Facial expression

<p>How much does facial express matter to your perception of a portrait photo? </p>

<p>Does a smile, scowl, or neutral expression matter? or is one subject to more interpretation than another thereby thought to be more artistic? </p>

<p>It's absolutely critical. The merest movement of an eyebrow, the mouth, the direction of the gaze, the turn of the head .... it all affects the final result. I can remember portrait sessions where I have shot 4 rolls of 36 exposures and only had 3 or 4 shots I really like.</p><div></div>

<p>50 - 70% with the remaining percents more or less needed to criticize all imaginable mistakes made by others until the final print.<br>

Something otherwise perfect can be ruined by lousy color management too...<br>

Portraits are about the people they are depicting so the facial expression is close to evrything.</p>

<p>In people photographs, whether they are candids or formal, if the expression isn't right, why press the shutter release?</p><div></div>

It depends. People have a large repertoire of facial expressions. And we can't help but display one of them. Which one is "the right one"?<br>A single one of them may be more sympathetic with how you feel about or see that person, and for that reason be the one you like to capture for a 'true' likeness. But the person is of course more than just that face, so it may be desirable to capture other expressions. Which one(s) depends on what you are after.<br><br>Now what would that be, an "artistic" expression?

<p>Michael, it seems to be that all facial expressions are on equal footing with each other when it comes to artistic value. What makes the enterprise more challenging and more interesting is that the appropriateness of an expression depends on the context of the photograph. If, for example, a subject is displaying sadness, a smile wouldn't work. </p>

<p> </p>

<p>Many people smile even in sadness, so a sad smile can be a very poignant expression to offer. Consider all the laughter back at the house among the family after some funerals. There's plenty of sadness to be found in that laughter. ("Sweet sorrow") We are complex beings, rarely feeling or exhibiting a single emotion at a time. Express that complexity, and often a more lifelike, empathetic and compelling/intriguing portrait may occur. That could involve the ambiguity or mystique arising from an expression seeming <em>in</em>appropriate to the context. Hector's portrait above also shows the importance of gesture, something crucial to consider as part of the expressiveness of a photo. In addition to the face, the body and often especially the hands show expression, and the photo itself is an expression (often of the photographer even with a portrait of someone). A good portrait is an orchestration of expression.</p>

>>> How much does facial express matter to your perception of a portrait photo? Does a smile, scowl, or neutral expression matter?<P>

 

Very much so. To both.

 

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<img src= "http://www.citysnaps.net/2014%20Photos/Delondra%203.jpg"><BR>

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Delondra • Street Portrait, San Francisco • ©Brad Evans 2014

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<p>What's a portrait without an expression, even if the expression is intentionally blank? I've taken some of people in masks, but isn't the expression a highly visible part of most portraits? And then doesn't it become a key part of the image?</p>

 

<center><img src="http://spirer.com/images/angelique1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="525" /></center>

<p>Well I suppose I have taken a few without facial expression and still like them. </p>

 

<center><img src="http://spirer.com/images/sandman1.jpg" alt="" width="700" height="467" /></center>

<p>This is an expression some friends have described as pensive that somehow solicits more view-time than "simpler" expressions such as a smile or some other obvious expression, hence the question. </p>

<p><img src="http://d6d2h4gfvy8t8.cloudfront.net/4470014-lg.jpg" alt="" width="800" height="531" /></p>

 

<blockquote>

<p>It's absolutely critical. The merest movement of an eyebrow, the mouth, the direction of the gaze, the turn of the head .... it all affects the final result. I can remember portrait sessions where I have shot 4 rolls of 36 exposures and only had 3 or 4 shots I really like.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>Chris, I completely understand and I don't even shoot that many portraits. I have the most trouble shooting my own self portrait. I end up wearing out my camera batteries chimping, reshooting and trashing over and over again.</p>

<p>If it isn't the wrong angle of the lighting, the tilt of the head, too much wide angle or too close to the lens, too much toothy smile distorting the shape of the face and bone structure, what I thought looked great through the viewfinder is just bizarre, sinister and unnatural looking.</p>

<p>I don't know how cinematographers can get it right 24 frames a second, but shooting close ups of actors has got to be the most sensitive and nuanced.</p>

<p>Here's an idea of just how nuanced facial expressions can be with just the most simplest lines...</p>

<p>http://terahdrawing.files.wordpress.com/2012/04/hamm_faces.jpg</p>

<p>That was my first cartooning lesson back when I was 12 after checking out "Cartooning The Head and Figure" by Jack Hamm at my local library. It taught me a lot about drawing expressions.</p>

<p>Absolutely critical. That doesn't mean they all have to be smiling, but different expressions give different meanings to the same picture.</p>

<p>I agree with many of the other poster here already, that expression is the essence of a portrait, you can’t “not” have expression. I believe humans have an almost infinite range of expressions, most of them not even conscious, but all expressions are a form of communication, pre-verbal and sometimes cultural and learned, but many I suspect are innate. I love doing portraits, and I tend to wait for a certain look into the camera with the eyes. It creates a certain energy that goes right to the viewer. I’m not concerned it there is smiling or not. It’s the connection. </p><div></div>

<p>I generally want more than just a great expression though, as has been said, a great expression will often be the most important start or foundation for a portrait. I'm looking for a compelling or engaging or interesting <em>photo</em>, so there's got to be more, generally speaking. For me, a lot of elements will often come together in a portrait, including the photographer's thoughtfulness, expressiveness, and/or instincts in response to the subject of the portrait or the expression on the subject's face. That so often brings an expression alive and helps establish the connection we may feel to the subject. That can be a matter of environment playing an important role in the frame rather than simply acting as discardable background, it can be compositional expressiveness echoing or supporting the personality of the subject, it can be color choices, tonal choices if in black and white, lighting and contrast choices. An expression can be made by the light in the eyes or light and darkness that helps breathe life into the photo. Storytelling can be very important in a portrait. Michael, in talking about a portrait's being subject to interpretation, IMO, any expression (smile, frown, enigmatic, surprise, ennui) can be so if the photographer creates some degree of complexity (or sophisticated simplicity) with the elements, aspects, and photographic qualities and choices at her disposal. </p>

