Max

*Final Portrait Photography Photographs are on the previous blog post.

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This was my second set of photographs (above) which I took during the previous weekend. I maintained the same theme, showing the working class’ anxiety and stress through everyday life, however, added upon more techniques and a larger variety of postures to make the set look more appealing to the audience. I also experimented with close up shots on on facial expressions and eyes to convey mood and emotion. I continued on using dramatic lighting effects on my subject, placing the lighting in a low angle perspective, illuminating certain body parts while leaving others in shadows, with this combination bring similar to the audience’s automatic vision of someone feeling stressed out. I let my model put her hands on her face in these portraits, showing her uncertainty and unwillingness to face challenges and life and what is potentially awaiting her, introducing more storytelling elements and a wider vision and imagination for viewers to relate and connect themselves to my portraits.

The biggest improvement with this set of photos would be how my use of lighting became softer and diffused, adding depth to the overall portraits and letting the image seem more three-dimensional compared to my first set. I did so by reducing intensity of my light sources, especially the red light, which I felt was overly dominating by previous set. Interestingly, I was able to keep a good level of contrast between shadows and light, which still showed the duality of personality and interior conflicts faced in one’s mindset.

I also used more close up shots and got closer to my subject compared to the first set. While keeping the focal length the same (typically 18-32mm), getting closer captured more sensory details of my subject and made the image’s theme more direct and immediate to understand by viewers. This also allowed me to show more color details reflected on the face, which added upon tension and intensity of my photographs, how the hardship faced by the subject under societal pressure by this dynamic energy.

I also focused a lot on sharpening the portraits as needed to emphasize the subject’s dominance by enhancing edge definition and also showed more texture, such as the patterns of the skin and facial language.

Yousuf Karsh was my reference throughout this set of photos. This dynamic lighting pattern and rapport to capture a subjects inner feelings/atmosphere of the portrait were all applied to after analysis of how a true candid photo was based on an “illusive moment of truth” ,when character is revealed through an unconscious move of the subject. As an example, the first photo in the set was when the subject subconsciously leaned against the wall after a long time of posing, showing her tiredness and exhaustion from life and wish to take a break from what she is facing. In my first set, I also used wallpaper backgrounds, which I changed after seeing Karsh’s minimalist background technique which kept the background clear of distractions and elements which could capture and distract the eye of the audience away from the subject.

These are some of the other shots I attempted during the set, which I believe weren’t as successful but built up my skillset for higher quality photos. Note that they aren’t edited.

The final selection also includes multiple references of the second set of images I took during the weekend. I mostly used similar lighting and techniques to shoot these images, but improved upon variety and choices of posture to make the set more balanced and storytelling overall. The set of photographs fits my vision of how anxiety and pressure is reflected on the individual through showing overwhelm by placement of hands on one’s head, leaning forward, limited eye contact (typically a gaze downwards), and an unsteady stance.

Seeing my photographs from the first set, I was pleased by how effects of lighting and composition were interacting with the audience, but felt that my images weren’t candid and seemed to be clearly posed out. While that would be the case, I would have liked to make the postures and gestures of my subject seem more natural and relatable to the everyday person. Previously, I had noticed how the hand placement of the subject was tense and stiff, for which I made the model more relaxed during this set of photos to truly imitate the behavior of a person overwhelmed by life.

My first photo is one from my initial set, for which I chose due to its dramatic visual effect on audiences and comparison between white and red lights. The exposure of the portrait came out to match the vibes, with lower shutter speeds capturing every bit of light shining into the camera lenses, emphasizing the red from a low angle and it absorbing/blending in with white to form purple, beautifully transitioning the negative space towards the main subject. The wide focal lenses (18mm) capture not simply the subject, but also the negative space surrounding it, setting off the mood of isolation and dread. It is also noticeable that a large portion of the image remains in a dark, if not completely black color tone, showing off mysteriousness and narrating a tough time which the model is experiencing. The overall atmosphere of the portrait remains sad and gives of a sense of seclusion, something which is widely faced among young adults and students, making it relatable to a variety of groups of people, posing connections and reflections on whether sacrificing mentality for achievements is necessary and needed to be successful for further in life.

