The first thing you want to ask your self.. is do you have what it takes? Talent and training aside, there are certain shared attributes. Portrait photographers are usually curious about people in general and must have empathy for their subjects. ( They need to make them feel comfortable in front of the camera and radiate trust ) Charm and good humor are also helpful, as well as the natural ability of putting people at ease. Here is a great quote from John Ingledew on the subject: " great photographic portraits create a unique, unforgettable chemistry formed by the relationship and interaction between the sitter, the photographer, and the viewer". You need to ask yourself… does the photograph reflect a unique meeting of the photographer and the sitter, or could anyone have taken the picture ? " That is KEY and you need to figure out EXACTLY what it takes to make your portrait unique ! Here are a few Examples of photographers whose images are uniquely their own.
Irving Penn
Richard Avedon
Joyce Tenneson
* Thanks again to John Ingledew
Great article! I have no problem making people feel at ease but I do struggle with posing people. Any suggestions?
ReplyDeleteThanks William….posing can be very intuitive… however, it can be learned. My best suggestion, is to look at as much reference as possible..
ReplyDeleteAlso… consider working with other artists, local actors and dancers. They are often much more collaborative… and in touch with their gestures and expressions.
Thanks for asking...
Thanks for the suggestions on posing, I will look into this for sure!
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