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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> Definition of a Portrait
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 09/12/2005 07:31:59 AM · #1
Just for the record, according to the "Glossary of Art Terms and Definitions"

Portrait - a representation of a person or group or animal on a two-dimensional medium that typically also shows some aspect symbolic of the subject.


09/12/2005 07:33:00 AM · #2
this was already discussed in many other threads.
 09/12/2005 07:38:21 AM · #3
Originally posted by TomH1000:
Just for the record, according to the "Glossary of Art Terms and Definitions"

Portrait - a representation of a person or group or animal on a two-dimensional medium that typically also shows some aspect symbolic of the subject.


Exactly. It doesn't say anything about the background having to be OOF, does it? Just because the ability to do is there, doesn't necessarily mean you have to.
 09/12/2005 07:41:08 AM · #4
No the background doesn't have to be oof but a lot of times it helps the subject pop out at you, it all depends on the image and effect you are going for.
 09/12/2005 07:52:58 AM · #5
I think that if your "portrait" isnt a head shot, you arent going to be scored very high.

Portrait in the sense is very broad (atleast in my mind) as long as the subject is the main focus of the photograph, its a portrait. That's how I will be voting. The more creative the better!

Message edited by author 2005-09-12 07:53:25.
 09/13/2005 10:03:39 AM · #6
I totally agree with your definition. Am I the only person who finds this missing in a lot of the challenge pictures?
 09/13/2005 10:05:31 AM · #7
Originally posted by jmlelii:
I think that if your "portrait" isnt a head shot, you arent going to be scored very high.

Portrait in the sense is very broad (atleast in my mind) as long as the subject is the main focus of the photograph, its a portrait. That's how I will be voting. The more creative the better!


I don't think it has to be a head shot but certainly cropped fairly close to the person in order for it to be classed as portrait.
 09/13/2005 10:15:11 AM · #8
Annie Leibovitz

"Annie Leibovitz is perhaps the most famous living portrait photographer. Her shots of celebrities, including musicians, politicians and athletes, have celebrated worldwide. Leibovitz strives to incorporate the public persona of her subject or sitter into each of her photos. Rather than static headshots, Leibovitz often uses her subject's entire body, most often while in motion, to dispel any artificial qualities. Leibovitz has photographed for magazines as well as prestigious advertisers, such as Gap and American Express. She is one of only two living photographers to have had an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery."

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 10:17:33.
 09/13/2005 10:16:10 AM · #9
The way I understand this is "just because we need to fill up ourselves, does not mean we need tasty food for meals". but don't we all love tasty food?

a defination simply defines what it is. It does not tell, however, how to make execellent ones. It leaves room to us to be creative. there is nothing wrong for many people using tested-and-proven head shots for this challenge. However, it'd be good if someone being creative. But, as the challenge goes, it better be excellent, or to be bombed...
09/13/2005 10:22:01 AM · #10
Originally posted by orussell:
Originally posted by TomH1000:
Just for the record, according to the "Glossary of Art Terms and Definitions"

Portrait - a representation of a person or group or animal on a two-dimensional medium that typically also shows some aspect symbolic of the subject.


Exactly. It doesn't say anything about the background having to be OOF, does it? Just because the ability to do is there, doesn't necessarily mean you have to.


Do you want the viewers to notice the background or the subject? Unless of course the background compliments the subject.
 09/13/2005 10:26:25 AM · #11
Originally posted by jmlelii:
I think that if your "portrait" isnt a head shot, you arent going to be scored very high.

Portrait in the sense is very broad (atleast in my mind) as long as the subject is the main focus of the photograph, its a portrait. That's how I will be voting. The more creative the better!


So in otherwords we should take a shot that looks like a school picture. LOL..sorry but a portrait isn't defined to as a head shot. It's like that high key shots should only be black and white pictures. hmm..just a thought..
 09/13/2005 10:27:47 AM · #12
In my first go over of the portrait challenge there were a lot of photos that looked like a pretty head shot or school photo. Some were very well executed, and I will score them highly. However, my highest scores will go to shots that convey something about the person, either their personality, emotions, context, etc.

Also I would like a few non-people portraits, but I don't think many people went that route. I do not think the portrait needs to be a close head shot! If you show more than just someone's head you have more information about them.
 09/13/2005 10:33:15 AM · #13
Originally posted by dahkota:
Annie Leibovitz

"Annie Leibovitz is perhaps the most famous living portrait photographer. Her shots of celebrities, including musicians, politicians and athletes, have celebrated worldwide. Leibovitz strives to incorporate the public persona of her subject or sitter into each of her photos. Rather than static headshots, Leibovitz often uses her subject's entire body, most often while in motion, to dispel any artificial qualities. Leibovitz has photographed for magazines as well as prestigious advertisers, such as Gap and American Express. She is one of only two living photographers to have had an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery."


