Creating an online identity is one of the most important things a portfolio can do. Your work, colours and style need to be consistent so that people can take one look at a render posted on a website and instantly recognise that it is your work, even if you are not referenced.
Starting on models creating an identity can be as easy as simply using your own lighting rig to light your model or using a certain background or texturing style, unless you wish to show off versatility by having a selection of photo realistic and stylized with real and hand painted textures. Using colours on your page can also be defining although this is not always required. In the case of Torfrik he can very little on his portfolio save his work and contact details as he is well known in the industry and therefore people already know about him, he doesn't need to advertise as people go to him. However his portfolio is a little hard to navigate but if you are already on his portfolio then chances are your already going to employ him. Less well known people will do better having a very easy to navigate portfolio like Clinton & Crumpler. They have a much easier to navigate portfolio as the page tabs stay on the left hand side of the site no matter where you are on the site, you always have easy access to the rest of it. The bottom of the page select has links to various social media pages which increase awareness of the page increasing the chance of getting noticed by potential employers. The colour scheme is also smart and professional looking and compliments the pictures rather than distracting from them like in the presentation done by Martinet Romain. When it comes to logos I believe that they are a waste of time. Logos are supposed to be something everyone can look at and immediately identify what they represent. Having a logo for a new portfolio with little industry experience will be pointless however well know modelers like Torfrik often don't need them as they are so recognizable anyway, defeating the point of having a logo. Unless you represent a company making your portfolio to advertise a company then a logo is pointless.
Showing off your models is obviously a requirement but the best portfolios often have the finished render, a wireframe and preferably a shot of it within the game, if it has been included in one and the textures used, usually in a combined overlay cut away of the texture sheets used. It can also help to add pictures of the construction of the model. Usually this can be done on a blog with a link to it on your portfolio. The tri count and texture sheet size should also always be shown. The work shown should always be your best though, the portfolio shows what you can do so adding work from when you first started modeling will be detrimental. Setting up your own lighting rig would also help show off the model to its full potential and this can also be part of your own distinctive style if it is done well.
Personally I find simple, easy to use portfolios with a dark colour scheme most appealing. A few very well done models with lovely lighting and a contacts page that isn't personal. I personally find a contacts page where people talk about themselves unappealing, I feel that should be kept for the first line of a CV instead of the portfolio. The portfolio is supposed to entice and sell people with the work, the CV is for selling yourself to the employer. You might have a wonderful portfolio but if your CV is bad then they still might not employ you. For the actual models a character, prop or vehicle should be preferably have a turntable animation with several still images and for environments there should be a slow fly through giving some focus to main hero models in the environment and a general look of the area to show off the environment.
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