Photographing Portrait

[gloriamint]

Portrait photography is not a click and flash of the camera, but it is an art of subject. The deep knowledge about the subject to be portrait is the key to perfect portrait pictures.

 

[peter27]

Portrait photography is not a click and flash of the camera, but it is an art of subject. The deep knowledge about the subject to be portrait is the key to perfect portrait pictures.

I took this photo a few weeks ago and consider it one of my better portraits: http://www.thephotoforum.com/forum/a...m001_2-001.jpg

I had never seen the woman before and don't expect to again. Although she was probably aware of me and my camera (I didn't try to hide and sneak this shot), we didn't speak and there was no eye contact between us, or if so then only fleeting. In short I have no knowledge of this subject on a personal level but felt that she was a rather captivating subject for a portrait.

While I won't say you are wrong (I have a fair number of really nice portraits of family and friends), I do feel that a number of factors go towards taking the perfect portrait and whilst a good knowledge of the subject certainly does no harm it isn't a must.