Portrait Photography – The Eyes Reveal the Soul

Portrait photography is one of my favorite forms of photography! While I spend the majority of my time photographing seascapes and landscapes, many of my favorite photographers are portrait photographers. I can spend hours looking through portrait galleries and marveling at the beauty that I find. 

Why do I love portrait photography? It is pretty simple actually. The  human face fascinates me.  The eyes and the muscles of the face are capable of conveying such an amazing array of expressions. A portrait can convey so much of that human expression. 

Many people have said that the eyes are the window to the soul, and I could not agree more! My favorite photographer, Yousuf Karsh, was a master at capturing the essence of the person he photographed. You are drawn in by his work, and I often find that I feel as if the person in the photograph has shared a special secret with me.

Much as in other forms of photography, light is an essential component to the success of the photograph. In portrait photography, there is an almost endless number of options for light setups. I love the natural light created by a big open window on a cloudy day. Finding the shady side of a building on a bright sunny day. When natural light is coupled with studio lights you have a ton of additional possibilities. 

Portrait Photography Gallery

During a portrait session my goal is to capture the expression, personality, and mood of my subject. I focus much of my portrait photography on the head shot, where the models face is the primary subject of the photograph. This allows me to really work close with the subject, and to develop a rapport with them. Conversation and interaction with the subject are key to making them feel comfortable, allowing them to reveal something about themselves.

The first thing to remember is that when I work with a person to create a portrait I strive to make the person feel at ease in front of the camera.