Chances are you know how essential portfolio images are for your Portfolio. You’ve probably heard portfolio image advice like, “Use at least three portfolio background images and make sure each portfolio image has a plain background (no distractions)…” and you’re wondering:

How do I get my portfolio images to look like that?

Well, we’re here to tell you that portfolio images don’t have to be like that at all! A portfolio can benefit from using photos with plain backgrounds (no distractions). Still, the portfolio image format possibilities are nearly limitless, and in some cases, portfolio background images with plenty of background clutter can also make sense.

Portfolio Image Format #1: Full-Width with No Background

In this portfolio image format, your portfolio images take up the entire width of the browser window. The portfolio images have no background. Because portfolio images are often intended to show off a product or design, portfolio sites usually include a single word in large font somewhere on the page that speaks directly to visitors.

This portfolio image format is upscale and clean, and portfolio images without distractions are ideal for showing off products. The portfolio image shown below uses this portfolio image format.

Portfolio Image Format #2: Full-Width with Shop/Product Descriptions

This portfolio image format is very similar to the first portfolio image format. Still, instead of simply listing text on your portfolio page, you can show off your portfolio images as you would usually, but also include a small section of text below each portfolio image that describes the product or service being shown.

This portfolio image format adds a layer to your portfolio images; the portfolio images themselves are essentially the same as the first portfolio image format (without backgrounds), but because there’s an accompanying block of text below portfolio images, this portfolio image format can help customers get a better idea of the products you sell.

Portfolio Image Format #3: Side by Side

This portfolio image format is similar to portfolio image formats #1 and #2 in that it shows off multiple portfolio images at once. Still, portfolio images in this portfolio image format are shown side by side.

This portfolio image format works well for products that benefit from being used together, and it’s also a great option if your portfolio website has a comprehensive layout because portfolio images can take up the entire width of the page.

Portfolio sites using this portfolio image format sometimes include a short product description below portfolio images, but there’s no accompanying text block of portfolio images.

Portfolio Image Format #4: Grid with Multiple Images per Row

This portfolio image format is the most common because it shows off multiple portfolio images at once while keeping things organized and straightforward. Portfolio images are shown in a grid (usually with three portfolio images per row). The portfolio image format is ideal for showcasing multiple portfolio items or even entire sections of your portfolio website.

The portfolio site below uses this portfolio image format to show off their design services:

Portfolio Image Format #5: Just One Big Image

This portfolio image format is one of the portfolio image formats that require a portfolio website with a specific element built-in. In this portfolio image format, portfolio images are shown as big beautiful images.

This portfolio image format works exceptionally well for photography portfolios, though it’s also sometimes used for product design portfolios.

This portfolio image format is often combined with additional portfolio elements such as portfolio project blocks and portfolio filters. These portfolio elements can all be used to show off portfolio images with incredible detail while keeping the portfolio page organized.

How to Add Background Images to your Portfolio step-by-step guide?

1. Find a portfolio image that you want to use as the background of your portfolio page.
2. Locate the URL of the portfolio image from where you downloaded it (in this example, we’ll be using portfolio image URLs from stock photo site Unsplash).
3. Add the portfolio image to your portfolio page.
4. In the WordPress gallery lightbox post editor, click on “Screen Options” at the top of the screen and check the box next to “Portfolio Background Image.”
5. Paste portfolio URL into portfolio background image field (in our example, if you’re using portfolio image from Unsplash, the portfolio background image URL would be: https://cdn.unsplash.com/photo-1453479580371-4c8a5b2eac58).
6. Click on the portfolio background image to see a larger preview of your portfolio page and ensure no unwanted background images are showing up.
7. Click “Close Screen” at the top of the screen to continue editing your portfolio page.
8. Click portfolio image to see a larger preview of your portfolio page and make sure no unwanted portfolio images are showing up; if you have other portfolio elements on the page (like portfolio project blocks or portfolio filters), make certain portfolio elements aren’t covering up any portfolio images you want to show on the portfolio page.
9. Click “Close Screen” again at the top of the screen and save your portfolio page when you’re done editing it.

Conclusion:

Portfolio images make your portfolio website easy to navigate and give your Portfolio a polished look. But portfolio images don’t need to be plain or boring. There are many portfolio image formats that you can use on your portfolio page for how to sell your images online, from grids with multiple portfolio images per row to big beautiful one-portfolio-image-per-page portfolio image formats.

The portfolio image formats above are some of the portfolio image formats that you can use to make your portfolio site look great and give portfolio viewers an easy way to navigate around and how to sell your images online on your portfolio website.