Over the years Portraiture has evolved from simple paintings to abstract photos. In the past people of a high status would pay a lot of money to have an artist come and paint their portrait. The portraits from this time often included the person to show off their wealth and good fortune through the clothes and jewellery they were wearing and through the money they would be holding. The expression on the rich persons face would most often resemble a greedy attitude and a proud posture. Also a very long time ago people who were very dull and bland would also have had their portrait painted such as the Mona Lisa for example. She is a very plain woman with nothing to show any signs of wealth, just dark clothing and a plain expression. I think the Mona Lisa tells a story of loss. Then there were self portraits where an artist would paint his or herself appearance. In this case I think the purpose of self portraits was for money and pride of the artist where as portraits of others was more for the money and pride of the person who featured in the painting.
Eventually the camera was invented and people would then much rather have their portraits done by camera then by an artist as it was much cheaper and in their opinions much ore efficient. The purpose of portrait photos back then were as an alternative to having paintings done. Since then portraits have adapted so much. At first portraits were more of a family image where everyone would look fairly morbid as no one would smile. I think the reason no one smiled in these portraits was because their attitudes towards photographs was that they were a serious thing and therefore they needed to be taken seriously, which meant to smile in a photo was completely unacceptable. Then people began to smile in photographs and sometimes people would even pose. I think that the reason people felt very limited as to what they could do in photographs was due to the fact that in those times cameras were only black and white film ones meaning that you wouldn't be able to see the photo until it had been fully developed. Since then people have taken the opportunity with cameras and portraiture to tell stories through the photos they take. For example Marilyn Monroe was a highly photographed woman who through photos of her you can read her emotions and see what it is she may be feeling when the photo was taken. Many photos nowadays are sexualised as a way of promoting something. The purpose of Portraits here and now in 2013 is mainly to promote something, if there are portrait photos in a magazine it is usually to promote a fragrance or makeup or societies definition of beautiful. If portraits aren't used to promote something here and now in 2013 then the only other reason for them is for memories from school or just to go on your families walls. They aren't for promoting anything and they aren't sexual in anyway.
I think that as a whole the purpose of Portraiture is to tell an audience something, whether its the persons emotions or a story or to promote something, all portrait photos have an audience and they are all taken to please someone in some way, shape or form.
Eventually the camera was invented and people would then much rather have their portraits done by camera then by an artist as it was much cheaper and in their opinions much ore efficient. The purpose of portrait photos back then were as an alternative to having paintings done. Since then portraits have adapted so much. At first portraits were more of a family image where everyone would look fairly morbid as no one would smile. I think the reason no one smiled in these portraits was because their attitudes towards photographs was that they were a serious thing and therefore they needed to be taken seriously, which meant to smile in a photo was completely unacceptable. Then people began to smile in photographs and sometimes people would even pose. I think that the reason people felt very limited as to what they could do in photographs was due to the fact that in those times cameras were only black and white film ones meaning that you wouldn't be able to see the photo until it had been fully developed. Since then people have taken the opportunity with cameras and portraiture to tell stories through the photos they take. For example Marilyn Monroe was a highly photographed woman who through photos of her you can read her emotions and see what it is she may be feeling when the photo was taken. Many photos nowadays are sexualised as a way of promoting something. The purpose of Portraits here and now in 2013 is mainly to promote something, if there are portrait photos in a magazine it is usually to promote a fragrance or makeup or societies definition of beautiful. If portraits aren't used to promote something here and now in 2013 then the only other reason for them is for memories from school or just to go on your families walls. They aren't for promoting anything and they aren't sexual in anyway.
I think that as a whole the purpose of Portraiture is to tell an audience something, whether its the persons emotions or a story or to promote something, all portrait photos have an audience and they are all taken to please someone in some way, shape or form.
First Responses and Experiments with Portraiture
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| I took a photo of Hollie with just plain daylight and without the flash on the camera meaning my shutter was left open for much longer meaning there was some camera shake. A 1/25 F5 ISO 400 23mm |
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| A 1/125 F5 ISO 400 34mm |
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| A 1/15 F5 ISO 400 34mm |
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| This is my favourite photo from my shoot. S 1/1.6 F36 ISO 400 55mm |
Portraiture Responses and Photoshop
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