In the the dictionary it is a picture of a person. It can be a photograph, a sketch, a sculpture, but a portrait is so much more than that. It is collaboration between the subject and in my case, the photographer.
Afghan Girl, by Steve McCurry
In many ways the photographer controls the collaboration and chooses the final image of what they see and how that photographer wants it to reflect on their work. However, I believe that a real portrait and getting it right, is a balance between the subject and the photographer. The subject in many ways is controlled by the photographer and at the end of the day, it is his image. Much of how that final image is seen depends on the day, the time, and how well or how badly the subject is feeling. Is the person fresh, tired or worried? All of which will slightly show through in the final image.
Marilyn Monroe, by Eve Arnold
I believe that the key is the photographer... Will the photographer help a person look their best (not to create a false image) but to get beyond the moment and capture the personality of the person that is characteristic of who they are. Not just at that moment, but who they are as a person, which is always recognizable. I think that the relationship between the photographer and the subject is one of the most important things in the photography world. I, personally, click the shutter more times than I need to during a photo shoot. This isn't because I cannot get the perfect shot - it is because the more the subject is photographed, the more comfortable they feel in the situation. The more comfortable they feel = the more relaxed they become = the more realistic the true the image becomes.
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