"Make a photograph of a person that reveals something about their personality; help us understand who they are or where they're coming from."
Isn't that the essentials, meaning and goal of ANY portrait?! oh well...
Not necessarily. A BW portrait of a persons face doesn't say the same to the viewer as a portrait of someone who is surrounded by their favourite things. A girl, surrounded by her fave toys which just might be Tonka trucks and fishing rods tells us so much more about her than just a photo of her in a pink dress!!
On the other hand....a persons face does not even need to be in the photo....a lady's hand doing cross stitch....her dogs sitting on her lap asleep beneath the embroidery ring. Or a guy fishing on the beach but only his torso in the frame and the beach in the background. Use your imagination...don't be limited to just one type of photography. Step outside the box....and be creative.
well portrait doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a headshot...
what i understand as a portrait is exactly what the challenge description says, no matter if it's a
close up shot
an environmental portrait a full body shot a partial body shot or a "faceless" portrait.
for me these are all "portraits" because they show an intimate moment, reveal something from their personality, ask questions.
so *for me* the term "portrait" and "photograph-of-a-person-that-reveals-something-about-their-personality" are synonyms.
Indeed, you could have personality in the shape of an old battered chair... etc etc.
of course, but the topic says "take a photograph of a person..."
if you look around my portfolio you will see all kinds of "portraits" as i define it, portraits of a horse, portrait of a Philistine, portrait of abandoned buildings, meaning that i tried to portrait their "personality".
well portrait doesn't necessarily mean it has to be a headshot...
what i understand as a portrait is exactly what the challenge description says, no matter if it's a
close up shot
an environmental portrait a full body shot a partial body shot or a "faceless" portrait.
for me these are all "portraits" because they show an intimate moment, reveal something from their personality, ask questions.
so *for me* the term "portrait" and "photograph-of-a-person-that-reveals-something-about-their-personality" are synonyms.
haha ya got a point here...;) guess i just like taking and viewing pictures in landscape orientation, it's the way our brain works...
just to make my point clear, i'll give you another example:
this shot would clearly clarify as a portrait in the rational definition, but for me it's not (or at least not a good one), because it doesn't tell me a story about that person, it doesn't reveal a hint of his personalty, it's rather taken "Out of the ordinary. Unsentimental." to state a comment made on that shot that i have to concur with. it's a formal, descriptive image of an old man, nothing more and nothing less (imnsho). i would not give it a high score in the "personality" challenge.
haha ya got a point here...;) guess i just like taking and viewing pictures in landscape orientation, it's the way our brain works...
just to make my point clear, i'll give you another example:
this shot would clearly clarify as a portrait in the rational definition, but for me it's not (or at least not a good one), because it doesn't tell me a story about that person, it doesn't reveal a hint of his personalty, it's rather taken "Out of the ordinary. Unsentimental." to state a comment made on that shot that i have to concur with. it's a formal, descriptive image of an old man, nothing more and nothing less (imnsho).
No, I get you now. I was just confused by the semantics. Thanks for clarifying.
