Choosing Your Standard
The strongest portfolios aren't built by chance. They're built through choice.
Every photographer reaches a point where creating another image isn’t the challenge.
Choosing the right one is.
Open Submission shifts the focus away from execution and places it squarely on judgment.
Without a brief or creative direction, the assignment becomes deeply personal.
Every participant must decide which single photograph best represents both their current ability and the direction they’re moving toward.
That decision is often more difficult than pressing the shutter.
This week, members returned to one of the most revealing assignments of the year: Open Submission.
No prompts.
No themes.
No restrictions beyond selecting one photograph capable of standing confidently on its own.
The assignment challenged photographers to think less like image-makers and more like editors.
A portfolio isn’t necessarily built one photograph at a time. It’s built one decision at a time.
WHY THIS MATTERS
Strong photographers create compelling images.
Professional photographers also know when not to include one.
Learning to evaluate your own work objectively is one of the most valuable skills you can develop.
It requires honesty, consistency, and the confidence to let your strongest work represent you.
Every portfolio tells a story.
The question is whether it’s telling the one you intended.
ASSIGNMENT BRIEF
At the end of each review session, CARTY delivers a focused brief outlining exactly what members will create for the following week.
For this assignment, members returned to Open Submission.
Photographers were invited to submit a single image they believed best represented their current body of work.
No specific subject or style was required.
The emphasis was placed entirely on thoughtful selection and professional presentation.
The objective wasn’t simply to submit a great photograph.
It was to submit the right photograph.
This week’s selected photographs demonstrate something beyond technical ability.
They reflect confidence.
Each image feels intentional, complete, and capable of standing on its own without explanation.
These are this week’s featured photographers.
Mike Howell
Why did this image deserve to represent your work this week?
I took several iterations of this shot before finally coming up with this combination.
This to me was the best soft light on the sides of the glass and bottle the best light on the label.
It just was the best it was as soon as I saw it I knew I wanted to submit it.
What do you think this photograph says about you as a photographer right now?
I think it says I’m trying.
I think it says I’m learning.
I think it just says that repetitions are making it possible for me to create better work.
What creative decision had the biggest impact on the final image?
I moved to using a scrim to soften the light and I calibrated my RGB colors to get a more pure black.
But from a creative standpoint, offset the champagne glass to the bottle and including the really long reflection at the bottom is something I don’t think I’ve seen done quite that way before so from a creative standpoint I’d say it was working with an extended reflection.
What do you hope viewers notice or feel when they first see this photograph?
I hope they look at it and think of it as a step towards fine art.
Yes, it has a commercial application, but I just think the black, the gold, the soft light all lens towards a step above commercial.
I’m really proud of the shot.
What does selecting this image reveal about the standard you’re setting for yourself?
I’m pushing.
I’m pushing to be better.
I’m pushing to produce something.
That’s a higher standard and I’m pushing to produce something that goes beyond just average bottle shots.
I really wanna create a pattern interrupt that makes people stop and look. This is a step in that direction.
Social Media Handles:
Website: N/A
Instagram: N/A
Michael Walls
Why did this image deserve to represent your work this week?
I felt that this image was a very strong double page spread and the donuts stand out very well.
What do you think this photograph says about you as a photographer right now?
That I can take really clean images and display food to look attractive.
What creative decision had the biggest impact on the final image?
The way the product is placed to fit a double page spread in a magazine.
What do you hope viewers notice or feel when they first see this photograph?
I hope that it would be a scroll stopper and make the viewer want a donut.
What does selecting this image reveal about the standard you’re setting for yourself?
I feel that it shows the discipline and how much I pay attention to the smallest of details.
Social Media Handles:
Website: michaelwallsphotography.com
Instagram: wallsofmemoriesphotograhpy
Denise Tuggle
Why did this image deserve to represent your work this week?
I chose this image because it fully represents the vision I had for photographing Saratoga Water on ice.
I have admired the brand since the first time I saw it featured in a Vogue magazine advertisement.
Its striking design immediately captivated me, and I’ve been inspired to photograph it ever since.
The iconic Saratoga blue is both beautiful and technically challenging to capture accurately, making it an exciting subject for product photography.
This image reflects my commitment to translating that vision into a polished, commercial-quality photograph.
What do you think this photograph says about you as a photographer right now?
This photograph reflects my willingness to embrace more ambitious and technically demanding lighting setups.
Every lighting decision was carefully planned to highlight the elegance of the bottle, create controlled reflections on the ice, and preserve the richness of the Saratoga blue without sacrificing detail.
It demonstrates my growth in lighting control, exposure, and composition, while showing my confidence in taking creative risks to produce stronger commercial imagery.
