Hey there stranger!
Have you ever wondered, why would people want their portrait taken? Cause I have! And it has become a question that helped me understand the service and art I create as a photographer. It also helps me understand the other side of the spectrum and position myself as the subject or client. In order to better understand this, we need to first understand that through photography we are preserving a memory. But what is a memory?
A memory is a mental faculty that allows an individual to recall past experiences or information. It is the mental process of encoding, storing, and retrieving information, which allows us to remember things that have happened to us or that we have learned in the past. Our memories allow us to recall the past, including important events, people, and experiences, which can help us to make better decisions in the present and future. They also play a crucial role in our personal identity and sense of self, allowing us to remember who we are and where we come from. Memories can also be a source of joy and emotional connection, helping us to relive happy moments and stay connected to loved ones who are no longer with us. So, now that we know the importance of memories, we can fathom how important our job is as a photographer and even more so a portrait photographer.
Capturing a moment of morning light. Photographed by Yeya Monroig.
In short terms, when we take a portrait photo of a person, we are preserving their memory in a certain time and place in the world as we know it. When you think about this, isn’t this an important, but overlooked service for humanity?! This gives me chills every time I sit and think about it.
A portrait photo can help in preserving memories by providing a visual record of a person or moment in time. When we look at a portrait, it can help us to remember the person or moment that it captures, allowing us to relive the experience and retain the memory for a longer period of time. This can be especially important for memories that are particularly meaningful or significant to us, such as memories of loved ones or important milestones in our lives. Portrait photos can also serve as a physical reminder of a person or moment, even if the memory itself begins to fade over time.
Portrait of Isabel Arraiza, film and theater actress. Photographed by Yeya Monroig.
Now that we have reached this point, we can finally answer our main question: Why do people need portrait photography? Well, in superhero terms, when we photograph a person, we are preserving them in time and space indefinitely. We are creating a checkpoint in the universe of a moment in that person’s timeline, whether it is a special moment, a new achievement, moving up in their professional ladder or just wanting to remember themselves in a certain age, we as portrait photographers are there to capture and preserve it, AND give it our special artistic vision. We can talk about artistic vision in another blog post soon!
I hope that through this blog post I’ve helped you understand the importance of our job as portrait photographers and artists. As a professional it is important to me to shine light on these topics because every now and then we lose sight of why we are doing this and how we are contributing to the universe with our gift.
Thank you for taking the time to read this blog! I look forward to sharing more on being a portrait photographer.
Stay tuned for the next blog post!
Xx, Yeya