Without some solid requirements that dictate the need for custom code, I'd just point them at Wordpress and call it good.
(not trying to be snarky here... we're moving away from a LAMP stack just because after deployment it tends to be like 95% devops just to keep the website up and running as plugins get outdated and core deprecates things. It's a drain on dev time. Some Wordpress hosts use screenshot-based autoupdates and compare before & afters, and that helps, but isn't perfect.)
Wordpress out-of-the-box just works. Stick to the basics, and you'll be fine. And for the use case of OP, that is exactly what they seem to be talking about - a basic portfolio site. If you need more than the basics, that is when you leave Wordpress. It sounds like you might be getting into trouble because you are pushing Wordpress way past its core use case.
If their use was basic blogging, I try to steer them away from needing to hire a dev at all (why spend the money?).