1. Do you put all of your cakes in your portfolio (even the old really bad ones ) to show progress?

2. Do/Have you created portfolios you can hand out for keeps versus the traditional photo album?

I post everything to FB, but yes, there are some pictures best not posted!!! F for me the #1 best free advertising! Make sure it looks good and keep it updated! I think even just having your best cakes, even if a few, can show the quality of work you are capable of. And, when designing a cake for someone, you can remind them just HOW custom that cake is for them

It is ok to post all photos at CC, including the cakes/baked goods you are less happy about.

BUT never put anything but your most stellar, proud as can be, photos in a portfolio.

It is a CC'rs secret that you are less than perfect - the prospective customer must think you can deliver a great cake.

We did some hiring for a new cake decorator recently and one of the turn offs in some of the entries we received were old, dated photos. I don't think that it's a problem to show a range of work, but I think you should definitely select your best work, and you should make sure the quality of the photograph itself is high.

Old pictures, taken on a 35mm, that have become yellowed and faded are very visually unappealing, and it really over shadows a good cake design. You want people to be able to open your book and immediately see your creativity and your vision, not have to picture what it looked like through the dinge, or filter through your "learning phase" to get to what you're really capable of today. Just my 2 cents from what I saw on an employer end.

I am constantly taking out old pictures! It's so funny how perspective changes over even the shortest amount of time. I'm pretty picky - but it works both ways, sometimes when I'm flipping thru pictures I think, wow, I've really done some pretty amazing things! But usually as I'm working on something, I think it's not good enough. I stick with old school photo albums, because I'm just an all around old school person (amusing because I'm 28...the computer thing still eludes me for the most part. Still, on my behalf, my shop is booked most weekends, so there's no lack of business!)
I'm rambling, but yes, I take out old pics - and keep them for my own nostalgia...in a drawer, in my office.

Thank you all for your insights. Right now, I'm mainly putting this together for prospective employers. I have no formal baking/decorating background, so it's a long shot! I thought I'd try. But it will also be good to have it available for future clients.

Right now, my "clients" are friends, friends of friends and family, who have seen my work (great and not so great) on FB and other places. But, they are mostly culinarily challenged so everything I do is amazing LOL!