Writing assignment 1

One of the most common subjects in all art history is people. The reason for this is because its so easy to convey human emotions because everyone has most likely felt something similar in their life. While we all can connect to works of art emotionally, its also interesting to document other people because we are all so different. We all come in different shapes and sizes. We also have different interests and likes and dislikes. To photograph man is to document life as its happening, No two individuals are ever exactly the same person.


Portrait artists main goal is to make a successful and intriguing piece of artwork based on their subject. Some artists really try to create a very realistic view of the person, trying to depict how they look, possibly where they come from, and other qualities of the person they want to get across. They convey this all while attempting keeping their artistic style within the painting, photograph, or whatever at form their work is. Others just think about how people will see their work, and make the work what they want it to be, whether it is the person within their true form or not. In general though, Portrait artists are trying to depict life as we know it.


Photographic portraits are definitely one of the quickest portraits. With the push of a button and the sound of a shutter you've just caught the identity of a person and their emotions on film (or an SD card in some cases).  Other medias take time to complete, although i feel they have more freedom because they start with a blank canvas and can do anything. Who you want to photograph as a portraitist has to exist or you make them exist. This allows for pictures of people in their truest and raw form. Painters, and other hands on medias, without even helping it most likely put their individual spin and style on the subject. I think photographic portraits are also more visually intriguing because you see the acutual person, not a depiction of them. 

Pablo Picasso by Irving Penn

Jacob Israel Avedon by Richard Avedon

Peshiwar by Steve McCurry