Portraits photography NYC

penzu.com/public/272d99c0

Fri. 4/29/2022

by shots byjazzy

Portrait photography, or portraiture, is a type of photography aimed toward capturing the

personality of a person or group of people by using effective lighting, backdrops, and
poses. A portrait photograph may be artistic or clinical.

Portrait photography NYC is about capturing the essence, personality, identity and
attitude of a person utilizing backgrounds, lighting and posing. While this definition may
sound simple, portrait photography can be one of the most challenging forms of
photography to master. The goal is to capture a photo that appears both natural and
prepared to allow the subject’s personality to show through.

As long as the portrait photographer can effectively capture the subject’s character, the
equipment he/she uses does not really matter. While it always helps to have equipment
that is state of the art, it is really not needed.

The portrait photographer is responsible for photographing the subject. It is important for
portrait photographers to find the perfect background and lighting for their photographs.
Most portrait photographers also provide their subjects with posing tips. They also edit
and print the photos to give to their clients.

I realize that what portraits I do and have done for many years may be challenging to
define. They aren’t formal, but I will not call my work snapshots because they are not;
they are carefully thought out under often very challenging conditions. I pointedly do not
pose my subjects; I wait for them to pose. I do not light my subjects; if I am to capture
their essence, I need to shoot them when and where they are. If the background is truly
awful, I try to use a larger aperture to fuzz out the background. Frankly, I am not above
using a little (a lot?) Photoshop magic to reduce a background’s competition with my
subject.

Are not both of these portraits? One deliberately and carefully posed; the other a
snapshot with a little 35mm rangefinder testing the limits of “push processing” to ASA
(ISO) 1600. Did I not capture her essence, personality, identity, and attitude?

Can not a selfie be a portrait, a self-promotional still, capturing my essence, personality,

identity, and attitude as a person?

I am perhaps too relaxed about most things in my twilight years. I was taught rote rules,
not only about identifying a “formal” portrait, but also all other aspects of photography.
There was a right way… full stop. But doesn’t that stifle creativity? I haven’t made a
“formal” portrait in over 25 years. I could. I remember how. But would, or should I?

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The approach I think I would take now would be an amalgam of posing plus candid
technique. I think that what tends to make portrait portraits stodgy and stiff is the self-
consciousness of the sitter. It can be off-putting for almost anyone to have that monster
glass eye staring balefully at you. We are trying to capture your essence, personality,
identity, and attitude, and there you sit, nervously thinking about those important points
while eyeing the lens eyeing you. That would curdle anyone’s milk.

https://www.shotsbyjazzy.com/

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