In the second photo, the model is leaning back against a white wall with her head tilted rightwards and her gaze oriented downwards as if in deep thought. As mentioned, I made the model more relaxed in this image, with leaning against a wall a interesting way to show an unsteady posture and also adding dramatic curves and lines to the composition, further suggesting unease and complexity in character. The image continues on using the technique of low lighting sources, with red light coming from the left hand side of the image while white rays are projected through the middle, partially illuminating the model. This blend in color adds a dramatic tension towards the image, the underlying anxiety of being perfect and judgement by society. The partial shadow on the model’s face also conducts feeling of mysteriousness, just like there is always more depth to a person and their experiences than we could possible undermine and understand. This particular image also introduces large amounts of negative space which are positioned accordingly to introduce the rule of thirds and place the model in the right hand side of the image. Rather than directly positioning my subject in the center, negative space makes the subject feel isolated, which is further carried on by the wide 18mm lenses used to capture more of the surrounding environment, therefore showing the theme of hardship and challenges everyone experiences and the journey taken to overcome them. On the other hand, red, being a highly stimulating color, adds upon this feeling of societal stress, to some even the sense of despair and giving up, contributing to the overall theme as well.

The third photo is uses similar composition to the first, however portrays a different posture and uses different techniques of light to create different results. Red light is situated on the left side of the image while the right side of the image stays dark, all at the same time as white rays bisect the two from the middle. This creates an interesting transition between black and red, also symbolizing what we emphasize and imagine as intensity, fear and dread while not looking at the optimistic perspective of things, the white light in the middle showing the string of hope and optimism present in any types of circumstances. The model of the portrait places her hand gently over her mouth, a sign of trying to achieve self-soothing and comfort in nerve wrecking situations, one which is relatable to many different ages and which surely everyone has experienced, making the composition more candid compared to my photos of the first set. There is also a sharp contrast between the lighting and shadows of the image, resembling dramatic switches of color tone to darkness on the face and hands. This differentiates from the transition introduced by white in the center of the photograph, adding variety in visual effects of the photo while signifying an emotional response of an individual to dramatically changing lifestyle and the toll it has put to the working class fighting for a healthy living in a highly competitive society.

The fourth photo above is a unique method I tried during my second set which involved getting extremely close to the main subject and zooming in specifically on a model’s eyes to show despair and hopelessness through a simple glaze. I got this inspiration through my mood board and artist research, which told me that a portrait rather doesn’t necessarily have to include large portions of the body, but can be rather simple. In the portrait, red light shines from directly below the subject, making a more monochromatic scene by enhancing color grading resulting in different shades, such as a darker tone on the face while a pale and softer tone reflected on the hands. I also like how the layering of the photo is enhanced by showing elements of hair, eyes, and the outline of glasses, which adds depth and realism and acts as a connection between the foreground and background of negative space, making it seem in place and meaningful by framing and further sense of dimension. During the editing process of this image, I payed most attention to sharpening in order to increase contrast on edges, making the model’s glaze and edges stand out more in the overall composition of the image.

The final image of the set is similar to the previous, but uses wider 18mm lenses to capture more of the model’s body posture and hand placement in order to convey emotion. Once again, I chose to use red light mainly, however, positioned a white flashlight in a lower position to illuminate the chin of the model, which emphasized her importance in the portrait’s composition. This portrait uses a different low perspective shot, placing the camera lower than the model’s eyes to capture vulnerability and fear by putting the viewer in a position of looking up, making the subject helpless and isolated from the surrounding environment. The eyes of the model are also closed in this portrait, allowing introspection of the deep thoughts and inner feelings of the person rather than focusing on external observations, guiding the viewer’s attention towards the hidden themes of societal pressure and anxiety of the portrait. Triangular composition of the image allows the viewer to link the eyes, hand, and elbow together, arranging elements in the image orderly and ensuring that different parts of the portrait don’t conflict to form confusion and draw the viewer’s attention away from the subject. The overall image truly calls for reflection and freedom from the societal norms and virtues of contending, urging individuals to pursue freedom and peace, components of life which are just as important as is success and money.

