WHAT IS A PORTRAIT?

A portrait is defined as a likeness of a person, especially of the person’s face. Simply that. But, the word in general use has deeper connotations. A photographic portrait is understood to be a good quality image that not only captures a person’s physical likeness on film or on a digital camera's sensor, but also something of the person’s character, generally in a manner that is attractive and pleasing to the subject.

CHARACTER REVELATION

A good portrait will contain at least one element that reveals the subject’s personality, attitude, unique mannerisms or any of the other features or traits that form the individual nature of the person. It will tell us something about the subject. You may have heard someone remark that a particular photographer “really captured” their father or child, for example, in a picture. They are referring in part to the image being a true physical likeness, but what they are really saying is that the image also reveals a significant, identifiable part of the subject’s character.