You need a solid online photography portfolio if you want to sell your photos online or show your work to potential employers. Many websites have made the process of uploading and displaying your work easier than it would have been just a few years ago. You don't even need your own website, although there are benefits to posting your work on a website that you own. Here are five tips for how to present your online photography portfolio in the best light possible:

1. Create Two Different Portfolios

It may not be a good idea to create an all-purpose portfolio. The portfolio will look different whether you're trying to sell your photos or interview for a job. You'll need a different portfolio for each, because they serve a different purpose. You may not need both, but if you do, then you can link to one or the other in your marketing materials or pitches.

2. Keep It Short

Employers don't have time to review a lengthy portfolio. Customers don't have time for it. Use your judgment to select high quality photos and use those in your online photography portfolio. Give your audience a taste of your talent and enough to sell your services or your photos. If you give your target audience too much, they won't really pay close attention to your work and move on to a competitor who took the time to arrange a snapshot and not a dissertation.

3. Select Photos Based on a Technical Theme

Your online photography portfolio should highlight your technical abilities if you want to land a job.  Choose one technical aspect of taking photos that you're best at, and make that your theme. For example, if you take great black and white photos, then your portfolio should include your best black and white photos. The only time that you'll want to create a theme based on a subject is if you're looking for work in a specific industry. For example, if you want to work as a wedding photographer, then your portfolio should include color and black and white wedding photos.

4. Don't Include Your Name

You have every right to be concerned about protecting your work when you share it online. The best way to do it is to include a copyright disclaimer on your website, or make sure one is included on a file sharing website where you upload your portfolio. You diminish from the professional look of the portfolio when you use photo shop software or some other program to add your name.

5. Volunteer Your Services

Working for free shouldn't be a long term approach if you plan to survive working from home. You'll need to work for free here and there when you're first starting out, to capture photos for your portfolio that can help you land future work. You might also land some clients in the process of working for a charitable organization or business for free.

Building a great online photography portfolio may take time, but it's worth the wait. Don't be in rush to share your work if you don't have quality photos to display.

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Daphne Mallory, Esq. is the co-owner of Mallory Writing Services and has written more than 100 articles helping home based business owners and entrepreneurs start and market their business. You can learn more about her here.