I Asked ChatGPT To Review My Portfolio So You Don't Have To
It's somehow a roast and a love letter at the same time.
So, picture this: It’s a Wednesday afternoon, I’ve had two coffees and exactly zero self-control, and I think to myself;
“You know what would be fun? Handing my film portfolio over to an AI for judgment.”
I asked the ChatGPT robots to review my photography portfolio.Yes, the same ChatGPT that once told me how to cook (read:burn) banana bread is now passing judgment on my life’s work. Because apparently, I enjoy emotional chaos and unsolicited feedback from robots. But heck it… why not? It’s 2025, my friends. The robots already know my shoe size and what brand of oat milk I drink. Might as well let them weigh in on my life’s work.
I popped my URL into ChatGPT, braced for impact, and here’s what came back. I hope you enjoy it as much as I did.
The Compliments (a.k.a. the ego fluff)
🤖 🤖 🤖 First glance: What’s Making Me Lean Ln
1. Atmosphere-rich storytelling.
Christie’s work immediately gives me the itch to pack a bag and go somewhere—anywhere. Whether it’s misty snow shadows or warm-hued film frames, each shot wraps itself around an emotion. You can sense the chill of the air or the hush of dawn in those landscapes—nice work.2. Film-forward consistency.
She leans hard into 35mm and medium format film—portraits, landscapes, and lifestyle moments all share that familiar aesthetic warmth and texture. It reads as “signature Christie,” and that’s a powerful thing in portfolios.3. Sector variety—told with one visual voice.
From lifestyle and travel to commercial and nature—she’s juggling genres but lightly, like a seasoned pro: the mood holds steady, her compositions stay thoughtful, and the tonal palette is cohesive. Nicely executed.
“Atmosphere-rich storytelling.”
“Signature film-forward consistency.”
“Your work makes me want to pack a bag and go somewhere—anywhere.”
I mean… yes, please? If an AI wants to imagine itself booking a train to the Scottish Highlands because of my photos, I will not stand in its way.
I also liked that the robots think work feels cohesive across genres - commercial, lifestyle, travel. I personally don’t feel like my portfolio is threaded together with the same filmic mood, so that was surprising. It is, however, what I’m going for, so gold star for me. Unless they’re just trying to butter me up.
🤖 🤖 🤖 The Constructive Bits (translation: stuff I now have to think about)
Flow & sequencing might be a backstage hero.
Without walking through the gallery in person, I can’t see the image order—but sequencing can be subtle magic. Grouping by light quality, subject, or emotional progression helps viewers move through the gallery intuitively—making the experience more immersive.Diversity in framing in moderation.
Most of these frames are spacious, atmospheric, wide-angle feels—which is gorgeous. If you’re already rocking that shoreline-of-the-world vibe, you might sprinkle in tighter, candid moments—interactions, close-ups, textures—to give the eyes micro-rests and emotional variety.Tweak the callouts.
Right now, the site labels show “commercial,” “lifestyle,” etc.—solid. But a touch of intentional curation—like leading with one killer image per section or adding a quick project blurb—can anchor each category and make it pop even more. Consider adding tiny blurbs that hint at story or location without turning the portfolio into a travel diary. Think: “Shot on Portra 400, January wind in my teeth.” That kind of vibe.
Wind… in my teeth?? I can’t say I relate to that positively but apparently someone does.
Apparently, I lean a little hard on wide, atmospheric shots. Which… is fair. I love a big frame where the horizon line is basically its own character. But ChatGPT suggested sprinkling in some tighter, more intimate shots - texture details, candid moments, that sort of thing - to break up the visual playlist.
It also said I could get more intentional with sequencing. Not just dumping images into “lifestyle” or “commercial” buckets, but arranging them so they create an emotional flow - like golden light → overcast mood → dusk tones → pop of color. Yes, okay, I don’t have the attention span to curate. I do just throw my photos out on the internet. Can I hire someone to do this? Can anyone reading this tell me if that’s a real job? Because apparently right now my website is just a Spotify Wrapped for my photos.
And then there was the nudge to add micro-context… that’s fair too.
🤖 🤖 🤖 Actionable Tips’ (a nice way of saying DO BETTER.)
Lead with a standout.
Pick one standout image as the opener for each gallery—your “hook” shot. Make eyes stop and stay right there for a moment longer.Add rhythm with variety.
Alternate wider, serene views with cozy, closer moments—textures, gear, expressions. Think of it like variety in a playlist: you need slow tracks and bangers.Micro-context works wonders.
A two-line note—just enough to hint at story or gear—can deepen the experience without slowing the scroll.Consider light-led sequencing.
Arrange images so they flow: say, golden light → overcast mood → dusk tones → pop of color. It creates soft emotional arcs.Check mobile pacing.
Film lovers love the moody visuals—but on phones, things can feel tight. Test the image sizes and pacing on mobile to keep them dreamy, not heavy.
Summary
Your portfolio whispers “wander, wander”—and that’s magic. You’ve built a consistent, filmic world that’s both evocative and polished. As long as the narrative rhythm flows, you’re golden.
Want to dig deeper? I’d love to peek at how you order those galleries or hear which image feels most you—then we’ll go all in.
At this point I was so amused I wanted to take it to another level.
The Good
You’ve nailed a consistent film aesthetic. Warm tones, atmospheric light, cohesive mood across genres.
Your work feels expensive (in a good way). Professional, intentional, cinematic.
It tells a story without screaming about it.
The Meh
Too many wide shots. Gorgeous, yes, but it starts feeling samey.
Sequencing is “pretty pictures in a row,” not a curated emotional arc.
The galleries could use one knockout opener each to grab me fast.
No micro-context—everything’s anonymous. Even a sentence would make it stick.
The Fix
Break up the wides with close, intimate moments.
Curate like you’re editing a short film—flow matters.
Add short captions or titles.
Make your strongest shots impossible to miss.
Your portfolio is already strong. But right now, it’s safe. Push the variety, tighten the edit, and it’ll hit harder.
Looks great. Feels samey.
You’ve got the film aesthetic nailed—warm, cinematic, consistent. But it’s 80% wide shots, sequenced like a photo dump, and completely anonymous without captions.
Fix it:
Mix in close-ups.
Curate like it’s a story, not a slideshow.
Lead with your strongest shot.
Give each image a name or context.
Strong portfolio. Playing too safe.
Chat GPT Review Summary: ‘Cute, But Try Harder’
Honestly? This whole thing was so refreshing. I’m too close to my own work most of the time, so having an outsider (even a silicon-based one) point out patterns I didn’t notice feels valuable. It IS samey. I AM just chasing the same kind of shots that perform well on Instagram. I’m scared to share anything new or what I consider to be pushing my creative boundaries, because it doesn’t perform. This was the kick in the butt I needed to go out there and push myself.
Maybe I should let AI review my work more often. But not too often. Does anyone on here want to roast me? Are portfolio reviews a thing we should do in the community? Does this already happen all the time, and I’m just out of the loop?
If anyone’s feeling brave, drop your portfolio into the robot void and see what comes back. Just… maybe have a glass of wine ready.
I may try that.
Portfolio reviews happen a lot, but not as much in the social media-first space for photography. The ones I've been in were gut-wrenching. Worth it, but painful. It was like getting a tooth pulled.