What Is a Portrait Photographer
If you’d like to have professional photos taken, consider hiring a portrait photographer. Portrait photography is a style of photography that attempts to capture a person’s essence and personality. But, getting your portrait taken doesn’t necessarily mean sitting awkwardly in a chair against a plain background. It can mean whatever you want it to mean, frankly. Let’s look further into what portrait photography involves and what it can offer you.
Different Types of Portrait Photography
The art of portraiture is vast. What does this mean for you? It means there are different types of portrait photography and a wide range of professional portrait photographers, all with their individual styles and unique vision. Here’s a breakdown of the different types of portrait photography you can choose from.
Traditional Portraits
Traditional portraits stem from the days when the monarchy and the elite hired painters to capture their likeness. That type of portraiture has evolved into what we now know as traditional portrait photography: shot in a studio with the subject looking straight into the camera. The goal of traditional portraits is to focus solely on the individual, which is why the background tends to be muted or plain.
While traditional portraits were previously used for historical documentation, today, they are often used for business portraits or actors’ headshots.
Lifestyle Portraits
If you prefer to have your portrait taken in your everyday environment or an environment you’re particularly fond of, like at the beach while surfing, then lifestyle portrait photography may be the perfect fit.
The beauty of lifestyle portraits is that they capture individuals in their natural environments, which can make for lovely, intimate photos. And instead of the formal poses that define traditional portraits, lifestyle portraits capture genuine expressions and candid moments. What’s more, if you’d like to incorporate your way of life into your portraits, lifestyle portraits can document real-life moments and tell a personal story.
Conceptual Portraiture
One of the most creative ways to capture portraits is with conceptual portrait photography. These photos aren’t necessarily about capturing just your likeness. Instead, they aim to immerse you in a creative, artificial world of your choosing. In other words, you’re not only the subject, you’re also playing a role and telling a story that’s fantastical, dystopian, or more.
Conceptual portraits fall under the umbrella of conceptual art, which gives you a flexible framework where you can experiment and express your inner self, without inhibitions. The genre also tends to incorporate props and extensive photo editing, resulting in dreamlike and surreal images.
Environmental Portraits
An environmental portrait captures subjects in a specific environment, such as a work environment or in a place that reflects their life’s mission. Placing subjects in a specific environment offers context so the viewer gains a deeper understanding of what drives them. For example, this could mean capturing an activist next to a landfill filled with plastic or a ceramic artist in his studio.
Environmental portraits can be useful if you’re looking to build your brand. It humanizes your company and shows viewers not only your passion but also the face behind the brand.
Glamour Portraits
Glamour portraits highlight beauty, above all. And because capturing the beauty of the subject is key, lighting, makeup, and wardrobe play a crucial role in creating a striking glamour portrait. While similar to fashion photography, glamour portraits focus more on the subject than the clothes or the accessories. They’re often used by actors and models to build portfolios.
Boudoir Portraits
If you enjoy taking sensual photos and love the idea of having viewers peek into your bedroom, then a boudoir photograph may be exactly what you’re looking for. A boudoir portrait is a sexy, sensual photo that captures subjects in the privacy of their bedrooms. This can be taken in your actual bedroom or in a makeshift studio designed to look like your private space.
One of the main reasons to schedule a boudoir photoshoot is to create an intimate gift for your romantic partner. You may also want to celebrate body positivity or capture your body before it goes through changes.
Family Portraits
A portrait doesn’t have to be just you. It can be a family portrait at different times of your life. This is a great way to have a visual record of your children growing up or your pets aging. Family portraits can preserve memories and create wonderful gifts later on as well. And remember, when taking family portraits, you can explore different types of portraits: it can be traditional, lifestyle, or anything in between. That’s the beauty of family portraits — you get to decide as a family how you’d like to express yourself in photos.
Casual Portraits
If you don’t particularly feel like getting all dolled up for a portrait shoot or sitting awkwardly for a pose, you don’t have to. Casual portraits and lifestyle portraits have a little bit of an overlap in that they capture subjects within their environment. But, casual portraits can be set in a studio, too. The main goal of a casual portrait is to capture a more “authentic” version of the subject so that they’re relatable and approachable.
Casual portraits can be useful if you’re an artist or a startup professional who thinks outside the box. You can also use it if you want a photo for your social media page or website.
Emotive Portraits
Emotive portraits aim to capture a person expressing a variety of emotions, whether it’s laughing, screaming, shouting, or crying. Although these can feel extreme, these types of portraits are ideal if you want to tell a story on mental health or if you want to express a specific mood.
Emotive portraits are designed to elicit a strong reaction from viewers, which can then create a deeper connection with not only the subject but with the photograph itself. Emotive portraits can be photographed in a studio or shot spontaneously, such as the famous war photograph by Nick Ut that captivated the world.
Art Portraits
Art portrait photography captures subjects artistically, depending on the subject’s preference or the photographer’s individual style. An art portrait can be a fun way to showcase your artistic side through your portrait. Some examples of art portraits include an abstract photo, an underwater shot, or even a reflection portrait.
If you’re an artist, an art portrait can be useful for your website. Or, it can simply be a unique way to capture yourself at a specific moment in your life.
Finding the Right Portrait Photographer
Now that you’re aware that you can have just about any kind of portrait you dream of, you should take the time to research the right portrait photographer for your needs.
Start by honing in on your style. Do you want an art photographer or a photographer whose style leans towards the more traditional? Then, look through different photographers’ portfolios to find one that resonates with you. Lastly, schedule a meeting to talk about your ideas. Communication is key to ensuring you get the kind of portraits you envision.
If you have additional questions on photography, read our helpful blogs:
Hire a Portrait Photographer
Need a Miami photographer to shoot your portraits? Contact Daria Koso to discuss your ideas!
