Portraiture is Love

Portraiture is love. In order to make the best possible image of a person, the photographer must absolutely love the subject. I’m not talking about romantic, sensual, seductive love. I am talking about pure love. Like the love of a brother or a sister. Truly valuing the individual beauty, the essential qualities, the subtle nuances that make up the essence of the individual. 

Then the photographer must have a strong desire to highlight and showcase the best of the person in front of the lense. To capture the best of what a person has to offer, the photographer has to make that model feel special and feel that nothing else in the world matters at that moment. They should feel free to use their face and body to create imaginative imagery that is uniquely their own. That is something that each person has. 

Regardless of size, shape, age, color or style, everyone has a uniqueness that deserves to be appreciated and celebrated. Whether the photographer is helping a model build a portfolio, helping a family commemorate/celebrate a milestone, or working with a professional to meet business needs. When a photographer looks through their lense with love, there is no barrier to what can be crafted. 

Yes, great pictures are not taken, they are made. A trained monkey can lift a camera to its face and record what’s there. A photographer that really loves whomever is being photographed, and will collaborate to carefully craft an image worthy of worldwide acclaim. 

I personally challenge all photographers everywhere to add love to your portrait sessions or stop taking photos.  

The Raw Truth About Photography! Pun Intended

First a disclaimer: I suppose there are possibly three people who might read this post. 1. Friends and family  2. Potential Clients 3. Fellow photographers

Disclaimer…

If you are a family member or a friend reading this, please know the raw truth is that I love you. If anything mentioned here sounds like you, then I appreciate your contribution to my success. If it weren’t for you, I would have never known how resilient I could be. 

If you are a potential client reading this, please know the raw truth is that I have proven to be a person of integrity. I have developed the discipline, determination, and other essential qualities needed to fulfill your photographic need, in a way that no one else can. You can be assured that I will let nothing get in the way of delivering a world class experience and a product that is second to none. 

If you are a photographer reading this, please know the raw truth is not meant to discourage you. Rather, my intent is to inspire you to push forward, remove barriers,  and overcome whatever obstacles are in the way of your success. 

The raw truth is that photography as a business, in my opinion, stands alone as the number one most difficult business to get involved in. It might be easier to open an ice store at the North Pole, than it is to open a photography business. It’s just a plain and simple fact that not everyone sees photography for the artform that it truly is. 

Friends and family may not understand the art and business of photography. Additionally, friends and family are familiar with the photographer on an individual and personal basis. That familiarity often blinds them to the photographer’s photography skill and business acumen.  As a result, friends and family may be led to believe that their photography should be free. Free photography is noble in theory, but it won’t pay the bills. Add to that, loved ones are not immune to the unfair and arbitrary standards of beauty that the mass media of this world exposes them to. Loved ones may feel that they are not aesthetically pleasing enough to be photographed. Even when offering to shoot family for free, their own insecurities may elicit a decline of this most generous offer. For these reasons and more, when it comes to the photography business, the so-called warm market may actually be ice cold. 

Potential clients often do not understand what it takes to create something for them to cherish for years to come. Believe me, they all want that. No one wants a bad picture of themself. But not being knowledgeable of the process or of the art, some clients make a decision based purely on price. If photographer A is a few bucks cheaper than photographer B, they will choose A. Unless they encounter starving artist photographer C, who is almost doing it for free, and he’s not a family member or friend, then they will go with C. Not knowing how photography is an art, some believe that the advancements in cell phone technology and AI produces results that are good enough. So why pay top dollar for something a child could probably do using a smart phone? 

Unfortunately, in some ways, fellow photographers make the business hard on themselves and others. When starting out, it is common to make photos for free just to get experience or to build a portfolio. So when the path of an experienced photographer crosses with a new or perhaps a desperate photographer, at the intersection of the same potential client, it is tough to beat the price of the new or desperate photographer. Many industries dependent on photography take advantage of this situation. It is all too easy to find a publisher or a multi million dollar company offering exposure instead of compensation, as if the photographer doesn’t have bills to pay or a family to feed. I have even seen contests where the grand prize is literally, recognition. 

Despite all of this, the raw truth is that photography as a business is still a worthwhile pursuit. It takes extreme effort. It takes the ability to endure rejection, apathy, and indifference. With perseverance, it is possible to find someone to shoot and someone willing to pay a fair price to be shot. When the conditions are just right and I meet that person, and they give me the nod, it’s my time to execute and deliver with unbridled passion, enthusiasm, attention to detail, and of course a smile.