<p>It seems to me that facial expression, especially a highly nuanced expression, is one of those hit-or-miss things that happens more often by chance or discovered post-shutter than by effort on the photographer's part. </p>

<p>It happens too quickly for photographers to react (as per discussion on frame rate <a href="/nikon-camera-forum/00cwHa">here</a>). </p>

<p>If indeed that is the case, how can one modify ones approach to portrait photography without the benefit of high frame rate? </p>

 

<p>Anticipate. Empathize. And be prepared for it by giving that expression you sense may come photographic space and story to work.</p>

<p>Somewhat related and rather interesting are articles from the perspective of Russians on "Why don't Russians smile?".<br>

<a href="https://www.google.ca/search?q=why+don%27t+russians+smile">https://www.google.ca/search?q=why+don%27t+russians+smile</a></p>

<blockquote>

<p>It happens too quickly for photographers to react...<br>

<br /> If indeed that is the case, how can one modify ones approach to portrait photography without the benefit of high frame rate?</p>

</blockquote>

<p>One way is to get your subject to talk to you about something they are passionate about or have them relate an event in their life that made them happy, laugh or excited. Get them into a focused state of mind that draws their attention away from being aware they are about to be photographed.</p>

<p>Although I tried that on one subject, after I told him I wanted to photograph him in his natural, relaxed state, as he was telling me one of his stories, he'ld stop talking, adjust his pose and facial expression right when I lifted the camera. So I just kept the camera pointed at him as he continued on. I still didn't get the shot I wanted.</p>

<p>I think the key is you have to allow them more time to get into their story in order to get them in this focused state of mind.</p>

<p>Trying to keep people from posing and adjusting from their normal, relaxed conversation face is one of the hardest things for me to do. I'm surmising most folks subconsciously or consciously remember their best look from years of posing in front of a mirror and in some knee jerk way feel they need to exert some control on the outcome of their photographed likeness.</p><div></div>

<blockquote>

<p>It happens too quickly for photographers to react...</p>

</blockquote>

<p>This doesn't seem the case to me. Photographers have been getting great expressions in portraits for more than a century because they're quick enough or savvy or experienced or in touch with what they're doing and who they're shooting. I don't think it's usually hit or miss and definitely not completely up to chance, though chance always can play a welcome role. To get the shot below, while Chris was shaving I moved around a couple of floor lamps in the room to get the kind of lighting I felt would work. When I got into a good shooting position, as he was finishing rinsing off his face, I quickly said his name, assuming he'd look up. I couldn't predict the exact expression, but I anticipated the moment and the in-the-midst-of type of expression I was likely to get. (As with Hector's shot above, the hand was important to me as well.)</p><div></div>

<blockquote>

<p>It seems to me that facial expression, especially a highly nuanced expression, is one of those hit-or-miss things that happens more often by chance or discovered post-shutter than by effort on the photographer's part.</p>

</blockquote>

<p>I disagree, and agree with Fred above that it is possible to anticipate expressions. Particularly when people are speaking, you can adapt to their cadence and predict what part of a phrase they are likely to emphasize. That emphasis will play into their expressions. I'll attach an example: a speaker, at a rally in 2008, was passionate about marriage equality but at the same time humorous about some statements by the opposition. I think all that shows in the photo.</p><div></div>

<p>Hector, the pictured woman's "goose bumps" tell quite a bit about how she feels about public speaking. Thanks to the sharpness of digital.</p>

<p>That's the first thing I spotted over what her facial expression conveys which, if you hadn't given the back story on, I wouldn't have made the connection she was speaking about something controversial or funny. You're making your point in hindsight established from what you already know about the image and not taking into consideration in how it will be communicated to others without a back story.</p>

<p>I'm just in agreement with what Fred, Hector and Tim have been saying. I've been shooting spontaneous, "documentary" portraits for over 40 years and my experience is that I just focus intensely on my subject and wait for that moment when his or her expression "triggers" a certain reaction in my brain which automatically prompts my finger to press the shutter. This happens way too fast to think about what you are going to do and so forth. Its more of an instinct or reflex, which is faster than the usual mental processing. Maybe its more that I'm having an emotional reaction triggering the reflex. I don't know what I am going to see with any individual subject, but when something interesting happens, my finger just hits the shutter. Its like "I know it when I see it." Time seems to slow down during this time when I am intensely focusing on the subject. I tune out all the other senses except the visual for those moments, which could be very brief. So, for me its not "hit or miss," and I don't feel things are "happening too quickly." </p>

You've asked an interesting question. Define "portrait".

Th reason for asking “your” definition of portrait, is that the definition you apply will seem to answer your

question automatically.

 

This, is the definition according to the encyclopedia:

 

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.

 

Based on that definition, the answer to your question is “it is the predominant thing”.

 

However, if you go to the photo,net gallery page and do a search using the portrait as the “tag”, among many

images pulled up, you'll find this one:

 

http://www.photo.net/photo/17901872

 

And, as you can't see a facial expression when all you're looking at is the back of a head, it would seem that

according to photonet, the answer to your question would be “it's irrelevant”

 

The Photonet definition of portrait seems to disagree with the encyclopedia's definition. Guess it depends on

who you believe. The experts at the encyclopedia, or the experts at photonet.