Skip to main content

The portrait photographer's motivation

Easy access to the Internet and digital photography has resulted in an ever growing number of photographers uploading their images for comments and ratings from peers.

Online communities evolve and these mini-societies each have their pecking order, internal groups and communal preferences. Photographers learn from each other. On sites that have a rating system there is often pressure to conform to certain styles, techniques and even subject matter.

Although I participate in numerous sites (it's great fun), I recognise the danger of becoming a herd animal and losing the edge of individual creativity. There will always be the creatives that lead the way and the imitators that can only try to follow in their footsteps.

This lead me to think about classifying photographers according their inner motivation. So as a bit of fun here are a few different types:

The innovator
Driven to always find something new, different and creative. Wants to be leading edge. Motivated by creative satisfaction. They pay no attention to popularity and resolutely follow their own path. The innovator sets the future trends.

The imitator
Dreams of being an innovator but is always playing catch-up. Does their best but hasn't got an original thought. Once inspired they can deliver good images. They are swayed by popular trends and whatever's in fashion.

The second hander
Slavishly copies the work of the popular photographers but lacks the ability to critically evaluate images and doesn't have a clue about the difference between popular and good. They also can't see the difference between their images and those winning accolades. Doomed to oscillate between frustration and megalomania. Winning popularity is everything.

OK, the above is a bit tongue in cheek. However I do have a serious point to make as well about photographer's motivation.

A professional photographer commissioned to do an advertising shoot, for example to sell perfume, will use a model. The model stands for all the woman looking at the advert. The image says, if you wear this perfume you will be as beautiful and as glamorous as this model. She embodies perfection and some of that will rub off on you. The model is objectified. She becomes a symbol, not a real person.

Many amateur photographers try to take pictures of friends, family and acquaintances in a way that turns them into visual objects, like the model, rather than in a way that brings out their true personality and character. The photographer turns them into a shallow representation of themselves and the image lacks life, soul, honesty and truth.

As viewers we quickly recognise an image that is visually decorative and well designed, and on our upload sites we praise the photographers skill and artwork, but ultimately a portrait without soul, that has no character will be seen today and forgotten tomorrow. Just another empty vessel to be discarded on the digital image scrap heap.

So what's your driving passion and motivation. Is it truth? Is it popularity? Is it graphically designed beauty? Is it to sell a product? Or is it about your subject, showing their real character and a glimpse of their soul?

Cheers,
Paul


Visitors Tracker

Comments

Unknown said…
Hi Paul, wonderfully written again, I thoroughly enjoy your articles and views on photography.

Marleen
Thanks Marleen.
David Toyne said…
Top stuff Paul.
Paul said…
Paul,

Good points raised there.
- www.photographyvoter.com
Sempringham said…
To be honest about it, I would have to put myself in your second-hander category. I'm not good enough to be innovative; I struggle just to be competent.

But my motivation is something else. I once took a great picture of someone I love who had trouble seeing herself as attractive, because she wasn't attractive like your objectified models. The great picture was a fluke, an accident. But it had a profound, positive effect on the rest of her life. That's when I discovered how powerful this photography thing can be.

Now I take pictures of people because I want them to see themselves the way people who love them see them. Teenaged daughters of friends love getting pictures of themselves with their adolescent blemishes PhotoShopped out. Middle-aged and older women like to feel still glamorous. Middle-aged and older men like a picture that shows character. Et cetera.

And I try to produce these because it's something I can sometimes do for them that nobody else is doing.
Thanks for sharing your story and views, Sempringham.

Popular posts from this blog

Approach to taking a portrait

Portrait of Amitabh Bachchan. Click on the image to see larger version. Every portrait is different but there are also elements which are the same, whether you’re shooting the famous or the locally famous. Fame is of course all relative. It depends on profession, accomplishments or media celebrity status. Whoever the ‘famous’ individual is there are millions of people in the world who will never have heard them. For example I photographed the legendary Indian Bollywood actor Amitabh Bachchan, who amongst his many accolades was awarded the Legion d'Honneur, the highest civilian award of France. But I’m positive that many people in North America will not have heard of him – although he has more fans than Tom Cruise, Jack Nicholson and Robert De Niro put together. I find that however well known a person is cracking through egos and insecurities is really important when it comes to getting authentic strong portraits. However I hasten to add that when it came to photographing Amitabh th

Capturing the truth: The power of documentary photography to shape public opinion

Photographer, writer and artist, Paul Indigo (Photo by Magda Indigo ) Documentary photography is more important than ever because it plays a critical role in informing and shaping public opinion, particularly in today's fast-paced, information-saturated world. With the rise of social media and the 24-hour news cycle, we are bombarded with images and information daily. It can be difficult to separate fact from fiction. From a trusted source, documentary photography counterbalances the often sensationalised and biased coverage of social and political issues. Documentary photography can challenge dominant narratives and foster greater understanding and empathy by presenting a nuanced, humanistic perspective on complex issues. It can highlight underreported and marginalised issues, giving voice to those who are often ignored or silenced. In a world where many people feel disenfranchised and marginalised, documentary photography can help to create a sense of community and solidarity by