project and kent archive.. with photoshop it should be easy to clean up backgrounds...you shouldn't see the blocking below and that the background is incomplete.

the main criticism i would have is the cover... i understand that those are your initials but it's hard for me to take you seriously after that. name and portfolio title would be great on their own...the blocks just don't belong on a professional or grad school portfolio imo.

i think the layout overall is nice..but agree with others that it could use some editing. i think you could get rid of several of the photos of the dresden project..i think it's your weakest. also. i'd work on the lineweights of some of your drawings...or it could be the pdf..not sure. anyway...my first impressions. good luck!

the images of the first model dont really relate to each other, and are cropped off kinda funny

i've heard both sides of this arguement, and although i think it's important to include a visualization of your skills...i would take out the photography for a professional portfolio. if you keep them cut them down to a little larger than thumbnail size and don't dedicate whole pages to the photography unless you are applying to architectural photography firms.

it's best to be the most conservative, aka a little more generic, when it comes to applying to firms for a job. You will be applying to a number of very different firms, and the people that you interview with will have varying perspectives on how they see your photography. Some might see it as you including a "hobby" and others might actually see this as a marketable skill. I've been heard both during interviews when showing my previous portfolio, and I decided to take it out. If you get the job, you can use your photography as a "bonus" when the firm needs some marketing shots, instead of having to hire a professional -- depending on your level of experience.

On some other notes, I thought it was a great layout, but I agree that you should add some people to the model images for scale. I also agree that you should SCAN the hand drawn diagrams on pg. 18 & 19. If you can't tell what's going on b/c it's way too blury.

I like that you have the model images large enough to really see them, but i also think that if you could arrange a couple of shots nicely onto 1 page it would cut down on the overall number of pages in the portfolio. 59 pages is way too many. Even in an interview, when a person wants to hear about your projects, they don't want to be there for over an hour b/c you have to go through all 59 pgs. Even if they are simply flipping through it quickly 59 pgs is just too much. it's good work but don't over saturate them with it.

Firms want to see your strong points, and see what you can offer them, and I believe you are talented enough to be able to convey that in less than 59 pgs. Try to cut it down to 25-30pgs[front and back] at the very maximum -- use the model shots that are the best and only use 2 or 3, the diagrams that explain the most and really illustrate the process--without showing every single iteration of it.

You have 4 studio projects, 1 academic fun project[lecture series project], and your photography. Drop photography for a professional portfolio. I would also drop 1 or even 2 of the studio projects--ones you didn't like as much, and throw in a professional project. EXPERIENCE DEFINITELY COUNTS!! It shows them that they are not going to have to tell you absolutely everything on day 1. Keep the "2007 Lecture Series" project, but I would change some wording on that project name and description, b/c I didn't realize that you had actually built an installation for advertising the lectures until i saw it at the very end. Initially it sounded like you did some posters/graphics for it -- which is good, but not as impressive as you probably expected. It's a nice project, add more photos of the installation, tell us the process of how you designed it, how you constructed it!!

Overall it's very strong, just needs editing and tweeking.
I've probably repeated some advice, but I hope it helps.
Good luck!

Agreeing with many points made above.

Overall, it's very good, but way too long... I'm bored.

The design layout of your resume is extremely weak, especially when compared to the layout of the remainder of the portfolio. You want something very strong and supportive to preface your work.

Also, nobody cares if you worked at the Marriott, I worked at Red Lobster... it's small talk, keep it off the professional resume.

i'd add that...

i really really like that you're taking multiple exposure photographs of your models (i've never seen that before, and i can see it being very effective!), but it's not really making sense why. i think if you orient your double exposures with say, plan and elevation, or front and side, or two perspectives from the same point, the two would relate to each other. heck, you can even lightly overlay it with a diagram showing the two views. just don't make them look too random.

if photographs is your thing, take photos of the concrete that you poured. look at ando's stuff...

that said, you seem to have excessive photographs and not much hierarchy. cut down, leave the important one, secondary ones, and maybe tertiary ones. (but in hierarchical order - e.g. most important is largest and/or full bleed, but not all) look at national geographic or any magazine and you'll see what i mean.

look into flowing images/diagrams past the binding. they're not individual pages, but rather the composite of each side.

you're white space might be too ordinary, rectangular, symmetrical. look at mixing it up a bit, try making irregularity (which makes each page different and interesting vis-a-vis the previous).

The cover (material and content) is nice, but it can translate more smoothly to the content of your portfolio.

Good job though! Keep getting feedback and good luck!

Thanks for posting, I've learned a lot from looking at your portfolio and the crits you've received.

Don't forget to spell check. I saw "differnt" and "serverd".