Guide to Portfoliobox.net

This tutorial will highlight the major components to making a culinary portfolio happen with http://www.portfoliobox.net/

This is what your personal front page should look like. It is not necessary to pay for PRO unless it is something that you want to do. The basic free account gets you 40 images for free, but if you feel like upgrading to PRO, it is $6.90 a month. The example portfolio used in this tutorial uses the free templates only, so the decision is up to you.

If you want to go beyond the image hosting limit, but do not wish to spend money to host more, you could redirect people from your portfolio to a) a gallery on facebook or b) other portfolio or image hosts such as Coroflot.com or photobucket.

Click “Create a new page” to get started. I am going to start with a cover page, but you can start wherever you are most comfortable to get the portfolio that you want.

The Start Page

Here is the process of how to do this:

Select “landing pages” after clicking “Create a new page” :

For an entry page like the example, select “Link entry – I.” The instructions to follow will work for all of the possible landing pages, but the ones listed above are the free ones offered by the website.

The next page should be this:

Fill out each section accordingly.

Title: What will show up on the browser’s title bar.

Main image: Once you select your image, it should look like this. You have the option of “Fill,” “Best Fit” or “Tile.” Preview your page and select which one works best for you.

Header: It is the bigger title of the two in the title. Find out what works best for you by previewing after you type it. You can select the color and font—don’t forget to make sure the words are visible!

Header 2: Use this as a subtitle. Let your personality shine through!

Links on the Startpage: With all of the Landing Pages EXCEPT for “Big Background Image,” you have the option of customizing your links. Once you make your other pages, you can click “Add an existing page” and simply select a page that you have made. It is a good idea to have at least one generic one, such as an About Me section—otherwise people visiting your portfolio will not be able to get into your portfolio.

Other Pages:

Gallery pages: The gallery pages give you different options on how to present your images in your online portfolio.

Make sure to click between “Thumbnail,” “Horizontal,” “Vertical,” and “Slideshow” to ensure that you found the correct one for you.

To get a cleaner look, it is a good idea to make sure that all of your galleries are the same TYPE of gallery. So if you have a Cakes gallery and a Chocolates gallery, it is a good idea to make sure they are both the same (ex: both horizontal) instead of two different types of galleries (ex: thumbnail gallery and a slideshow gallery).

Example: Horizontal - In Focus

When you click the picture, you get:

You add descriptions and titles to your picture on the edit screen. You can change the order of the pictures by clicking the + on the far right of each row and dragging it up or down. This option goes for all of the galleries.

Text Pages: Text pages are there for you to use in sections such as “About Me” sections. This is your opportunity to present yourself to potential employers—much like cover letters or elevator speeches. You can pick between “Text,” “Contact,” and “Special pages for whatever will fit your portfolio best.

Video Pages: Full screen is not allowed in basic, but if you have to put a video in your portfolio for any reason, you may make one starting here.

Blog Pages: If you’ve ever wanted to make a blog, now is your chance to do so with this page.

Category Pages: If you have a group of like pages, you can organize them with a category page to make navigation easier for those visiting your portfolio. You look through the different types of galleries by going through “Thumbnail,” “Vertical,” “Multi pages,” and “One pages.” The ones only available for PRO are denoted as such.

Dynamic grid (shown below):

Other pages: These pages are only offered to PRO members. If you upgrade you are able to add your Instagram and Flickr galleries straight to your portfolio, but without PRO you could just as easily post a link to any media site. It is a good opportunity to pick 40 of your best culinary pictures and have those pictures on your portfoliobox website.

Menu Settings To ensure that the menu looks neat and clutter-free, it is a good idea to indent where appropriate. You can do this by simply adding items to and moving items around your menu when you are ready.

Click “Edit Menu.”

Click “Add existing page.”

Click “Add” next to all of the pages you want on your menu. Any that are already on the menu should be highlighted green.

The next box below “Edit main navigation” is where you can move your pages accordingly. Put them in the order you would like. If you would like them tabbed in to the left or right, simply click and drag on the + to the left of the page title.

The end result should mirror how you organized it:

LayoutThe layout of the portfolio doesn’t always have to have the menu bar on the left. You could have it at the top, bottom, left, right, and as many different formats are available to you.

Click “Layouts” in the design column.

Go through all of the layouts to see which one works for you. The top image shows which one you currently have.

If you are familiar with how to use CSS code, the “Customize” tab is for you. If not, ignore this option.

Social Media SettingsTo set up your social media, click social media settings under the “Market” column.

Enter your personal social media addresses as you deem appropriate.

Whenever you enter one in, an icon will appear for each on all pages of your portfolio like so:

This concludes the tutorial. Good luck!