“The best of using creativity is imagination. The worst of using creativity is anxiety. Man is not worried by real problems so much as by his imagined anxieties about real problems. Trust yourself. You’ve survived a lot, and you’ll survive whatever is coming.”

This is the final set I chose for this identity project and portraiture photography, based on my theme of stress and anxiety’s impact on individuals and society, the “Invisible Hands” acting upon every person in their pursuit of survival in the modern environment.

Yousuf Karsh

Yousuf Karsh was an infamous American-Canadian photographer of the 20th century best known for his iconic images of world leaders such as Winston Churchill and Albert Einstein. In an age which color photography were yet to be discovered, Karsh used simply black and white images to show personality of his subjects through positioning of a light source in designated environments.

The most famous component of Yousuf Karsh’s portraits is the dramatic use of lighting and shadows to create high contrast and focused spotlights on places of interest, illuminating parts which he desires to draw attention to. His lighting also adds texture and depth to the subjects, especially of their body features such as hands. In the third image above, I am fascinated by how the fingertips and outline of the hair of the model are illuminated, which is visually appealing and adds interest to his overall upper body rather than face only. Karsh’s overall composition creates a perfect balance between the background, sometimes of negative space, and the main subject. Through this, he lets his photographs convey the perfect emotion he desires,

Something I am inspired about is how Karsh includes texture to his backgrounds, a component which doesn’t necessarily conflict with the foreground but adds depth and meaning to the photograph. On the other hand, Karsh commonly uses smoke as an element to speak one’s mind, which represents a neglected and secluded state of an individual. Going back to my first set, this is similar to what I have done in practices. As inspiration, I will try using candlelights and its faint smoke to reach similar effects later on.

Another component of his images is how Karsh allows light and dark to blend together naturally rather than abruptly, having a transition between the 2 which is more candid and storytelling. This soft transition was created by manipulating the distance between the light source and subject, with longer distances typically making softer edges between the light and shadow. It is also achieved by including multiple secondary light sources positioned at different angles and of different sharpness. The first photo above uses a light source at a low angle shining at his hands and cloths, while a stronger light source above captures his forehead to be significantly brighter. Throughout my set, I will make attempts to blend in different colors together, such as the blend previously between red and white, to form similar effect, and will also use multiple screens for sources of light to add this further depth and natural blend in.

Karsh’s portraiture doesn’t simply include a model’s head as a reference, but also includes parts of the upper body, which may pose to be extremely useful when conveying mood through gestures and body positioning. He adjusts the chin and head tilt which dramatically alters facial structure and can represent different states of emotion. As an example, the chin tilt upwards in the second photo represents deep thought and reflection of the model, while the stern look of the fourth photo captures more confidence and stronger motivation in its subject to accomplish something. In my set of photographs, I will try to use such positioning in conducting emotion as well, possibly a higher tilt and gaze to show hopelessness and fatigue after a long day.

Lindsay Adler

Lindsay Adler is an American fashion photographer known for her unique use of lighting and color. Based in New York City, she photographs models and people from diverse backgrounds and personalities to convey emotion deep inside one’s heart. Her clean, bold graphic style using saturated colors captures strength within her subjects, their elegance and journey in life portrayed through expressions and body positioning throughout the composition.

I would wish to follow her outline of using highly saturated colors to create emphasis on contrasts and intensity of tone. She often uses clamshell lighting, which soften the colors and is position centered to the subject’s face. Her backlighting, side-lighting, and low angled shots typically use 45 degreed setups, showing both emphasis on bone and skin texture, portraying elegancy. By using the rules of thirds and center compositions, colors and positioned to shine only on particular parts of the model’s body, creating these boundaries of color tones which draw attention of viewers. Even with up to 5 light tones on the subject simultaneously, Adler’s image continues to appear candid and natural, for which she captures regular human behavior and moments which we all experience, the key to creating connection between the portrait and the audience.

