Getting Personal With Portraits

A portrait will always be a personal image for the subject it captures. Our own face is something we find so familiar and yet so alien. It fills us with curiosity about how others see us and how we see ourselves.

But for the photographer, the camera can easily create a sense of separation from their subject. The person in front of their lens can quickly become little more than a shape; a technical problem to be solved, or an exercise for their craft.

In the above video, we invite three photographers to a portrait shoot where the gap between shooter and subject is removed, exploring what happens to a photographer’s experience when portraits become truly personal.

When you become the subject of a portrait, you’re vulnerable. And how much of yourself you’re willing to reveal is going to change the outcome of the image.

REFLECT is another experiment from THE LAB, a series designed to shift creative thinking behind the lens. Special thanks to the photographers who participated. You can explore their final images below.

Portrait photograph taken by Seshanka Samarajiwa.  

Portrait photograph taken by Josh Groom. Find Josh on his website and Instagram.

Portrait photograph taken by Harri Gilbert. Find Harri on his Instagram.