Hello all!
I was wondering, in this wonderful Digital age, how many Photographers or Models are using or offering their customers/clients DVD portfolios?

As apposed to a book?

How often do you have a computer with you to show images to a person you just met that is interested in seeing samples?

How inconvenient is it to open a laptop and hold the viewer hostage while the look at your slide show at your pace not allowing them to flip the pages at their leisure.

Digital portfolio, no
Digital copies of photos to give to clients, yes

for my promotion, i do..

in conjuction with my physical books (three of them) i use a demo shield program that runs like a commercial.. ...without revealing a local cash cow, it works real well for one certain demographic i address..

i also have one that is on DVD, runs like a slideshow

I don't give DVDs unless there is video involved, and since I do mostly commercials, I do give those often. 

However, for photos, I give CDs and maybe a print or two.

*(my comments here apply to working commercially for a client - not for just showing to models)

Ten years ago, when it was a novelty they were hot.

Today, it's a bad bet. 

First, there is nothing more satisfying than looking at prints.  Creative Directors love good art (that is why we become Creative Dirs), and there is no comparison between a book well printed 11x14 prints and a computer monitor.

Next, Many Art Directors (ADs) and CDs won't even bother to put a CD-ROM or DVD in their conputers.   Worries of Viruses, spyware, etc. on top of not knowing if the DVD/CD will be the right format (mac/windows), and then the many "electornic portfolios" they have looked prevously that were the right operating system, but were just a hassle to get to run, keep the vast majority of employers from even screwing around with this format.    If you are considering giving a potential employer a DVD to watch on TV, forget it... they aren't likely to take work home, and setting up a TV just to watch your DVD is far too much of a hassle.

Finally, when I show a book, I want the presentation to be seen as I prepared it.  I can't control the gamma or color balance on someone elses computer or TV.  If I lose a gig because someone saw my images, but my colors are washed out, or my subtle reds look pink, I haven't put my best foot forward.

Most ADs/CDs see a good number of portfolios at any one sitting.  They are going to avoid the ones that may cause them problems.

So, from someone who has sat on both sides of the Creative Directors desk,  stick with real portfolios to show your work.  You can leave behind a DVD/CD-ROM as a "leave behind" book, but never without accompanying printed leave-behinds to show the true vividness and color of your work.   Most CDs I know actually prefer web sites as supplimentary material to your profile as opposed to CD-ROMS/DVDs.

cheers!