What creative decision had the biggest impact on the final image?
The decision to photograph the product on ice had the greatest impact on the final image.
I wanted to create an immediate sensory experience that communicated refreshment before the viewer even considered the product itself.
The ice, condensation, and vibrant blue glass work together to evoke a feeling of coldness and thirst, inviting the viewer to imagine reaching for the bottle.
Equally important was the lighting.
It had to be clean, precise, and intentional to reveal the beauty of the glass, enhance the colour, and maintain a premium, luxury aesthetic.
Without carefully controlled lighting, the image would not have achieved the visual impact I envisioned.
What do you hope viewers notice or feel when they first see this photograph?
My first hope is simple, they feel thirsty.
Beyond that, I want viewers to be drawn in by the image’s freshness and visual appeal.
Whether they already know the brand or are seeing it for the first time, I want the photograph to spark curiosity and create an emotional desire to experience the product.
A successful product photograph doesn’t simply document an object; it makes the viewer want it.
What does selecting this image reveal about the standard you’re setting for yourself?
Selecting this image represents the standard I’m setting for my work moving forward: creating photographs that are both technically sophisticated and emotionally engaging.
I want my images to go beyond simply showcasing a product, they should evoke a physical response, whether that’s a sense of refreshment, desire, or curiosity.
This photograph reflects my commitment to mastering complex lighting, refining my compositions, and producing commercial work that tells a compelling visual story while inspiring viewers to connect with the product.
Social Media Handles:
Website: denisetugglephotography.com
Instagram: denisetphotography
Sonny Warren
Social Media Handles:
Website: sonnywarrenphoto.com
Instagram: sonnywarrenphoto
Malik Brand
Why did this image deserve to represent your work this week?
I’ve been working hard at keeping consistent with shooting and that shoot everything was working the way I wanted it to.
What do you think this photograph says about you as a photographer right now?
That I’m a very different photographer now than I was a year ago.
What creative decision had the biggest impact on the final image?
The angle I saw the shot and had to shoot it at that angle. I need it to still work for the brand and keep the power in the image.
What do you hope viewers notice or feel when they first see this photograph?
I hope they notice the lighting I think it stands out and its a scroll stopper.
What does selecting this image reveal about the standard you’re setting for yourself?
I am constantly pushing myself to get better and working hard everyday and I want my work to reflect that.
I don’t just wanna be good I want to be the best.
Social Media Handles:
Website: malikbrandphotography.com
Instagram: Malik.a.brand
Khaligraphy
Social Media Handles:
Website: khaligraphy.art
Instagram: khaligraphy
Jessica Mendez
Why did this image deserve to represent your work this week?
It represents my ability to recreate lighting that has worked well for me in the past.
It puts me on my way to developing a signature style.
This image shows my ability to create a clean yet still interesting composition to showcase a dish.
The way I ended up arranging the chopsticks feels almost artistic in relation to the dish instead of merely showing food.
What do you think this photograph says about you as a photographer right now?
I think it says I’m learning to compose and be intentional with props.
I had a couple different ideas but when in doubt, I took away elements instead of cluttering the scene with props.
What creative decision had the biggest impact on the final image?
I see it’s important to not be wedded to an idea if you have good reason to believe it’s not going to work.
I eliminated a plate that was a supporting element but the plate was larger than the rice bowl I wanted to showcase so I made a change.
What do you hope viewers notice or feel when they first see this photograph?
I hope they find the rice bowl appetizing.
It’s not an inherently fancy food but I do believe the styling and colours elevate it to something more sophisticated than how people are used to seeing a comforting rice bowl.
What does selecting this image reveal about the standard you’re setting for yourself?
I think the standard I’m setting for myself is quality over quantity.
In the past, I thought I needed to have many elements in my scene to make a good picture.
There is surely still a place for that but I think my core style goal is going to be minimal props and very intentional composition with impact.
Social Media Handles:
IG: drjessicahughes
Professional feedback will change your reality. Joining Portfolio Lab is the only way.
👉🏾 Carty a Pro Photographer, Director, and Educator based in Toronto, CA.
His goal is to educate and connect a global network of visual creators.
👉🏾 Masterclass Level Photography Business Education from a 36yr Pro 👈🏾 on YouTube
See work at 👉🏾 SteveCarty.com
Work with him 👉🏾 TheCartyMethod.com
Subscribe to The Carty Method Magazine to see the best new photographers from all over the world level up right before your eyes. Weekly photographer transformations are happening right now.
Become a smarter photographer in 5 minutes a week by Subscribing to CARTY on The Carty Method - Substack.
Watch the replay of these photo submissions below.