Even when a portrait depicts a stranger, there’s a curiosity to unravel the story behind the face—to glimpse into the life and emotions of another human being. Interestingly, not all portraits hold the same allure…
When we look at a portrait that gives us a glimpse of how the person photographed is feeling, we generally tend to pause and scrutinize that expression.
Sometimes, inspecting it with our eyes, we feel a kind of empathy for the subject of the photo. Other times, we look at it intently for no apparent reason. But there is a reason. Already Darwin in his “The Expression of Emotions in Man and Other Animals” had studied facial expressions, hypothesizing the universality of expressions.
Our 46 facial muscles, in fact, allow us to express an almost infinite range of moods. It is an immediate language to which we are very accustomed. It is natural, then, that we feel at least intrigued to decipher what another human being expresses with his or her face.
Our gaze tends to want to explore the expressions that strike us most. There are photographs in which the person is somewhat absent, or has a forced smile, or, again, we can tell that there is no understanding with the photographer and – consequently – with the viewer of the photo.
Pictures with these characteristics, in general, do not invite to be looked at, do not look particularly interesting. But, in the presence of a portrait, we may happen to recognize something we have also experienced, and perhaps that view moves us. Or, even if we are not necessarily aware of it, a portrait reminds us of someone we know. Or, again, the image may fascinate us precisely because we feel alienated from what we see and would like to discover more.
These portraits often know how to attract our attention. If there are no portraits in a photographic narrative, this kind of involvement is missing. That’s why portraits are so important in visual storytelling and, in general, have the power to attract our attention.
In short, when we encounter a portrait, our instinctual urge to decode these expressions kicks in.
There is also another reason that has to do with our survival: when our early ancestors noticed a face, they had to immediately observe it to realize whether it was a friend or a danger.
When we are shooting a portrait, the process is more complex. In addition to observing who is in front of us and being more or less affected and involved, we are also responsible for capturing a nuance of that expression. What impact will our photo have on the people who look at it? How will it represent the subject? Will we be able to capture in our camera what we perceive?
Above all, the subject we are photographing is likely to stimulate a state of mind in us. There are subjects we feel very comfortable with, others we can’t stand, still others we would never stop photographing, or others that make us anxious. How come?
If – when photographing portraits – we make a habit of inquiring curiously not only into our subject, but also into how we feel about ourselves as we photograph, each session can become an incredible way of getting to know ourselves better.