Aiming to capture the identity, essence, and personality of an individual isn’t a new concept. Since the invention of the camera in the 1800s, professional and amateur photographers alike have been obsessed with portrait photography—a type of photography that emphasizes the subject through composition, light, and other factors.
Portrait photography has developed into many distinct styles that each tell a story and focus on a different photo element. Curious about the different types of portrait photography? Whether you want to develop your camera skills or learn more about portrait photography, understanding the key concepts of each type can help you differentiate between them and figure out which type you want to explore further.
What Is Portrait Photography?
Portrait photography is a type of photography that aims to capture a person or group of people. These photos can be candid, shot in a studio, artistic, or clinical. Capturing a subject’s personality with just a camera lens can be tricky, which is why posing, lighting, and composition are important elements of a portrait photograph. The aim of a portrait is to convey a story and the identity of the subject behind the lens. Because of this, portrait photography is commonly referred to as photography that captures the essence of humanity.
While other elements, like the architecture and surroundings, can also be captured in a portrait photograph, the main focus should always be on the person or people in the portrait. Any additional elements should support the overarching story, message, or emotion the portrait photo represents.
1. Traditional Portraits (Headshots)
You’ve probably had a school yearbook photo or college graduation photo taken. These are traditional portraits, also known as headshots. Out of all the different types of portrait photography, headshots have a distinct focus on the face, with nothing distracting from it. Lighting is kept clean and simple to highlight the face in a flattering way, and backgrounds are usually one color or simple in design to frame the hair and face.
Because of this strict emphasis on the face, headshots are usually taken from the chest up. Only the hair, neck, collarbones, and head are clearly visible in the shot, allowing for unparalleled focus. While traditional portraits are associated with in-studio portraits and overly formal poses and backgrounds, modern headshots often incorporate some creative elements, like props, varying poses, and even graphic or bright backgrounds. This shift toward more creative headshots is driven by the modern need for individuality and artistic freedom.
With the rise in popularity of traditional portraits, like modeling headshots and corporate headshots, comes an increase in the popularity of AI headshot generators like Portrait Pal. Portrait Pal is a cost-effective and convenient alternative to traditional headshot photographers, which can be time-consuming and expensive. By using your existing photos and selfies, Portrait Pal creates high-quality professional headshots in just a few hours, ready to be used on LinkedIn, on company or personal websites, on social media, and more.
2. Environmental Portraits
Your immediate environment can paint a clear picture of who you are as a person. This is why environmental portraits are a common type of portrait photography, loved by photographers and art lovers around the world. Environmental portraits are different from the other types as the subject may not be the main focus, or may be too far away to see properly. The main focus is how the subject or group of people fit into the environment, and what this means for their story or personality.
Despite the name, environmental portraits aren’t just capturing elements of nature. In this context, “environmental” refers to the setting or atmosphere of the subject. For example, if a photographer is shooting a story about poverty in developing countries, the subject could be surrounded by their living conditions or even other members of their community. Or, if the story is about the type of work an individual does, you’ll likely see the subject engrossed in their work, with the full context of their workplace captured in the photograph. These types of portraits usually elaborate on stories around race, climate change, culture, and wider societal issues.
Due to the sometimes raw and poignant nature of environmental portraits, you will often find these types of photographs in online publications, newspapers, or magazines like National Geographic. Environmental portrait photographers almost never shoot in a studio. Instead, it’s common for them to be intrepid explorers, scouting various regions in their country or continents to find stories that resonate.
3. Group Portraits
From weddings to parties to Christmas gatherings, group portraits are another type of portrait photography you have probably experienced. Classified as a “portrait depicting three or more people, or a large group of people,” group portraits aren’t as intimate as traditional portraits, and they may not convey as strong a story as environmental portraits. However, group portraits are favorites among families and communities because they show the passing of time and accentuate the strong bonds within the group.
However, group photos aren’t just for personal use. Commercial group photos are common, especially for promotional stills for a new TV show, a group photo of your colleagues and the company execs, or even group photos showing a significant moment in time, like a presidential election or a product launch.
Group portraits can be candid or staged, shot in-studio or outside, and can encompass elements of other types of portrait photography. Ultimately, group photos aren’t the most innovative type of photography, but they can be one of the most nostalgic, capturing a moment in time with some of your loved ones at a gathering.
4. Self-Portraits
When you think of self-portraits, selfies are often the first thing that comes to mind. Selfies are the most common type of self-portrait due to how accessible they are. We have all likely taken at least one selfie in our lifetime. The fascinating thing about selfies is that they can be multifaceted—either highly flattering and filtered or unflattering, to illustrate an emotion we felt at that time. Either way, selfies accurately capture what we looked like and our thought process at that moment in time.
Immortalizing ourselves in art isn’t a new concept: The self-portrait was popularized by famous artists like Vincent Van Gogh and Pablo Picasso. In fact, self-portraits have become an essential type of portrait based on our knowledge of art history. They are something the subject wants to be remembered by, and that provides insights into their life and state of mind.
Self-portraits are likely to be used for personal rather than commercial reasons, especially if you’re simply capturing a selfie with your mobile phone. Because of this, self-portraits are likely the first type of portrait photography you have taken or been a part of.
