Portrait photography is all about capturing images of people and their personalities. But there’s more to a portrait photo than just an image of a smiling person. Portrait photos have different sub-genres and types. Understanding the different types of portrait photography allows you to get more creative in looking for a genre that fits your subject. So here are the ten fundamental styles of photography that you should know.
1. Traditional Portrait Photography
Traditional portraits are those that depict the subject looking at the camera. In most cases, traditional portraits are taken in a studio with a formal backdrop. This genre tends to favor the most traditional portrait composition, which consists only of the head and shoulders, and not the entire body. A sub-genre of the traditional portraits is formal portraits. They have a similar posing and setting, but the subject in formal portraits is usually dressed in formal or business attire.
2. Lifestyle Portrait Photography
Lifestyle portrait is the exact opposite of traditional portraits. It’s still a portrait of a person or groups of people. However, lifestyle portraits often capture people in an everyday environment while performing regular tasks. Unlike the traditional portrait which is taken in a studio, a lifestyle portrait is often captured outdoors, or in an environment familiar to the subject. For instance, a family portrait can be taken in the home of the subjects. The photographer will often direct the subjects to perform certain acts, such as asking the kids to jump in a bed.
3. Environmental Portrait Photography
Environmental portraits are a combination of traditional and lifestyle portraits. In environmental portrait photography, both the person and the environment are the main focus. This type of photography usually takes place in a specific location that has a significant meaning to the person, giving the viewer some clues about who the person is. For instance, if the subject is a ballet dancer, the setting can be the stage or a ballet studio.
4. Street Portrait Photography
Street portraits are often candid. The best example of a street portrait is one that features people along the streets. Photographers don’t necessarily have to take photos of strangers in street portrait photography. But the photos are not planned and do not follow any direction or posing. There is often no setup, and the photographer will rely on the environment, lighting, and other factors to create an excellent but spontaneous photoshoot. Street photographers would get inspiration from the people they meet on the street. Some photographers would use a combination of prompts and posing to emulate candid moments.
5. Fine Arts Portrait Photography
Of all the fundamental styles of portrait photography, it is the fine arts portrait that’s perhaps the most controversial. That’s because artists don’t often agree on what constitutes “fine arts”. For some, fine art refers to those photographs hanging in an art gallery. But this is different from those photographs hanging on the walls of a family home. Fine art portraits are also inspired by other types of artwork, such as renaissance paintings and sculptures. Others would get creative through makeup, wardrobe, posing, and photo editing.
6. Glamor Portrait Photography
Some people would think of a glamour portrait as a “beauty portrait”. That’s because the main focus of glamour photography is the beauty of the subject. This type of photography usually involves planning the wardrobe and using professional makeup artists. It is designed to highlight the model’s beauty, sometimes posing in nude or in lingerie. Glamour and fashion photography often go together, but glamour portrait emphasizes the person more and not what they are wearing.
7. Surreal Portrait Photography
Surrealism is a style of art that feels “dream-like”. This artistic style can be used in portrait photography as well. Since you cannot capture images that do not exist, surreal portraits often rely on apps and tools to edit the images, such as Photoshop. These portraits also use props, wardrobe, and other tricks to emulate the surreal effects. The goal of surreal photography is to turn a dream into a photograph. This is somewhat challenging, but if done right, the results can be stunning.
8. Conceptual Portrait Photography
Conceptual portraits are those types of portraits that capture a concept or idea in a photo. To achieve this concept, some photographers would utilize props and photo retouching apps. Since conceptual photography encompasses an idea, photographers will have endless possibilities when it comes to conceptual portraits. Photoshop stunts and post-processing are often tapped to achieve this concept of portrait photography.
9. Abstract Portrait Photography
Abstract portraits are made to create art that is not based on realistic representation. It is somewhat similar to surreal portraits, where digital manipulation is often used to achieve the concept. Abstract photography does not attempt to represent an accurate depiction of an actual image. This style of portrait photography is inspired by abstract paintings. In an abstract portrait, the photographer will not only focus on the human face but also the entire body. Sometimes, they will try to incorporate mythological figures as well as spiritual or fictional characters into the portrait image.
10. Family and Group Portrait Photography
A portrait is not always a single person. It can also include photos of families and groups of friends. In most cases, taking portrait photos of more than one person is often more difficult than that of a single person. With group portraits, there will be plenty of people posing together and interacting in a photograph, so it’s somewhat difficult to capture all their personalities in a single photo. The key is to capture genuine interaction within the group. Family or group portraits can also fall under the other sub-genres of portrait photography
Conclusion
Portrait photography is a great way to capture people and their personalities. Since each person has a different personality, portrait photos have different styles and sub-genres. As a portrait photographer, you must understand the different fundamental styles of portrait photography. Get to know your subject well and determine the best style of portrait photography to use. This allows you to capture images that best represent your subjects.