Additionally, the texture portrayed throughout her portraits is also fascinatingly smooth, a “porcelain skin” effect which I would wish to learn from in my portraits. She does so by using fill lighting, often with a reflector, which bounces light back into the shadows which would normally be covered up, such as underarms and chin, emphasizing highlights while softening the skin tone, making it seem smooth and elegant. The effect can also be done through post-processing, using color correction as well as dodging and burning to add intensity to some parts while softening others, showing a balanced final product.

Similarly to Yousuf Karsh, the posing logic of Lindsay Adler creates triangle compositions between the face and shoulders, while the camera positioning hides flaws and unnecessary shadows/lighting by moving it closer to the subject or portraying a lower angled shot. The hands of the subject are typically not seen or placed naturally on the subject’s legs, which doesn’t overly complicate the composition and hide facial expressions, making the portrait’s meaning and visual effect more direct and immediate to the audience. I would wish to capture some photos featuring merely the eyes of my subject, which can provoke multiple different emotions based on their gaze.

Lastly, the eye contact is what adds strength and a sense of power of the images of Adler. Their stern gazes looking at the camera lenses portray their power, confidence, and dominance. Considering my set as searching for an opposite effect, I will continue to divert my subject’s gaze away from the camera lenses to achieve the opposite-show hopelessness, anxiety, and fear.

Works Cited:

The following images are those of which I took accordingly to my statement of intent as mentioned to transmit the feelings of stress and anxiety.

Image 1:

This image shows a white wall as a background, with my mom as the subject in the foreground being partially illuminated by light. In the back, a red light adds depth and layering to the image, blending in with the overall mood of the image and the main subject, a gloomy, oppressing one overall. In the photograph, the viewer’s eyes are immediately drawn to the main subject, guided by the change of intensity of red in the negative space of the background and the rule of thirds composition techniques. As the image’s background remains simple and plain, no distracting elements are including to divert attention of viewers.

The dark environment in which the photo was taken in required higher ISO and lower shutter speeds, which to some extent made shadows very obvious and lighting bright, an interesting contrast between the two. This technique also allowed fainter light to be captured by camera lenses, making exposure just right for the mood of the photo. However, if I could do any modifications, I would make the white light shining on the face more obvious to make the subject distinguishable from the background.

The focal distance of the camera was of 18mm, the widest out of all options. The wider focus allowed the colors of the background to be captured along with the face, making the visual components extend beyond simple photography of the face, but also of the surroundings and how they bring life and mood to the composition. The use of focal lenses itself is reasonable, but I would like the shift the camera perspective to the right to capture the full head of the subject, and maybe further away to show more of the body language and the feelings it transmits as well.

The portrait is made to create a balance between light and dark, a comparison which rather blends in to create a natural looking composition to the eye. The shift in colors is not dramatic and sudden, but rather gradual, with neutral white light between the colors imposing the transition.

Mood and storytelling plays an important role in the image making connections with the audience. The image is overall sad, conveying feelings of stress and anxiousness the model is facing, which many of young adults and students can possible relate to while facing high pressure in careers and studies. It draws a reflection on what society is facing at the moment, whether careers and academics are worth such mental and psychological sacrifices of groups.

Overall, this is my personal favorite photo of the collection, not only because of its visual effects, but also because of how it blends in different elements to maximize and convey an unique atmosphere as mood portrayed by the model, how this links its way to society, posing a reflection and calling for change on this lifestyle.

Image 2:

This second image portrays the model illuminated by red light, sitting as if thinking deeply about something. In the back of the image, red light illuminated the background and a proportion of the model’s face, while light tones of white is applied to a specific region under the women’s arms, making it as if she has lost direction in life, but still hangs on to the remaining hope. In the portrait, the viewer’s eyes are immediately directed to the main subject-the women-and her gaze down, led by the rather calming wallpaper background and intensity of light. After looking at the image for a moment, the viewer also realizes how the face of the model is split into 2 halves-one illuminated by the red light while the other remaining in the dark- a symbol of how societal pressure leads to a brutal reality, one including depression, anxiety, and stress.