My only 10 so far is not a head shot. In fact I haven't voted on many head shots yet because most of them don't tell me anything about the person and I just haven't decided yet what to do with them. It is like looking at all the branches or the shoes. I am looking for emotion or insight, and while some of the head shot models are pretty or interesting, there is no personality.
 09/13/2005 10:40:30 AM · #14
Originally posted by dahkota:
Annie Leibovitz

"Annie Leibovitz is perhaps the most famous living portrait photographer. Her shots of celebrities, including musicians, politicians and athletes, have celebrated worldwide. Leibovitz strives to incorporate the public persona of her subject or sitter into each of her photos. Rather than static headshots, Leibovitz often uses her subject's entire body, most often while in motion, to dispel any artificial qualities. Leibovitz has photographed for magazines as well as prestigious advertisers, such as Gap and American Express. She is one of only two living photographers to have had an exhibit at the National Portrait Gallery."


Thanks for posting this. I decided not to closely crop my entry and show the entire figures of my subjects because I didn't want to lose the body language that said something about their relationship. But most of my comments say "should have cropped closer to their faces"

Message edited by author 2005-09-13 10:41:48.
 09/13/2005 11:18:35 AM · #15
Thanks for the definition. I have looked portrait up in the Oxford English where it clearly states a portrait may be of human or animal. I think a few of the 'non human' pictures are taking some grief for not being on challenge...

With regard to cropping, there are some excellent pictures which are tightly cropped, but the same can be said for 'whole body' shots, or even more subject matter.
 09/13/2005 11:48:16 AM · #16
john Singer Sargent, the great American potraitist said that "A portrait is a painting where there is something wrong with the mouth." a little laugh for all the painters out there.
 09/13/2005 11:53:14 AM · #17
Originally posted by BrennanOB:
john Singer Sargent, the great American potraitist said that "A portrait is a painting where there is something wrong with the mouth." a little laugh for all the painters out there.


It's wierd but I think I understand this. LOL..The mouth is the hardest part of the subject for me to paint or draw.
 09/17/2005 01:28:50 PM · #18
Portrait - what is a portrait? I went to the ultimate source - no it was not the dictionary, it was not a list of photographic terms, no I went to Google. I did get a bit radical in the searches - Landscape? Plant? But those are the terms being used by some.

The results in order of most hits - feel free to try more ideas.

"Pet Portraits" - 680,000 hits
"People Portraits" - 179,000 hits
"Wedding Portraits" - 108,000 hits
"Baby Portraits" - 106,000 hits
"Plant Portraits" - 37,600 hits
"Candid Portraits" - 28,700 hits
"Graduation Portraits" - 20,700 hits
"Landscape Portraits" - 18,300 hits
 10/08/2007 10:28:51 PM · #19
[REDACTED]

...
So I looked up six different online dictionaries for a definition of “portrait” and found the following entries listed below. Note: the first and most common definition of “portrait” involves a representation of a person, especially featuring the face. I did not include any of these definitions below, choosing instead to only list other definitions of portrait from these six sources, including a much wider range definitions than DPC voters are currently using. Oddly, if the voters simply read the challenge details (“Include 3 or more human beings in your photograph”), the SC clearly left this challenge open to a wider range of options than the “inside the box” voters want. These same boxed voters seem to love voting entries low simply because human faces do not fill the frame.

So here it is: [REDACTED] I got the chance, and read up on the definition of portrait.

DICTIONARY.NET (featuring WEBSTERS REVISED UNABRIDGED DICTIONARY)
The meaning of the word portrait is sometimes extended so as to include a photographic likeness. Hence, any graphic or vivid delineation or description of a person; such as, a portrait in words.
THEFREEDICTIONARY.COM
A likeness of a person that is created by a painter or photographer, for example.
A verbal picture or description, especially of a person.
ASKOXFORD.COM
An artistic representation of a person, especially one depicting only the face or head and shoulders.
BRAINYQUOTE.COM
Any graphic or vivid delineation or description of a person; as, a portrait in words.
ALLWORDS.COM
A written description, film depiction, etc of someone or something. Example: a portrait of country life.
WORDWEB.COM
Any likeness of a person, in any medium.

But, please don’t allow these "Outside the Box" definitions of “portrait” mess with your mind or your voting patterns. Afterall, photography began with a pin hole punched in a box.

Meet you in the next challenge,

charliebaker

Message edited by L2 - Edited -- Calling out a Commenter.
 10/08/2007 10:40:09 PM · #20
Blah.
 10/08/2007 10:59:04 PM · #21
Originally posted by Sonifo:


It's wierd but I think I understand this. LOL..The mouth is the hardest part of the subject for me to paint or draw.


I think every part of face in a portrait is as hard as others. A minute mistake in any of them could ruin the whole thing. Doing a portrait hardest thing in painting (personal opinion)
 10/08/2007 11:01:20 PM · #22
For group portrait challenge, my idea was to shoot chess pieces together in their rare moment of not fighting with each other. It was outta-boxxa and finally decided not to do it. Just did not feel like score 4.x again.
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