Notes from a Portrait Photographer:
Let me start by saying I really dislike posed photographs! How can that be, Rich, you are a professional portrait photographer? Isn’t that what you do? Yes and no. Yes, in that in most of the photographs I take, the subject(s) are intentionally positioned. No, in that I do everything in my power to bring out natural reactions to capture.
Portrait photography is more than just snapping a picture of somebody; it’s an artistic representation of a person’s attitude. Taking a portrait of someone, be it for a business headshot, event photo, boudoir photoshoot, or a family photo to me means to capture the essence of the person or people in a single frame.
“A portrait is forever. I would want the viewer of that picture, twenty years later, to identify with the person in the photograph.”
A portrait photography session is a collaboration between the photographer and the client. The best portraits are not taken, they are given. The person in the photo has ultimate say in how they are portrayed.
It is the photographer’s responsibility to genuinely bring that out of them. The tools at the portrait photographer’s disposal help craft that. Creative lighting, backgrounds, staging and yes, the posing, all factor into the available resources.
The photographer must be well versed in all of these.
Additionally, post processing software has taken major advances in the last few years. Editing portrait photographs should be to enhance the vision in the studio. It should not be a journey away from reality, unless that was the project. I am proficient in both Photoshop and Lightroom, so if the photographs need an extra touch or two, we are covered.
So, if you are in Southern Florida area from Fort Lauderdale to West Palm beach and have a need or want for portrait photography, I welcome the opportunity to work with you and hopefully create something wonderful.