P#28: An Casual Portrait of a Girl with Braided Hair
This shot of the girl with braided hair proves that the best portraits aren't always traditional
When Cheryl Dorskind took this portrait of a girl with braided hair, she wasn't necessarily interested in capturing a traditional portrait pose. Rather, she wanted to capture the true spirit of the subject of the shot. Here she explains how and why she did it...
Capturing Charisma and Mood
Cheryl Dorskind: This is my older daughter, who is now 22. She certainly doesn't like this picture, but I love it. To me, this picture represents who my daughter was. Her whole personality comes through. The whole mood of Nicole shines through to me. (click the image for a larger version)
This shot reminds me that a great portrait isn't always about a smiley face or eyes looking straight at the camera. There's a lot of variation. A great portrait is really about capturing what you're looking for, or what your client is looking for if you're doing it for commission.
In this picture Nicole really wanted to have her hair braided like you see. The lighting was just gorgeous and I said, "You have to let me take your picture." The way her hair frames her face is just beautiful. It creates a nice circle of light. This is a subliminal geometric message there.
In Closing
Sometimes the best portraits aren't the ones you pose properly for. The best portraits capture the essence of who you really are, and that can mean a less traditional approach to posing. This photograph of the girl with braided hair is the perfect example of that fact.
« P#28: A Lighthearted Shot of a Flute Player by the Waves | Home | P#28: An Adorable Shot of a Toddler Boy »
