One element in portraits seems universally valuable in attracting the viewer’s attention – the “presence” of the subject. The concept is perhaps a little difficult to explain in words, but it is glaringly obvious when one observes it. And, since a photograph is worth a thousand word…
I invite you to look at the portrait of Ernestine Constance Lefebre, Nadar’s wife. There are two shots: In one, she is very present and her gaze is almost hard to bear. Those piercing eyes looking at you do not leave you indifferent. But in the other, probably taken a few moments before or after, she doesn’t seem to be connected with the photographer. Consequently, the image is less intense, less striking. It’s not just a matter of looking into the camera or not. In fact, if we look at the two portrait shots of Djuna Barnes taken by Berenice Abbott, for example, in both of them, she is looking into the camera. However, in one, she is extremely present, and in the other, less so.
This quality that seems to attract our attention can also be seen in some paintings. Giovan Battista Moroni’s portrait of Sarto, for instance, seems “alive” precisely because of its presence. A painting is a representation of reality created by the painter, so it could be an idealization of the subject, an interpretation. Is this “presence” only in the painting or is it also in the model?
In contrast, a photograph is a technical reproduction and cannot lie. But is this true? Maybe not quite. Lewis Hines explained it well with his famous phrase, “While photographs may not lie, liars may photograph.” In other words, what the photographer wants us to see could be a lie or perhaps simply an extract of reality framed from a certain point of view. I like to think that the photographer has the ability to see and fix in time something that not everyone can capture. Maybe it’s just the intensity of the subject’s presence that they know how to invite and capture. Mind you, knowing how to capture an unobvious aspect of a person’s character doesn’t mean asking them to play a role. Then it would no longer be a portrait.
