portraits

The aim of a portrait is to do more than simply record what someone looks like. It is about capturing something of the person behind the face, their character, personality, emotions and individuality. Through the use of light, composition, expression and setting, a portrait can tell a story, reveal something about the subject or create an emotional connection with the viewer.

A successful portrait should make us feel something about the person, whether it is curiosity, empathy, warmth or even discomfort. Ultimately, we are trying to capture not just what someone looks like, but something of who they are.

A portrait is about the person, not the background or foreground. Everything within the frame should help draw attention to the subject, rather than distract from them. I remember taking a lovely image of my children in beautiful light, only to realise afterwards that they were standing in front of a washing machine. The bright white machine immediately drew the eye, and only then did you notice the children. The light and expressions were lovely, but the background competed for attention and distracted from the very people I was trying to capture.

This is where composition and cropping become so important. By carefully considering what to include in the frame, changing our position or cropping the image afterwards, we can remove distractions and bring greater emphasis to the subject. The aim is to make the person the natural focal point of the image, ensuring that nothing unnecessary draws the viewer's attention away from them. It is a simple reminder that, when taking a portrait, we need to consider not just the person, but everything around them and how it affects the final image.