We all come from different backgrounds in the art & creative world. Did you originally start out shooting portraits right away when you decided to explore photography? Or were you shooting a different genre? Or better yet, did you practice a different art form and how does that influence your style when you take a portrait?
I came from more of a landscape & outdoor/wildlife style, I believe that's why I have a habit of lining up photos as if I was shooting a landscape image. I also have a trick where I take a portrait when my subject least expects it (whenever having a conversation or taking a small break), that's when I find my subjects behaving their most natural selves. Hence a more natural and engaging expression. (an example is in the photo attached.) When shooting wildlife, you have to be ready at any moment, that's where I picked this up.
It's not exactly an advantage or a fault, I just feel it's engraved in my style whenever I go to take a portrait. What about you?
Oh, and nice shot. Not a bad portrait. Not as sharp as I like and the color is a bit 'juicy' for my taste, but nice bokeh too!
Film. I was making short films when a wiser filmmaker suggested I look into photography as there are great books and websites dedicated to understanding light. I suppose staring in film influences an attempt to capture a moment that is otherwise continuing beyond the life of the instant captured.
I was painting portraits (or at least starting with that). I moved from painting portraits to photographing them. In my opinion, a photographic portrait is superior as a portrait because viewers have a confidence that the photographic portrait was of a real, breathing human being (even if manipulated), while the painted portrait could be totally a product of the painter's imagination.
I started with landscapes and product photography.
I was strictly a video guy.. and one of the first to shoot DSLR video. I worked for Miss Universe (under Trump lol) and shot video content for digital. There was a big photoshoot planned with 3 of the winning beauty queens including Miss Universe herself. At the last minute the guy who was supposed to shoot it quit.. and they said.. hey Tom you have a DSLR can you just do this? So yeah that was my first time shooting portraits and haven't looked back since!
I started with events and eventually made my way into portraiture. Not dealing with drunk people all the time is definitely what made me make the permanent switch haha!
Started with portraits on the street. Now shoot in a studio. I control the shoot. I use a monitor, tethered. I set the lighting. And then, sometimes I stop the shot and sometimes I don't.
I was so excited when I discovered photography. I just about shot landscape/still life or anything I found inspirational. It wasn't until I had a dream to do a project for cancer patients, that I start doing portraits. I have taken classes here and there. Mostly self taught.
I started shooting in the streets of NYC. I got into Instagram and started learning about color correction with different apps and what not. After my older brother let me use his DSLR for a couple of weeks I never looked back. I did lots of "street" photography and with time I got small gigs shooting corporate events. I fell in love with taking images of people and that started my fascination with portraits.
I was always too intimidated to shoot people. Then someone asked me to take their portrait out of the blue, so after many attempts to convince them that I wasn't their guy, I ended up giving it a shot.