The art of portraiture is beautiful yet confusing. As individuals we are so unique and complicated, how do we use a single or even a series of images to express who we are? For my photography 101 class, we were asked to take three portraits of three different people. While it may seem simple, tried to embody a person through a photograph proved to be challenging. It was exceptionally difficult since I photographed my close friends who I have known for years. I felt obliged to do my best at expressing their unique personalities through setting, lighting, geometry… I realised that while a single photograph can speak a thousand words, to be able to capture a moment that does is the absolute challenge. I was semi pleased with the results but I felt like I controlled the environment a bit too much. I chose a location that me and my models had been to numerous times, which meant that it was harder to see unique elements of nature. The debilitating nature of routine, I guess. I started with my first subject and instantly I realised that some people become paralysed in front of a camera. So trying to alleviate the camera shyness and capture a portrait of a person felt impossible.

For this particular assignment I felt like I could have handled things better in terms of communication and understanding. I decided that for my upcoming major assignment I would tag along to a photoshoot with my photographer friend to see how she directs and handles her clients. Cheers to improvements, will keep this blog updated.

Here’s some of my work from that day…