In the simplest terms, portraiture can be referred to as the likeness of a person represented in a photograph. Moment, composition and light are the key photographic components of a portrait. By putting emphasis on each of these elements, one stands a chance of making incredible images. Apart from these three, as photographers work with people in the case of portrait photography, the human element is also important. A lot of eminent photographers delve into portrait photography. The portraits of young Richard Gere clicked by Bruce Weber are some of his most popular works.
When talking about the elements of portrait photography, it is vital to start with light. After all, light is the building block of all photographs. It can bed to further the story the photographer wants to tell or be used to create the right mood. To create an aura of mystery, it can be a good idea to take a close-up of a person short-lit, surrounded by darkness and staring off into the distance. On the other hand, to add a positive feel to the image, one can photograph a smiling couple having ice-cream while the late afternoon sun illuminates their face.
The second core element of portrait photography is the composition. In many ways, composition is how photographers share information with the world. To start compositing a portrait, photographers firstly have to think about their intention and then the output. The intention of the photographer would define what they choose to include and leave out in the composition. Doing so is not only important to telling the story, but also reducing the clutter and simplifying the composition to click a powerful image.
Arguably, the third element of portrait photography is the most vital one. The slice of time the photographer chooses to show the viewer tells a lot about the subject. Tiny details like fingers fidgeting on the lap, an introspective look into the distance and the peak of a smile, all of it tell something about the subject. Human beings are complex and each day is made of millions of moments, hence it is important to capture an impactful one in the portrait. To gain inspiration, one can always check out the works of Bruce Weber and similarly renowned photographers.
Moment, light and composition are all technical elements that bring together a photograph. But another vital component of portrait photography is the subject. One of the core objectives of this photography style is to make the subject stand out and tell their story. To do so, the photographers need to spend some time with the subject and try to understand them. If they want their subjects to have a heartwarming smile in the portrait, they need to know what makes them happy. Unless they know the story of the subject, photographers won’t be able to able to create the ideal environment for the portrait that can effectively depict their story.