Two things that turn a picture into a portrait

A friend recently said to me that there is no difference between a picture and a portrait, that the words are interchangeable. They said that no one has a portrait anymore. There are only pictures.

Frankly, I disagree.

What is a portrait?

To explain why I just want to think about what a portrait is. This short video from the National Portrait Gallery seems to suggest just how difficult it is to define. Although the video is specifically talking about painted portraits I believe that the same definitions are applicable to portrait photography – especially the definition that a portrait is “an evocation a person.”

The ease of use of digital cameras has fed into the idea that a portrait is something that can be conjured up very easily. A lot more people are taking decent pictures using some high quality and pretty affordable equipment. It’s even led some (myself include) to question whether profession photographers are needed anymore.

But professionals are definitely needed.

I believe it’s professional photographers that turn pictures into portraits. And I assure you; it’s not by magic. There are two aspects that turn a picture into a portrait. I’m going to share them both with you now.

High Quality

The first is high quality. When it comes to how pictures are printed, just think about the gulf in difference between a print from a Polaroid camera and a high quality canvas print that gets hung on the wall.

Polaroid’s are disposable and the way they work is about instant gratification – in fact that was the name of a gallery show by artist Jennifer Schwartz consisting of images only taken by a polaroid camera.

Although I believe they have a place in the photography spectrum, for a picture to be portrait worthy then it needs to have a high quality. Both a high quality of equipment used and experienced photographer is important for the best results.

If you need help knowing how to find the right photographer for you I’ve written about it here.

Something that is precious

It’s all well and good having a portrait that is high quality, but in my view that is only half of what is required for a picture to become a portrait. A high quality product might result in something that has a high value (economically) yet a truly exceptional portrait is something that has a high emotional value as well.

Things that can increase the emotional value of a portrait include, when and where the portrait is taken (Weddings for example), whom the portrait is taken with (family portraits) and how the portrait is presented (keep sakes and gifts).

So I truly believe there is a difference between a picture and a portrait.

A portrait for me is all about turning a memory into a tangible object that people can hold onto for a very long time. Ultimately our memories if they are left in our head can fade. Once they are captured in a beautiful portrait they can last forever.

That is why I’ve always believed in making memories precious. What better way to preserve a memory of a time or a person than capturing its essence in a portrait?