USITT Lighting Portfolio Guidelines

No guideline should be used without adjustments to reflect format and content parameters
dictated by a job advertisement, a competition, grant application, or university tenure and
promotion documents. Adhering to the USITT Lighting Commission Portfolio Guidelines will not
guarantee that you will land a job; however it can help you create presentations that speak more
directly to the interviewer.

Final Committee and Authors: Autum Casey, Ellen Jones, Darren E. Levin

Edited by: Robert Scales

Initial Committee: Todd Studebaker, Steven L. Shelley, Anne McMills, Andrea Bilkey, and Vickie Scott.
The final version of the USITT Lighting Portfolio Guidelines was crafted and written by Autum Casey,
Ellen E. Jones, and Darren E. Levin based on input from the initial guidelines committee, feedback at the
2014 national conference and an email canvas after the conference.

Initial Considerations in Portfolio Development

A portfolio is a package of professional materials collected to represent the talent and skill sets of the
owner. Several excellent lighting design and technology books specify the work products required to
complete a fully realized design from point of initial conceptualization to collaborative communication
with the director/choreographer and the rest of the design team to the industry standard documents
required for successful execution of the design. Others volumes about portfolio design focus on
presentation of pictorial documentation. Therefore, instead of providing a laundry list for content, these
guidelines focus on a philosophy for portfolio creation. A bibliography and final check list is also
included.

Presentation portfolios encompass a range of formats: a portable case with paper work samples, a bound
booklet of reproductions, a digital presentation, or a webpage. You may use several of these kinds of
portfolios depending on your experience level and career goals. While other portfolio formats may be
suitable for some job applications, we recommend that lighting designers develop and maintain a web-
based portfolio that can be accessed by potential employers. It is unlikely that anyone will hire a designer
based on the web page alone, but quick and easy access to work samples is essential.

Each individual must determine his or her specific career or educational goals and then select portfolio
content that showcases the skill sets and expertise required. The interviewer appraising a lighting
portfolio will most likely be a member of the creative team who is evaluating how likely the designer’s
work is to support his or her artistic goals in the production process and put the available resources of
time, labor, and money to the best use. Identify the targeted viewer and select content to meet the
audience’s expectations. Artistic Directors, stage directors, and choreographers will be interested in
understanding how your design supported the overall production concept and meshed with the rest of the
creative team. They will also be keen to know how you communicated your ideas prior to the first
technical rehearsal. In contrast, a rental shop manager may be interested in seeing your designs for special
events in a tent and the accompanying technical paperwork. Academic search committees will be
interested in how you integrated students into the work presented. Graduate school admission committees
are likely to place more emphasis on design process.

Consider how your portfolio will be viewed. The included work samples must speak to the requirements
of the position sought. Contextualize your work samples in terms of the audience’s interest and the job
specifications. With a paper portfolio the order of the content can be changed to reflect the priorities of
the position. A web based portfolio can be viewed without your knowledge and must present the broadest
scope of work related to any positions you might be qualified to hold. Clear and accurate labeling of all
work samples is imperative, particularly when you won’t be present to elaborate on the content or your
collaborative process. While it is acceptable to point out challenging circumstances that impacted a
design, be sure to emphasize solutions not make excuses. Remember, mediocre work has no place in the
portfolio.

The Student Portfolio

A portfolio geared toward admission to a graduate or professional training program, will most likely be
viewed by the program faculty. These are people who will be basing their admission decision not only on
the quality of the work as it is today, but on the potential for improvement in the future. We recommend
at least one design of which is fully documented from beginning to end (script analysis, research,
renderings if available, technical drawings and paperwork, photographs of the full production). (See
suggested references in the bibliography to help determine what constitutes complete documentation.)

Many graduate or professional training programs are interested in breadth as well as depth. Some are as
interested in seeing your overall aesthetic in creative endeavors as well as documentation of your lighting
design and technical work. Research each institution where you plan to apply. Programs with a strong
focus in entertainment technology may be interested in seeing circuit plots and riser diagrams while
programs focused on new work development or design aesthetics may be interested in seeing figure
drawings and photography. Work included should be of the highest personal quality. Material that does
not “put your best foot forward” should not be included.

