Thoughts on Portrait Photography

Danielle Ate The Sandwich – Feb. 7, 2010.


There are some service occupations which involve little exchange. Some, like say, garbage removal, or lawn services are a one-way act. The only reaction on the part of the customer is paying the bill. Photography – portrait photography – is not one of them.

Whether it be high school yearbook portraits, baby portraits, hell, even passport and mug shot photos, there is a certain exchange between photographer and subject that is required to achieve any level of sincerity or depth, or at the very least, acknowledgment, in a portrait.

Maybe because we are all so attuned to the vast subtleties of human expression, some conversation, some interaction, is required if a portrait is going to qualify by any measure of merit. Humans interact. Be with each other, face to face, or with a two dimensional image. Good portraits have to engage the future-perfect viewer. People in portraits don’t need to look ‘you’ (future-perfect viewer) the in the eye. But it helps. Just like with the real person that the portrait represents; people are interested when they are engaged. Be it with a person, of portrait of them.

More on this notion is here.

Posted by Todd Roeth on February 10th, 2010