Portraiture

Portraits come in all shapes and sizes and are needed for a mirriad of reasons. You may need a Head Shot for a company website, you will undoubtedly want portraits for yourself on a wedding or other special day.

That aside for me there are three main categories, a Traditional Portrait, An Environmental Portrait or a Creative portrait

Below is a little more detail about these styles, including why you may wish to have a specific portrait photograph taken.

Traditional Portraiture

Often when I think of traditional portraits I think of those in the entrance ways to corporate offices or those which are held in the National Portrait Gallery. Traditional portraits do not have to be so traditional, they give a clear image of their subject, perhaps with one or two props in the scene.

Environmental Portraiture

This type of portraiture places the subject in a place and time – their environment. These are frequently used to help tell a story about the individual – you see them in their environment and as such you learn more about the individual than you would with a straight forward traditional portrait.

Creative Portraiture

Creative portraiture is all about having fun and going far beyond simply capturing a record of a subject.
It involves a real partnership between the photographer and the subject where the two work together to express a feeling, illustrate an idea or tell a story in an unusual or graphic way.
The process is an adventure in itself, whether it involves dressing up, play acting, getting covered in mud or paint, unusual poses or exploring unexpected locations.

The creative side doesn’t stop when the photos are all taken, this type of portraiture frequently also involves a lot of time “playing” on a computer or in a darkroom, blending multiple images, adjusting colours, tones and textures, or adding special effects to create a work of art that is totally unique tells an interesting story.