The Professional’s Portfolio

The Designer/Assistant Designer

Research the company you are targeting and tailor the layout of your portfolio and content of your cover
letter to that specific entity. Full stage photographs that tell the story of the lighting are the most useful for
a professional design portfolio. Always explain how the lighting served the production. Close-ups can be
useful to illustrate specific choices related to the production concept, but should not dominate the pictorial
documentation. If a producer or Production Manager is one of the decision makers, light plots, hookups
and shop orders should also be available.

A digital or web-based portfolio can have discreet pages for different types of work: opera, musicals,
experimental projects, corporate events, and so on. If your work is predominately in one genre it may be
wiser to organize pictures chronologically or in the most visually interesting order rather than having a
page with only one production. Video clips of realized designs should only be added if the appropriate
permissions and rights have been granted. Private information may be password protected to prevent open
access. Watermark your original work wherever possible and remember to credit the director,
photographer, and the rest of the design team.

If you are pursuing a position as an assistant lighting designer, you are targeting your portfolio to another
lighting designer, one with more experience than yourself. Consider that the job of an assistant lighting
designer involves drafting and paperwork management. Showcase those abilities via light plots, sections,
cuing sheets, focus charts, and so on. Proof of expertise in industry specific software and an indication of
superb organizational skills must be reflected by the portfolio contents.
The Technician

The portfolio used to pursue a lighting technology position should also show a clear understanding of
advertised job. Your portfolio must clearly demonstrate your organizational skills and technical
expertise. Design work may not be necessary. If you are applying/interviewing for a master electrician or
rental shop position examples of paperwork including shop orders is more important than photographs of
design work. Frame the information in a way that displays your people management skills as well as
technical prowess. Include, as appropriate, circuit plots, schedules, riser diagrams, photographs of custom
fixtures, and so on in your production book. A digital “book” is probably the most desirable choice if
applying for a position with a vendor or manufacturer.

Web-Based Portfolios

A web-based portfolio can introduce your work to a general audience who may remember your work
when they are seeking a designer in the future. The web portfolio should highlight a variety of work and
demonstrate your ability to work in a range of venue physical plants while showcasing your unique talents
as a designer and/or technician. Photographs are more valuable than paperwork, although it some samples
of paperwork and drafting are appropriate. In web page presentations your layout choices and the
information you select to include will be interpreted as an exhibition of your communication and design
skills. The composition and organization are as important as the actual lighting work products you
display. Include key-words and meta-data to make your website more likely to appear when generic
search terms are used. Be sure that your resume is available for download.

Websites come in a variety of styles and layouts. Research your options and educate yourself on the
variety of good free and paid options. Maintaining a website provides you with more space for additional
photos and documentation that you may choose not to include in a hard copy portfolio. Web-design style
and formatting changes quickly; using Flash to enhance your site was very popular in the late 1990s, but
most agree its use is distracting and undesirable now. Flash is not recognized by many mobile platforms,
limiting access by those using phones or tablets. Always remember your web based portfolio will address
a general audience.

Navigation

When designing the layout of your site, consider the navigation carefully. How many clicks are required
to get to the desired content? How long do pages take to load? Discrete pages for “about me” and
different genres or work types (i.e. opera, dance, technical experience) can be separated into headings and
sub-headings

Content

Web based content is very different than print content in size and resolution. Take time to educate
yourself on the differences, particularly if you plan on having both a print and matching web portfolio.
You are not in control of how your viewer chooses to peruse your web portfolio. Web content can be
viewed on a variety of devices, and the size and quality of the screen can affect your work. Load time
may also be a factor with larger high-resolution images. Your content and pages should also contain key-
words and meta-data making your website easily searchable.
Privacy and Your Digital Presence

Your digital presence is important, and often much farther reaching than you could ever be. Carefully
consider how much and what kind of content you want the world to see. Choose your email address and
social media links wisely. Nothing on the internet is private, and everything is archived. It is important to
watermark your work, and obtain permission from the other artists to use the work in a digital setting.
You must include the same design credits you would in a printed portfolio. Posting your resume is
important, but in the age of mapping software, it may not be in your best interest to include your cell
phone number and address. Including a contact form on your website may be a more prudent option to
prevent spam and unwanted cyber or physical intrusion.

