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DPChallenge Forums >> Current Challenge >> What Constitutes a "Portrait"?
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09/09/2005 12:34:14 AM · #1
Hi guys, I'm thinkin of ideas for the current challenge and I was hoping someone good explain to me what constitutes a portrait. Thanks so much
09/09/2005 12:36:42 AM · #2
Try this thread:
//dpchallenge.com/forum.php?action=read&FORUM_THREAD_ID=270200
09/09/2005 12:36:48 AM · #3
Hi:

Look here:

My thread

and here:

DPC Mentorship - Portrait

Message edited by author 2005-09-09 00:37:16.
09/09/2005 12:37:08 AM · #4
To me, a portrait is simply a photograph where the single source of attention is a human model. I would even go so far to say that it gets away from being a portrait without a detailed face. In general, a portrait should portray the personality of someone through a photograph.
09/09/2005 12:42:46 AM · #5
Does a portrait necessarily have to be of a person? What about animals? What about an object, prsented in a formal portrait type style?
09/09/2005 12:43:32 AM · #6
Originally posted by chemlabrat:

To me, a portrait is simply a photograph where the single source of attention is a human model. I would even go so far to say that it gets away from being a portrait without a detailed face. In general, a portrait should portray the personality of someone through a photograph.


thanks! that's all i needed to hear... that cancels out one of my ideas for sure then! appreciate the help
09/09/2005 12:48:20 AM · #7
Originally posted by taterbug:

Does a portrait necessarily have to be of a person? What about animals? What about an object, prsented in a formal portrait type style?


My guess is that a portrait of a person will score best.
09/09/2005 01:06:42 AM · #8
does it have to be one person?
what about a family portrait?
09/09/2005 01:19:39 AM · #9
Good point. I think a family portrait has the potential to score just as high as an individual.
09/09/2005 01:50:22 AM · #10
Originally posted by goodman:

does it have to be one person?
what about a family portrait?


Does it have to be a person at all? What about a portrait of a horse or a dog? Open your minds.
09/09/2005 01:55:31 AM · #11
I don't think a portrait has to be of a human being. In one of the past portrait challenges the 3rd place was a kitten if I remember correctly. Don't be discouraged by the "human" thing, I think a good pet/animal portrait can score well.

June
09/09/2005 02:12:53 AM · #12
Anyone remember Landseer?




09/09/2005 02:15:22 AM · #13
You don't want to be just another year-book type head and shoulders shot. A good portrait should tell you something about the person- show something about them. I would look at things like Annie Liebowitz pictures- like a Rolling Stone magazine cover. I think even old weathered hands doing something or holding a baby or a child's hand could be a good portrait. Tell a story. Get the viewer's interest. Why is this person interesting? Everybody is. Show us.
09/09/2005 06:30:11 AM · #14
Here's what the dictionary says:

Portrait

n.
A likeness of a person, especially one showing the face, that is created by a painter or photographer, for example.
A verbal picture or description, especially of a person.

adj.
Of or relating to the orientation of a page such that the longer side runs from top to bottom.
09/09/2005 08:33:47 AM · #15
A portrait is a person and remember I will not read your title but if you have the word portrait in your title then I will read it and you will get a very low score and if your portrait is an animal I will close my mind or get inside the box and you will be so sorry because I will not be outside the box with you.;-)
09/09/2005 08:46:31 AM · #16
Is there enough room for me in the box? We will sit in the box of narrow-mindedness that believes a portrait is a portrait is a person.
09/09/2005 09:10:11 AM · #17
According to Merriam Webster Dictionary website:
Main Entry: porĀ·trait
Pronunciation: 'pOr-tr&t, 'por-, -"trAt
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle French, from past participle of portraire
1 : PICTURE; especially : a pictorial representation (as a painting) of a person usually showing the face
2 : a sculptured figure : BUST, STATUE
3 : a graphic portrayal in words
It does not concretely restrict the defintion of portrait to only humans if you look at the 3rd defintion or the 2nd fo rthat matter
09/09/2005 09:18:15 AM · #18
I agree that this challenge is pretty much wide open. Technically, just about anything is fair game. But I'm willing to bet if you don't have a human being in the photo, or you have a human and their face isn't shown, the score will suffer. No one is going to vote down a photo of a person showing that person's personality based on not meeting the challenge requirements. It's definately the safest way to go. IMO, I think playing the "cute pet" card is a cop out of trying to take a good technical photo. Kinda like if there was a challenge called "Living room couch" and you took a photo of a cute kitten with a couch somewhere in the background and get halfway decent scores because people say "aww, cute kitten".
09/09/2005 09:40:08 AM · #19
I wouldn't necessarily vote down a picture of an animal simply because it was an animal, but it would be very dangerous. It would have to be set-up quite profoundly for me to score over 6, like the ones above, but i personally would welcome the variety.
09/09/2005 11:25:08 AM · #20
I guess I'm screwed then....................
09/09/2005 07:37:17 PM · #21
Originally posted by Jutilda:

I guess I'm screwed then....................


This is not the forum for confessions!!!!! ;-)
09/09/2005 07:44:12 PM · #22
Are these pics of my kids portraits? Or snapshots? Please advise!
09/09/2005 07:54:42 PM · #23
Originally posted by tazza:

Are these pics of my kids portraits? Or snapshots? Please advise!


in my mind the first one is definitely a portrait and quite a good one, too. the 2nd is borderline because the face isn't toward the camera although that's not always a necessity, i think it should be a very strong photo if the complete face isn't visible. the 3rd pic i would class as a snapshot...very nice for the family album but not up to the standards of entering it in a challenge.

of course, these are just my opinions. your mileage may vary. void where prohibited by law. and we thank you for your support.

:D
09/09/2005 07:59:18 PM · #24
A google search for "animal portrait" gave 1,860,000 results so I don't think an animal portrait is really outside the box.

The only details in the challenge description were about using color. I don't see why entries should be voted lower if they are animal portraits. (You can certainly can show an animal's personality in a picture.)

Just my opinion...
09/09/2005 08:08:17 PM · #25
Thank you for your feedback! I still like the third pic, because of the expression in her eyes!!!
Thierry

Originally posted by sher9204:

Originally posted by tazza:

Are these pics of my kids portraits? Or snapshots? Please advise!


in my mind the first one is definitely a portrait and quite a good one, too. the 2nd is borderline because the face isn't toward the camera although that's not always a necessity, i think it should be a very strong photo if the complete face isn't visible. the 3rd pic i would class as a snapshot...very nice for the family album but not up to the standards of entering it in a challenge.

of course, these are just my opinions. your mileage may vary. void where prohibited by law. and we thank you for your support.

:D
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