What Does It Mean to Create an "Authentic" Portrait?
It seems like every photographer out there claims to produce real, "authentic" portraits. The word authentic has been a buzzword in the industry lately, but what does that mean?
HIGHLIGHTS
Every photographer goes into a session with an expectation for how they would like to shoot.
In the photography industry, there is a misconception that studio photos are not authentic. The authentic photos have to be messy with a lot of movement, hugs, tears, laughter and little eye contact with the camera.
In reality, every photographer has a vision for how they would like their session to go. The clients also have an expectation for how they'd like their photos to turn out.
The truth is, most lifestyle photographers are posing their clients just as much as studio photographers. Studio photography can be equally authentic because there are no distractions, just the ability for the subject to simply show who they are. To me, that is authenticity in its purest form.
The trick for photographers is to figure out what we truly love. What are we drawn to? If we lean into that and do that fearlessly, that is what real authenticity is.
