The Good, the bad and the underexposed
📸 The Pros and Cons of Portrait Photography
Portrait photography is one of the most popular genres in the photo world—and for good reason. Capturing people’s personalities, emotions, and moments can be incredibly rewarding. But it also comes with its fair share of challenges.
✅ PROS
1. Emotional Impact
Portraits have the power to move people. A well-timed smile, a thoughtful gaze, or a raw moment of vulnerability can say more than words ever could. You're not just taking a photo—you’re capturing someone's essence.
2. Creative Freedom
Lighting, poses, locations, outfits, expressions—the possibilities are endless. You can go classic and clean, dramatic and moody, editorial, candid, quirky, or surreal. With portraits, your creativity sets the tone. I was rarely happy with the clothes that people brought to the shoot so I started gathering clothes I thought would shoot well and stamp a “look” that was mine (I went a bit overboard with red satin for many years - still love shooting with it!)
3. Connection with People
If you're a people person (or even a selective people person), portrait photography gives you a unique opportunity to connect, collaborate, and make others feel seen and celebrated. Many clients leave shoots feeling more confident than when they arrived. I’ve done several nude shoots where I realized the subjects didn’t just want the photos - they wanted the experience - to challenge themselves.
4. Market Demand
Everyone needs a portrait at some point—whether it's for LinkedIn, dating apps, graduation, weddings, branding, or just Instagram. There’s always a market, and a good portrait photographer can turn it into a steady income.
5. Portable Setup
Compared to landscapes or large-scale events, portrait shoots usually require less gear and are easier to do on the go. A couple of lenses, a reflector, maybe a flash—and you're good to go.
❌ CONS
1. People Are... People
Your subject might be shy, awkward, fidgety, overly self-critical, or simply not into it. You’ll sometimes spend more time coaxing confidence out of them than actually taking photos. And no matter how great the lighting is, if they’re not feeling it—it shows. People are hardwired to detect tension/stress in a human face and it can ruin an otherwise lovely shot.
2. High Pressure
Unlike landscapes, people have opinions. Strong ones. They’ll zoom in on their pores, hate their smile, or ask you to Photoshop them into a completely different person. There’s often pressure to make them look their “best ever,” even if that means bending time and reality. I can do it in photoshop to an extent but it’s a minefield messing with peoples looks in a photo - some love it … some look back and forth between the original and the edited shots as a critique on their bod/face/clothes/makeup
3. Constant Communication Required
You’re not just a photographer—you’re a director, hype-person, therapist, and sometimes a stand-up comedian. You need to talk, guide, reassure, and keep the energy positive while thinking about lighting, composition, and camera settings. Having said that - My “three legged chicken “joke is a knee slapper!
4. Retouching Can Be a Time Sink
Portraits almost always require more editing than other genres. Skin, flyaways, blemishes, teeth, wardrobe distractions—the post-processing can be extensive, especially when clients have opinions (and they will).
5. Tricky Lighting Situations
Natural light can be magical—but also unpredictable. Indoor lighting can be harsh, yellow, or just... offensive. You need to understand and adapt to light constantly, which can be especially tricky when your subject is moving or the weather changes mid-shoot.
🧠 Final Thoughts
Portrait photography is both an art and a relationship. It demands technical skill, emotional intelligence, patience, and people skills. When done right, it’s one of the most rewarding photography genres out there. I’ve been at this for 11 years serious work - I’ve taken over a million shots (my poor camera) and I still feel I have so much to learn