1. What are the main differences and similarities
between portraits in the early days of photography and portraits today?
 |
| This is an example of how the physionotace was used. |
Portraits in the early days are
somewhat different from portraits done today. The key differences between the
two are the ways they are produced and the styles of portraits. A lot of
portraits in the earlier days were created by hand. One example is the
miniature portrait. This portrait took up to several weeks to create. The
artist would carefully reproduce a face. By doing this, the artist can choose
what characteristics to emphasize. After this era, the physionotrace was
created. This device basically reflected an image of the subject and the artist
would trace it. The major flaw in this style was that the images would have a
frozen expression to them. Nowadays photographers create portraits with the use
of digital cameras. The portraits are created instantly. Another main
difference between portraits today and in earlier days is that usually the rich
could only afford them. Lawyers, doctors, and celebrities were mainly the only
groups of people who could afford to have their portraits done. In today’s
society anyone can have a portrait done as long as a camera is available. The
main similarity between portraits in the earlier days and in today’s society is
that portraits still have the same purpose. Portraits are meant to capture and
portray a person’s image. Enhancing the image allows certain features and
expressions to stand out in the image.
2. Who was the photographer and who was the subject of photographs in the past and today?
 |
This is a picture of President Abraham
Lincoln taken at Matthew Brady's Studio
|
The photographers in the past
were mainly artists who knew how to process or create images. The photographer
would be in charge of taking pictures of the subject and then processing it.
They had to do this in a timely manor in order to meet the demands of their
clientele. Photographers were also inventors. They would try to create ways to
make the portrait making process easier. For example the use of dry glazed
paper over glass since it was lighter and less fragile. Nowadays the
photographer is anyone who has a camera. They are able to create portraits at
the click of a button. In the past the subject of portraits were mainly the rich.
These people were able to afford the fees needed to create a portrait. One
example is Matthew Brady’s studio. This studio was a luxurious studio catering
to doctors, lawyers, politicians and anyone who could afford it. Nowadays the
subjects of photographs are anyone and anything. People and nature are today’s
current subjects for portraits since it can be done by anyone as long as they
have access to a camera.
3. What was the impact of technology on the portraits in the past and today?
 |
An example of how silhouette
portraits were made. |
The impact of technology on
portraits in the past and today has greatly affected the whole process.
Portraits used to take days and even weeks to create. The artist needed time to
perfect the portrait. Nowadays with the invention of the camera and photo
editing tools, editing can be done in a matter of minutes. The artist can take
any shot and once they apply editing techniques on Photoshop the errors cannot
even be seen. The advance in technology also saves artists’ time. If errors
were done in the past, the artist would have to restart the whole process.
Nowadays if an error is made, the artist can just delete the photo and retake
it. Also technology has impacted portraits as they have evolved from
silhouettes to life like photos. In the past a popular and easy way to create a
portrait was to create a silhouette of the subject. Nowadays a portrait can be
done instantly and the image is an exact copy of the subject unlike the silhouette
that was basically an outline of the subject’s face.
