What Is The Difference Between Normal and Portrait Photography?

By Leigh B. Maynard 1 year ago

The Uniqueness of Photography

Photography is an art that gives a unique and un-conceived view of each and every thing. Each photographer, being a unique artist tries to capture each and every photo in a unique way. In photography, each angle and pose is important. Based on these major factors, photography can be classified in various types. One of them is the portrait photography.

Main Features of Portrait Photography

For the professional photographers, portrait photography is not a new issue. It is basically portraiture of any person or object’s face. It also aims to highlight the expressions, moods and the personality of the subject. The entire body can be included as per clients request. Generally, the photos are clicked lengthwise making sure that the focus is more on the subject.

Portrait photography, being a part of photography has many distinct features that make them different from the normal photography. While the normal photography may include a focus on the person’s face or may focus on the background, portraitures make sure that the person whose photo is being clicked, have their face or the bodice exactly in main focus.

Role of Lighting as Difference

Lighting is another factor that plays a big role in portrait photos. In portrait photography, since the main focus is on the subject, photographers make sure that most of the light falls on the subject. Other kinds of lighting that are used in portrait photos are:

  • Three-point lighting that itself includes:

1. Key light,

2. Fill in light,

3. Accent light and kicker,

  • Butterfly lighting.

Normal photography includes lighting for different kinds of poses. Some of these important types are:

  • Natural lighting,
  • Window lighting,
  • Outdoor lighting,
  • Flash or Speed light,
  • Ambient lighting,
  • Interior lighting,
  • Studio lighting and many more.

Types Of Normal And Portrait Photography

Portrait photography itself gets divided in many subtypes which include the following:

· Traditional portrait,

· Candid portrait,

· Environmental portrait,

· Glamour portrait,

· Lifestyle portrait,

· Surreal portrait,

· Conceptual portrait and

· Abstract portrait.

Normal photography on the other hand, due to its wider scope includes many types and their respective sub-types.

  • Landscape,
  • Commercial,
  • Astrological,
  • Artistic,
  • Social documentary,
  • Vernacular,
  • Panoramic,
  • Underwater,
  • High-speed,
  • Food,
  • Lo-fi,
  • Fashion,
  • Wildlife,
  • Night,
  • Conceptual,
  • Old-time,
  • Straight,
  • Sub-miniature photography and many more.

Thus we can say Portrait photography is a specific type of photography where in main focus is kept on the subject being photographed. And as we have specific focus then we definitely need a specific lighting arrangement for that.

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