Domains and Platforms

It is acceptable for your first website, particularly as a student, to be based on a free hosting site or via a
college/university service. As one makes the transition into the professional world, continuing to update
the content and style of your site shows your evolution as an artist. You should move your site to your
own domain name, which is infinitely more searchable and recognizable as your brand. Select your
domain name carefully, especially as new extensions are released. Creating a website can be entirely free,
but may limit your ability to customize. Learning to build a website in html can be very rewarding; it is
fully customizable, but requires a significant amount of time and effort. Please refer to the list of digital
resources below.

Physical Portfolios

Book-type portfolios

Book type portfolios come in several forms. The large format 24”x36” (or larger) hard case portfolios are
falling out of fashion, as they are difficult to manage and costly to ship. More modern options include
smaller more flexible portfolios that may contain reduced versions of large work, and bound book
portfolios. Depending on where you are in your career, consider the ease with which you can update your
portfolio, and choose your format based on that calculation. Remember that printed versions of your
portfolio will most likely not be returned to you.

Printed Bound Portfolios

Portfolio books are sleek and look very professional. These photo books have become very popular, but it
is essential that your portfolio reflect where you are in your career and provides the employer with the
information they need. A graduate school committee is typically more concerned with process and glossy
production photos tell very little of the process story. The quality of the book is also hard to judge until
you have one printed. These high quality professionally bound books are also expensive. The more you
have printed, the cheaper the price; but you may end up with a number of book portfolios lying around
that cannot be updated. Bound photo books from Apple iPhoto or websites like lulu.com may restrict your
layout, and color shift may occur on photos during the printing process. By outsourcing your printing you
lose the ability to get proofs or make adjustments yourself.

Portfolio Cases

The primary reason that these portfolio cases were so popular is the ease with which they could be
updated, and the variety of materials that could be included. A large portfolio case would also allow for
an Arch D size light plot. A portfolio this size is cumbersome, particularly on airplanes. A smaller 11”x
17” or 13”x19” book style portfolio is acceptable, and much easier to travel with. You may choose to
include drafting that has been further scaled down within the story context of your portfolio, but you can
also include folded appropriately scaled plots in back pockets of this style portfolio. This style of portfolio
also allows complete control of style and formatting, and updating is as easy as replacing a page. You also
have the ability to quickly reorder your work to highlight examples that are relevant to a particular job or
company. This style of portfolio also makes the designer responsible for printing all the related material.
Keep in mind that if you are printing from a digital layout, that you will likely need to make multiple
prints in order to account for printer calibration.

Additional Portfolio Options

Digital (non-web) Portfolios

A potential employer may ask for a digital portfolio via CD/DVD/USB. You must consider the ease of
navigating your work while providing a format that you feel comfortable with. Simply loading 20 photos
on a USB stick does not make a digital portfolio. Your digital portfolio must be able to speak for itself,
without the designer present. Including a short video tour of your work may grab the viewer’s attention
and highlight your ability to edit video, but limits how long they look at each image. Providing a portfolio
that requires specific software to view is also problematic. We recommend a single PDF or PowerPoint
file that allows the viewer to page through, highlighting your intended viewing as the designer, but also
gives the viewer the ability to jump to sections they are interested in. Keep in mind that you have no
control over how this digital portfolio is viewed. Images should be high quality, labeling should be
consistent, and the content should be edited for the particular job/employer. Reviewing a portfolio on a
tablet is acceptable, but the content should be stored on the device and not require an internet connection
to be reviewed.

Portfolio Showcases and Displays

Designers applying for graduate schools or leaving graduate schools are the primary presenters at
portfolio displays. Portfolio displays/showcases are typically attended by industry professionals, but
occasionally a showcase may be opened to the public. Your display will often be viewed without you in
the room, and it is imperative that your work is clearly labeled. Space requirements are often limited and
very specific. Do not make assumptions about power or the type material you may be mounting to, and
come prepared with your own mounting materials. Be sure not to clutter your space, composition and ease
of viewing are still important, and never extend beyond the allowable area. Your display should also be
tailored to the audience and the location of the display/showcase. Provide copies of business cards,
resumes, and small printed portfolios or postcards as handouts.

