Why portrait pictures is all about belief
CR talks to three portrait photographers about why they were drawn to the art form and the importance of trust and collaboration when working on a topic
The job of a portrait photographer is to capture your subject. This can be accomplished in a number of styles, approaches, and methods, but regardless of how it is done, a good portrait tells us something about the person in the picture. it captures their personality, their mood and maybe how they see themselves.
Photographing other people for a living sounds fun, even easy, but the skills required to build confidence in a subject, understand what works, and create something new take a long time to maintain. "I know it sounds clichéd, but it's really about practice," says photographer Yolanda Y Liou. “The more pictures you take, the more convenient you are. Your job is to instinctively know when your control ends in order to capture those fleeting moments. But your instincts get better with practice. "
Above and above: Yolanda Y Liou
Born in Taiwan and now living in London and Brighton, Liou creates works that examine the human body and the photographer's own attitudes towards the body image. Using analog and digital techniques, she creates intimate yet powerful images. "Since childhood, and because of the Taiwanese culture, I have always had very low self-esteem about my appearance. When I first started taking pictures, it was almost like a self-healing process. I didn't feel safe and therefore after other people's beauty wanted, "explains Liou." I'm pretty obsessed with taking photos of people because I find something very beautiful in each and every one of them. "