I don’t care if your interface is the coolest thing I’ve ever seen — when your portfolio loads and I’m staring at a slate gray background spotted with red and white text, I can’t help but yawn and nod off. I don’t care if you have a supremely rare shot, even the Rolls Royce of shots. I’m freakin’ passed out.

Yours is the 35th portfolio I’ve seen with this exact color scheme, and frankly, I’m through with you. Pray you have a funky name, or I’ve already moved along to the next gray/red/white Web site.

Unfortunately for you, chances are that the person who might otherwise have hired you is annoyed as well. Didn’t you want to pop? Weren’t you aiming to impress? I’m sure you were. Your choice of color scheme, however, has gone beyond “safe” and crossed the line into “dull.” Sure, you used to come off as slick and polished, but seriously folks, update your material. You’re publishing all the time, so why isn’t your site’s design evolving with you? Please!

Now, you know who you are, and I have a solution for you. If you can’t choose a color, just keep it simple. Achieve the polish you want with the classic black and white color scheme, taking your lead from photographers like Alan Cook, Jamie Squire, and Grant Faint.

Consider keeping it neutral and adding just a pop of color here and there. White and bright green. Black and bright yellow. Why not push the envelope and strike out on your own — there’s nothing more refreshing than seeing something new and inventive.

Show them you’ve got something special up your sleeve. That’ll get you a second look if nothing else, and what more could you ask for? Let your portfolio speak for itself, but do yourself a favor by making sure your potential employers get past your Web site design and into your body of work! 

Have you found any killer portfolios lately (the good or bad kind)?