Do you find portraiture boring?

[d burg]

I'm new to this board and didn't know where to post this so I figured I'd post where all the activity seems to be.

My friend is actually working with a studio photographer and does a lot of wedding and senior portraits. She loves photography and was thrilled to get this job when she graduated about 4 years ago from college, but apparently wants to get out of it soon. She claims that after a while, it just gets boring and monotonous constantly doing portraits. I sort of see her point in that I think photography is the most interesting when it's candid and when you capture things and people in the moment of doing something. It sort of tells a story of some sort, which is captivating and that's what makes a great photograph. But posing subjects very systematically in front of studio backdrops or in some cliche location isn't all that intriguing to most people other than the subjects and those that know them.

I've noticed a lot of posters here also have businesses dealing with portraits for weddings and things of that nature. Do you personally enjoy it? Or do it because that's where the money is, and enjoy shooting whatever else you want when you aren't working?

 

[raphaelaaron]

it can become monotonous if you stick with convention. but i think it would be easier to just pick less cliche backgrounds, and use more interesting poses.

some people can handle it well, and some can't. many photographers have spent their life doing portraits, and they love it.

 

[d burg]

But isn't part of the reason why portrait photography can come off as monotonous is because it is the most structured, by the book form of photography? It seems like portrait photographers do go the conventional route because anything different is sometimes viewed as wrong and against some certain rule they're supposed to abide by.

 

[e.rose]

But isn't part of the reason why portrait photography can come off as monotonous is because it is the most structured, by the book form of photography? It seems like portrait photographers do go the conventional route because anything different is sometimes viewed as wrong and against some certain rule they're supposed to abide by.

Yeah... if you're talking about the chain studios where everyone gets their family Christmas cards done for $20... I think that the photographers who have been doing portraiture their who life and still enjoy it, do so because they find ways to keep it fresh and interesting.

Not to mention they don't work for those chain studios... so they don't have to follow any rules they don't want to.

 

[raphaelaaron]

But isn't part of the reason why portrait photography can come off as monotonous is because it is the most structured, by the book form of photography? It seems like portrait photographers do go the conventional route because anything different is sometimes viewed as wrong and against some certain rule they're supposed to abide by.

well then one must examine their definition of portraiture. anyone posing for a picture has the potential to be considered portrait photography, but one doesn't have to stick within those structured rules of convention. for instance you brought up how your friend does senior portraits. while that can be boring, it can also be an opportunity to add some creativity to those images. one can look at wedding engagement sets on flickr (something similar to senior portraits) and see creativity run wild. so many innovative ideas and they seem to keep coming. some still stay conventional. it depends on the photographer, and how far they're willing to blur the lines of what many deem as conventional or acceptable.

like i'm saying though, it boils down to the photographer themselves. but if one can put up with what we see as monotonous, and even find joy in it, i give them major props.

 

[Village Idiot]

If I was stuck in a studio or using to same poses and same back drops over and over again, then it would get boring. I shoot a lot of on location stuff, so it definitely isn't boring. Those are from four of my more recent shoots that are on my Flickr account.

 

[Forkie]

I'm in two minds about this really. Everyone likes going out and catching candid shots where you can be as creative as you like and it doesn't affect anyone in anyway, but when you're working it's not always going to be like that. Particularly if you work for a company that does specific types of shots, you're going to be doing the same shots over and over again. I do this in my job as a product photographer - I do the same shots from the same angle of every part I shoot, but that's because it makes the website look uniform, organised and easy to read - what the company wants.

I fully accept that my job isn't particularly creative. At the end of the day, the company I work for doesn't care about my development as a photographer (that's not a reflection on the company, by the way, they're great), as long as their images are good and look how they want them to look, so I make up for that by going out and getting my shooting fix in my lunch breaks and outside of work. It's a happy medium I'm more than happy to work with until I feel ready and experienced enough to take on (or at least look for) more challenging jobs.

 

[KmH]

Doing portrait photography is more about interacting with people than it is about the photography.

Portraiture is about making people feel good about themselves and most people have expectations of what a finished portrait image should look like.

II would not call 3 of the photos VI posted, portraits. Three of them are action shots and more akin to the high school senior genre, and the second one leaves me with the distict impression she is sitting on a toilet.

 

[AmazingGrace0385]

I think it is what you make it. When you work for a stuffy old photography studio, it would probably get boring. This is why I like on location, and the idea of having my own studio where I can make it into so much more. I also find it helps to not get stuck in one part of photography. Branch out, try different things. I enjoy doing portraits & weddings, but I also like doing landscapes, scenes, and textures for printed backdrop use.

 

[Village Idiot]

Doing portrait photography is more about interacting with people than it is about the photography.

Portraiture is about making people feel good about themselves and most people have expectations of what a finished portrait image should look like.

II would not call 3 of the photos VI posted, portraits. Three of them are action shots and more akin to the high school senior genre, and the second one leaves me with the distict impression she is sitting on a toilet.

That's an awefully narrow view. Most definitions say "likeness of a person". It's not traditional portraiture, but I would argue that it's still portraiture.

Edit: And

Portraiture is about making people feel good about themselves and most people have expectations of what a finished portrait image should look like.

I've seen many traditional portraits where the subject is not there to be made to feel good about themselves or the photographer does something or says something to provoke an emotion that's unexpected so that the result is something totally different.

There was a story about Henry Cartier Benson shooting minor royalty that were know for being unflappable. They were big animal lovers and he lied to them about running over a dog on his way to the shoot so that he get the couple that was know for not being able to be broken from whatever view they wanted you to see of them to end up with a portrait that was unique.

I don't see how surprising two animal lovers with a made up tale about running over a dog is anyways to make them feel good about themselves or attempting to get a photo that they're expecting to see as the outcome.

Maybe that's how you treat your clients, but trying to generalize all portraiture by the way you work and your expectations doesn't do anyone justice.

 

[Village Idiot]

Annie Leibowitz never asks her subjects to smile.

 

[Texas Aggie]

I'm into photography as a hobby and I haven't formerly done any portraiture...so take my opinion for what it's worth.

If you are referring to traditional portraiture that you see in most wedding photographer's work then yes...I do think it's pretty boring. This kind does seem relatively structured and conventional and borderline monotonous...but hey, there is a demand for it so I understand why it exists.

But if you are including portrait photography like what Village Idiot posted, then no it's not boring. But I don't think you were referring to this.

 

[niccas9]

For those who are advanced or expert then portraiture may fulfill their creativity. For me, as a newbie, portraiture is essential and has given me motivation to better understand lighting, composition and mood. I find that anyone can shoot abstract things and call it photography, but shooting portraits, especially studio type portraits, is an art in itself. I still suck at portraits, but I am learning so much about light and the knowledge I learn will aid me in photographing other subjects. Plus, think outside the box, portraiture is something that has endless possibilities.