Before the invention of the camera, there were portraits. Even before the first human agreed to sit still and face an artist this genre was a passion for creators.
It is said that some cultures don’t like portrait photography because they feel the making such a picture captures the spirit. They are right. But a good portrait doesn’t steal the spirit. It merely makes an image of its essence. Those pensive eyes, that magical smile, a face caught in the middle of a laugh or a loving glance. A child unawares dancing in the rain. A good portrait magnifies our humanity.
Bringing the camera up to one’s face in preparation to make a picture causes us to see people differently. And, more often than not, the review of the resulting image, shows us something even deeper than what we saw through the viewfinder.
We can employ this genre to further our compassion and empathy for others and document our own intimate experiences. We can document the wonderful, messy, fragile, and resilient human condition.
Today make a portrait. It could be another person (please practice safe distancing) or perhaps a beloved pet. It could even be a self-portrait. Share your image by posting it with the hashtag #snapwithme2020.