5. Conceptual Portraits
As one of the most inventive types of portrait photography, conceptual portraits are all about taking the ordinary and making it extraordinary. Rather than taking a simple and straightforward photo of a person, conceptual portrait photographers aim to convey an overarching narrative, idea, or story, based on the photo’s composition and other artistic elements.
Because of this, conceptual portraits are a popular type of modern art. In such portraits, the subject’s face may not be the main focus or the feature that attracts the eye first. Props and lighting can highlight the story the photographer wants to tell. Most importantly, conceptual portraits aren’t meant to display the subject in the most flattering light. Instead, real and authentic expressions (both positive and negative) are encouraged to enhance the storytelling.
Interestingly, conceptual portraits are most common in advertisements to sell products and services, or to convey a deeper message that the brand or organization is trying to tell. Conceptual portraits are also common in high fashion shoots and beauty campaigns.
6. Candid Portraits
Candid portraits are all about capturing the subject or group of subjects as naturally as possible. This could mean catching them off guard, engrossed in their hobby or work, in motion, or doing some type of meaningful activity. Due to the discreet nature of this type of portrait photography, candid portraits can be highly intimate and even exhibitionary. As more of the population shifts toward authentic and creative photography over staged or overly formal photography in commercial settings, you can expect to see candid portraits rising in popularity.
Candid portraits usually incorporate the whole body, not just the chest and head. Street photography is a subtype of candid portraits, as long as the subjects are not stopping to pose. However, the subject doesn’t need to be completely unaware that they’re being photographed. As long as they are in motion and are not stopping to consider the camera, it can be classified as a candid portrait.
Professional photographers are not the only people who like to take candid portraits of others. If you’ve ever taken a picture of a loved one who isn’t posing for you, you have taken a candid portrait. Sometimes, candid portraits can be the most striking and tell the strongest stories. By focusing on spontaneity instead of staging the perfect shot, candid portraits can be the most revealing of the human essence.
7. Glamor Portraits
Also referred to as boudoir portraits, glamor portraits are all about enhancing the subject’s beauty through various lighting, camera techniques, and poses. Glamor portraits are one of the more experimental types of portrait photography, and generally a lot of creative freedom is given to the subject and photographer.
Glamor portraits have evolved from the once-popular black-and-white boudoir portraits of the 20th century. Nowadays, glamor could mean anything from high-fashion influence, sexy poses, and bold makeup looks to beautifully composed portraits of a subject that highlight their inner and outer beauty. In these types of portrait photography, beauty is a high priority. You won’t find the authentic or harsh profiles commonly seen in environmental portraits. Instead, expect to find soft filters and gently dappled lighting.
Glamor portraits are popular among celebrities because they present the subject in the most flattering light possible. Because of this, glamor portraits often cross over with high fashion editorial photographs, and you will see them in ads and media promotional material.
Portrait Photography: Frequently Asked Questions
Where can portrait photographs be used?
Portrait photography is one of the most versatile types of photography. Since it accurately represents what the subject looks like now, it can be utilized anywhere a representation is required—including on social media and company websites, in magazines and other publications, and in physical photo frames.
Generally, portrait photographs are used for commercial or personal reasons. On the personal side, portrait photographs can be commissioned for special occasions like a yearbook photo, wedding, or college graduation. They can also be taken to keep in a meaningful photo album, in your wallet, or as a social media profile picture.
On the commercial side, portrait photographs can be included in magazines and publications to tell a story or illustrate a message. Most magazine cover stars will have a portrait photograph taken to accompany their editorial story. Companies and brands can also choose to add a human face to their business by displaying portrait photos of models, brand ambassadors, or employees on ad billboards, on their company website, and in other marketing collateral.
What’s the most common type of portrait photography?
Currently, the most common type of portrait photography is the traditional portrait, also known as the headshot. Headshots can be traditional or creative, so they’re versatile and interchangeable.
Candid headshots are the most common, but studio headshots (professional headshots) are rising in popularity. With a combination of studio lights, backgrounds, and professional photography equipment, professional headshots are becoming a necessity for students and working professionals, as it shows them in their best light.
You’ll see professional headshots on company pages, on business cards, or as LinkedIn profile pictures. With more people aware of the impact a headshot can have on their hireability and reputation, headshots will likely remain the most common type of portrait photography far into the future.
Which type of portrait photography should I choose?
Unless you’re taking a portrait photograph for a specific purpose, like a lawyer headshot or environmental portrait for a client commission, many types of portrait photography are interchangeable. Choosing which type to shoot will depend on your subject and the reason behind the photograph.
Many photographers have taken more than one type of portrait in their lifetime. Exploring facets of different types can help you figure out your niche, develop your photography or posing skills, and realize what types of portraits you prefer to take (or have taken of you). You can always try a few different types of portrait photography and discover which type is your favorite to shoot or which resonates most with the type of art and photography you want to create.
Why is portrait photography so popular?
Photographers often say that humans are the most interesting subjects to photograph, due to our expressions and individual characters. We are social creatures, meaning we naturally love to document candid moments or important events in the lives of the people closest to us. Whether that’s a portrait of our favorite celebrity, our children, politicians and other public figures, or cultures around the world, portrait photos have long intrigued and entertained the general population.
All these reasons make portrait photography a popular choice for amateur and professional photographers looking to develop their skills. And with so many people, groups, and communities around the world left to photograph, the opportunities are endless.