Portrait photography question: I wondered if anyone could help or advise with regards to portraits. My question is, when it comes to portraits, is it considered acceptable to class a...

scruffyherbert Loc: St Ives, UK

I wondered if anyone could help or advise with regards to portraits.
My question is, when it comes to portraits, is it considered acceptable to class a head shot of a sculpture/statue as a portrait?
I only ask because there's a local newspaper competition that has various categories and one of them is portraits. As it's not an area I've ventured into photography wise, I wondered if I could use something other than human/animal.

The image I was considering entering is below.

Also, if it doesn't follow any "rules" of portrait photography I'd be grateful for any pointers.

At Peace

Wall-E Loc: Phoenix, AZ

scruffyherbert wrote:

I wondered if anyone could help or advise with reg... (show quote)

You'd really be better off asking those running the competition.
Any opinions expressed here are not binding on those at the newspaper.

BTW, nice pic!

Wahawk Loc: NE IA

Very nice picture, but in MOST competitions when they have a "Portrait" category they are wanting photographs of actual living people. Sometimes the rules with include pet or animal portraits as well. I have not seen any where statue 'portraits' were considered acceptable.

HOWEVER, as already mentioned, for FINAL definition you would need to carefully review their rules and ask THEM your questions.

scruffyherbert Loc: St Ives, UK

Thanks for the replies.

Unfortunately the rules are non existent and the terms and conditions don't stress any particular requirements other than you must live in the paper's circulation area and be a non professional photographer.

Knowing what the newspaper is like it will be very traditional in it's interpretations so I think I have a new photographic discipline to venture into :)

Thanks again :thumbup:

dwightdills Loc: Charlotte, Tn.

Portrait - Wikipedia

A portrait is a painting, photograph, sculpture, or other artistic representation of a person, in which the face and its expression is predominant. The intent is to display the likeness, personality, and even the mood of the person. For this reason, in photography a portrait is generally not a snapshot, but a composed image of a person in a still position. A portrait often shows a person looking directly at the painter or photographer, in order to most successfully engage the subject with the viewer.

Chinaman Loc: Adelaide, South Australia, Australia

No. It is one of those unspoken rules. Another is no dead animals for a wildlife/animal category. Your shot is very nicely done and is considered a record of another person's artistic work. However, they are acceptable in a picture if they form a part of your creative process and important to the final image. For example, a statue in a scenic shot of town square for a travel or cityscape category. In your shot above, if you had a real person who looks like the statue and is placed next to it, the shot will be accepted as you are using the statue to show a likeness of the two, telling a story and maybe injecting some humour. Your current image can be submitted for a Record/Still Life category, but not portraiture.

KenL Loc: West OZ

Hi Scruffy, nice shot but winning portraits are all about showing Emotion and personality. The image should speak for its self in telling the story of the subject. eg grief, pain, sorrow, happiness et al. Good luck

scruffyherbert Loc: St Ives, UK

dwightdills wrote:

Portrait - Wikipedia br br A portrait is a painti... (show quote)

Thanks for that dwight, I apprecaite it.

scruffyherbert Loc: St Ives, UK

Chinaman wrote:

No. It is one of those unspoken rules. Another is ... (show quote)

Thanks a lot Chinaman. Some great advice there and it makes perfect sense. Thanks for valuable info, it's appreciated.

scruffyherbert Loc: St Ives, UK

KenL wrote:

Hi Scruffy, nice shot but winning portraits are all about showing Emotion and personality. The image should speak for its self in telling the story of the subject. eg grief, pain, sorrow, happiness et al. Good luck

Thanks Ken and I appreciate your help. I'm going to have to up my game and have a go at portraits. All part of the fun of photography :thumbup:

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

scruffyherbert wrote:

I wondered if anyone could help or advise with regards to portraits.
The image I was considering entering is below.

I'd like to see more light on the subject's face.

Jaime Loc: Los Angeles

By definition, a sculpture is already a portrait of a person captured by an artist. Would you take a picture of the Mona Lisa and call it a portrait? I would say no. Even if the rules say differently, your sense as a photographer should be to capture something unique, a moment, a gesture, light or color. I don't think a sculpture qualifies. My 2.

jerryc41 Loc: Catskill Mts of NY

Jaime wrote:

By definition, a sculpture is already a portrait of a person captured by an artist. Would you take a picture of the Mona Lisa and call it a portrait? I would say no. Even if the rules say differently, your sense as a photographer should be to capture something unique, a moment, a gesture, light or color. I don't think a sculpture qualifies. My 2.

At least you wouldn't have to tell him to stand still or turn one way or the other.

Papa Joe Loc: Midwest U.S.

scruffyherbert wrote:

I wondered if anyone could help or advise with reg... (show quote)

It seems most opinions are negative, but why not enter it in the competition and see if it's rejected? Good photo.

LLucas Loc: Upstate South Carolina, USA

It is a great photo- I agree, try it and see. Then let us know!