Selecting Work Samples for the Portfolio

Incomplete, sloppy, or undeveloped work is not appropriate and will hinder your interview process.
Included productions should show your breadth and abilities as a designer. Development of concept
should be evident in each of the images selected for inclusion. Take the time to research potential
employers. Select and include work that speaks to a company’s mission statement or production history.
Creative work from outside the genre of the application, as long as its relevance to your application is
clear.

Include projects that you feel reflect your artistic perspective. The images and productions included
should develop dialogue if in person and engage with the reviewer in any situation. Your work will often
times be viewed when you are not present to explain a design concept or discuss a particular challenge.
Think about including a short description of each project including concept, how you worked through the
process, and challenges encountered/solved. Be able to describe your concept or premise of each piece in
your portfolio for in person interviews. You should be able to discuss at length the process, challenges,
and strengths of each included work.

Shows that illustrate your diversity and abilities as a designer will represent you best as long as you
explain their relevance. Diversity in types of productions may be equally beneficial. Photos of
productions should be of high quality, and illustrate strong lighting compositions within the production.
Select only your strongest images for each production. Determine if your show contracts require
permission letters from performers or if designers in other areas, the producer or the photographer should
be credited in a public display of their work. Make sure that any lighting plots are large enough to be
easily understood.

Quantity of work is tied to quality of work. Choose your strongest productions and gear the productions
towards your audience. Show an appropriate breadth to your work, but don’t oversaturate your audience.
Three or four strong images per production will represent your work more effectively than an image from
every scene. Each item in your portfolio must illustrate your abilities as a designer and as a collaborator.

Ancillary Documents

Your resume and cover letter can be more important than your portfolio. Interest in these documents
causes an employer to look at your portfolio, not the reverse. Some originations and competitions have a
preferred format for student resumes to meet specific goals. Give careful consideration as to whether this
same format serves you well in other situations. See the checklist for specific steps.

You will need to provide contact information for references. You may need different references for
different kinds of jobs. Don’t ask if someone will give you a good reference, ask if they are able to
discuss your work in the context of the specific job. This allows someone to decline to be a reference
gracefully and ensures that a reference will speak to the requirements of the job. An indifferent letter or
one discussing only yours talents unrelated to the job application do not serve you well. . Students
frequently do not realize the value of references from outside their primary area. References from those
who have collaborate with you on a show are vital.

Two caveats: 1) Be aware that some institutions allow only quantitative not qualitative references for
previous employees. i.e. pay scale and dates of employment. Make sure this is not an issue before you list
someone as a reference. 2) A potential employer may contact people other than your listed references.
Some employers will ask you if that is acceptable. Other places consider those unofficial actions and you
may never know. If your current employer does not know you are looking for a new job, request
confidentiality in your cover letter or ask the reader to inform you before they contact anyone at that
organization. See reference checklist for specific steps.

Additional Reading

Lighting and the Design Idea Third Edition by Linda Essig and Jennifer Setlow

Showcase Second Edition: Developing, Maintaining, and Presenting A Design-Tech Portfolio for Theatre and
Allied Fields by Rafael Jaen

A Practical Guide to Stage Lighting Third Edition by Steven Louis Shelley

The Assistant Lighting Designer’s Toolkit by Anne E. McMills

Digital Portfolio Resources

The following are some common platforms utilized for website and digital portfolio creation. It is by no
means exhaustive and should not be read as a recommendation from USITT. You may consider using a
resource like bitly.com to shorten a lengthy URL to make it more user friendly. Some web platform and
hosting options include: wix.com, weebly.com, squarespace.com, WordPress, fat cow.com, aboutme,
flickr, and gomobi. Whatever option you use, always make sure your audience can identify the content
they are reviewing.

Conclusion

There is no single recipe for the perfect portfolio. Your career goals and work experience, as well as the
target audience, will dictate the appropriate proportions for each ingredient. Take the time to seriously
assess those three factors when you create your portfolio. Remember to look at the guidelines for any
portfolio competition that you may be entering. It is also worth looking at the guidelines from other
USITT Commissions as reference. Remember that the recipe needs to be tweaked as each of those factors
change. A job search can be lengthy and for freelancers, it is a never ending process. Review your
portfolio and resume periodically making sure that the brand you are presenting still serves your interests
and career or educational goals.