The framing of the image is something I would like to improve. The head of the subject neither fits the rule of thirds or center composition techniques, making it awkwardly situated slightly to the left. When looking at the portrait, the shadow on the right hand side of the face may be emphasized more compared to the illuminated side, which is not the purpose of the photograph. I would like to create a balance between the 2 to make a strong contrast and the image more visually stunning, for which I plan to do so by cropping a portion of the background to situate the model’s gaze at the center of the portrait.

Excluding the framing, there aren’t any major distractions in the image which could possible draw attention of the viewer. However, I dislike how the wallpaper of the back doesn’t apply the dramatic effect I wish it to play, with the clouds showing feelings of calmness and relaxation, the opposite of the mood of the subject and lighting effects. For modifications, I would wish to make the background once again negative space (or at least blank) so that the mood and atmosphere is carried along the portrait.

Another major issue I find with the image is the lenses I have used. The image used a 32mm focal length, which I could have increased to exclude some of the background and make the subject more dominant in the composition.

Even though not perfect, the image’s use of color tones makes relatable and creates connections with its audience. As the gist of the set goes, it uses a strong red light to illuminate the subject and surroundings while leaving some shadows to form a contrast, which combined with the hopeless gaze of the model give off emotions of depression and pressure.

Overall, this image is my least favorite of the set, as its composition doesn’t match the atmosphere and visual effects with the rest of the set. For improvements, I will try further editing to fix the problems mentioned above.

Image 3:

This image portraits the same model illuminated by red light, this time, however, with a faint shadow behind her. In this image, the main subject is rather closer to the wall/background compared to the rest of the set, which makes the shadow and adds further depth and thought in the composition. Adding upon, the shadow isn’t purely dark, but a purple tone due to the white flashlight in the behind the scene, sitting just behind the camera.  The gesture of the model suggests a mood of stress and contemplation as well, which also works together with the different color tones and shadows to convey a story of hardship and tough experiences the model is going through, and how they are reflected through such anxiety.

The framing of the image used center composition to place the center point of the image on the model’s hands and eyes. This allows more focus of the viewer to be applied on the main subject, therefore making subject and main theme stand out without introducing further distractions.

The exposure of the image under a dark environment also makes sense and adds upon storytelling components to the image, with it emphasizing the red under high exposure which covers the white flashlight, leaving only the shadows partially impacted. This doesn’t introduce further complexity in usage of lighting, making the image rather straightforward while using a creative technique to apply unique shadows which reveal inner feelings of the model.

The 28mm focal length of the portrait is chosen to reveal negative space while still including the full head of the model under the lenses, which adds narration and makes the composition by balancing the subject and background, giving the image a “breathing space” which doesn’t add anything new but at the same time emphasizes the desired subject.

The balance of this portrait is created through the combination of use of negative space and shadows to set off a mood board for the subject and overall image, while not distracting viewers from the focal point and becoming a distraction. The colors used in this image- red and white- also work together to tell a story and convey the feeling of hopelessness and anxiety of the model while not conflicting with each other-the white blending in inside the red and the shadows.

In the previous class, we went during the Golden Hour sunlight to practice our portraiture shots. I wasn’t  pleased with the outcome of some of these photographs, but they nevertheless provided me with valuable experience through which I developed various techniques I would like to express throughout my final sets. Here are the top sets photos I chose from my collection and what I learned from each on:

1. Silhouettes

I found this photo really fascinating, as it didn’t capture any specific details of the model while still transmitting emotions of loneliness and isolation. The sun shines at the back of the image, capturing an outline of the body but not any facial features, making the portraiture more mysterious, unique, and eye-catching. At the same time, the hair of the person reflects some of the sunlight, and some relatively stronger sun rays pass around the head to create a thicker atmosphere. The clouds in the background add depth and interest, leading the viewer’s attention to the main subject. Through editing, I emphasized the black point, shadows, and added brilliance to create stronger contrast between light and dark.

Overall, I was pleased with the outcome of this photograph. In future shots, however, I would wish to add more elements to the background, perhaps another shadow, to make the image’s meaning and theme clearer and make it more interesting.

2. Autumn and Hope

These 2 photos can be considered to be of the same collection, showing a person sitting under trees with beautiful yellow/orange leafs. Overall, the first image focuses more on the expression of the model. It features a person looking at the far distance, as if thinking of something deep in his heart. One half of his face is illuminated by sunlight, while the other half stays in the shadow, as if a comparison between hope, dreams, and reality. In the background, the autumn leaves create depth and reflect a contrast between the dark cloths of the model and also symbolize time and the end of summertime, its memories fading away at the arrival of winter. It reflects the life of a ordinary person in the modern society and challenges he faces, something which many can connect to.

The second image focuses more on the posture and hands. While reflecting the same atmosphere and mood, the image shows the model with his hands in his pockets in a natural sitting posture. It shows difficulties and experiences the model is going through with a pause of the fast-paced life to think and reflect.

These particular 2 are my favorite out of the practice shots, as the image looks natural and candid rather than pre-arranged, giving a deeper insight into a person’s inner thoughts, mood, and feelings. Even though I am deciding to take the first set of photographs in a studio, this photograph is important experience for me when considering the effects of background and posture in portraiture.

3. Shadows

These set of 2 images once again focus on lighting, shadows, and reflections once again. The first image portrays a model looking in the distance and illuminated by light, while his reflection in the window shows his shadow and silhouette. The reflection also captures the rising sun and some of its light rays, making the left hand side of the image more interesting overall. The model’s facial expression and surroundings all suggest feelings of hope and motivation to complete some goal. However, I dislike the other elements captured in the reflection, such as an outline of the school building, which really draws attention away from the main subject.

The second image captures a larger portion of the model’s mody and posture. Similar to the previous set, it shows his hands placed naturally in his pockets and his upright position, further taking on the feelings of motivation the photograph brings to the audience. In this image, the outline of the building is less of a distraction but more of a leading line, leading attention through the reflection of the sun and onto the main subject. Through editing, I was capable of adjusting intensity of color tones and increasing sharpness to make contrast stand out and make the image rather sincere in order to make connection with the audience.

The title of this project is ” The Invisible Hands”. The societal issue I want to express is the continuous anxiety and stress of the working class-young and middle aged adults- as of pressure in life and careers. Just like invisible hands, this pressure isn’t physical, but exploits people’s mentality, an emotional toll. Societal pressure of finance-student debts, job environments, loans, and meager wages- all leave no breathing space to slow down the fast paced life which they experience. With the overall millennial generation being the first to officially obtain access to the internet and cellular devices, they coincided with the burst of higher expectations and competition, creating a perfect storm for rising stress and pressure in pursuit of success and a healthy life.

While focusing on how cellphones and technology creates anxiety for teens, people have seemingly forgotten the impact the new century brought to the working class and their rising stress over time. By documenting this set of images, my audience will gain a deeper understanding of this harsh reality adults experience in modern life. I wish to let my audience feel the helplessness such groups feel, emphasizing the emotions of isolation, exhaustion, showing the load and overwhelm that the ordinary person goes through in their everyday lives. Being ordinary shouldn’t be an excuse to be lurking in the shadows and staying of unimportance. While looking at my photos, I want the audience to show empathy and understanding of such hardships to make this social issue visible by all.

In my documentation, I will get inspiration and develop my ideas by looking at photos which show such emotions through postures and gestures which express emotional overload and exhaustion. I plan on using red colored lighting to show anxiety and possibly blue to show inner struggles trying to balance work and life. Using shadows with a high contrast compared to the overall lighting will also express this emotion.

A portrait is a piece of artwork which can tell a person’s story and capture personality of which the face is mostly predominant. It uses features such as lighting, posing, props, and the setting as an environment to evoke emotions and  Portraiture is a broader field of this which includes multiple different genres of portraits, including lifestyle, cultural and conceptional, each which contain their own themes and hidden meanings.

Afghan Girl, 1984, Steve McCurry

Child With Toy Hand Grenade, Diane Arbus

Selfies are a common type of self portraits and are popular among recent trends and the modern society. They are considered portraits as they include the same elements, including a clear self-representation and similar artistic intent of self-expression and provoking emotion.

In a portrait, it must be made sure that there aren’t any distractions which take eyes off the main subject. Vibrant and colors not matching an overall color tone, tree branches, utilities, and other people should be cropped out and not included in a self-portrait. Rather, include vivid facial expressions and relevant poses which can take on and emphasize emotions. Also take in mind framing and perspective of the portrait and from which angle the image would look most visually appealing and rich in meaning.

There are many opinions on criteria for good self portraits, but the one key is creativity. Using intentional techniques and personal techniques to deliberately create something out of the ordinary would certainly make images more appealing. Cindy Sherman uses vibrant colors and unique props added to her subject which make her portraitures conduct further meanings to challenge cultural stereotypes.

Cindy Sherman “Clown Series”

Portraits don’t necessarily need to be a full image of a person or their face. Sometimes, something more simple would also do the job. The key factor in portraits is to express personality and tell a story, which other body parts can express as well. As an example, hands are a powerful tool of our body which can communicate a variety of emotions through gestures and show past experiences through physical changes, scars and bruises.

(Untitled)

The boundaries of portraiture may be blurred, but is typically when the subject ceases to be the the most important component of the image. It may still be present in the composition, but when the surroundings are captivating and draw the attention of viewers away from the subject is when portraiture may simply become an abstract or street photography piece. Such can be seen in Martin Parr’s “Blackpool, England (1994)” in which the seagull, depressing atmosphere, and buildings at the back take away attention from the people in the front, letting it become classified as street photography.

Blackpool, England (1994), Martin Parr

There are also different ways to represent people, and sometimes it isn’t through showing them in the photo themselves. Using objects which represent them can also portray the mood and emotions of a real person. For example, showing a knife covered with blood can reflect personalities of a murderer and reflect mood, while showing a beautiful flowerpot can show the delicate and nurturing nature of its owner. Even though it may not be classified as a portrait, it is still valuable, conveying similar emotions and feelings.

Rose and Driftwood (1932), Ansel Adams

The number of portraits in a group is also fluid, with no specific requirement. A set of portraits can show a person through multiple different poses, styles, while conveying similar emotions, therefore making it possible to include a sequence of them. The Brown Sisters are a good example, which took a selfie annually to show change in the family. Put together, they describe the history of the family and its changes throughout 40 years of time.

The Brown Sisters Collection

Works Cited:

Ansel Adams | Rose and Driftwood (1932) | Artsy. www.artsy.net/artwork/ansel-adams-rose-and-driftwood.

Cyme, Team, and Team Cyme. “Black and White Hand Portraits With Photographer Noemia Prada.” CYME, 1 Oct. 2025, cyme.io/en/blog/hand-portraits-with-noemia-prada.

Martin Parr | Blackpool, England (1994) | Available for Sale | Artsy. www.artsy.net/artwork/martin-parr-blackpool-england.

Schulze, Martin. The Story of Steve McCurry & Sharbat Gula, the Afghan Girl. 16 Apr. 2025, publicdelivery.org/steve-mccurry-afghan-girl.

Thomas, Dana. “Cindy Sherman’s 2020 Show at Fondation Louis Vuitton Is a Must-See.” British Vogue, 27 Sept. 2020, www.vogue.co.uk/arts-and-lifestyle/article/cindy-sherman-louis-vuitton-fondation.

“25 Years of the Brown Sisters by Nicholas Nixon.” Pinterest, uk.pinterest.com/pin/25-years-of-the-brown-sisters-by-nicholas-nixon–443604632017608974/. Accessed 11 Nov. 2025.