Character Photography Explained

I’ve seen many beautiful portraits of people, but I haven’t seen many portraits which give a sense of who the person is—his or her character.

It makes no sense to me to take portraits in a studio. I prefer to do them in your home, your workplace, on your daily jogging path; these are all places that help define you.

If, when looking at your portraits years down the line, you are able to recall a specific story or emotion, my job is done. Nostalgia is powerful, and there are few things I love more than sitting with my parents or grandparents as they recall their stories. I only wish that they had pictures to go along with them, to trigger even more detailed memories of times long gone.

Photo sessions with me are longer

Like I said above I want to get pictures of you in meaningful places so that you will have a visual record of the way you were, and of the promises of a beautiful life to come. In order to do this, we may need to go to many places—your office, the dog park, your place of worship or mediation, your bathroom. Yes, I said bathroom—one of my favorite portraits of all time is one I took in a woman’s bathroom. It was a special, warm place for her. I want to go with you to your warm places and capture you as you really are. Is it a mud pile where your kids always play? Perhaps your dining table? With your best friends? Bring whoever and whatever you need along to create a real account of your life as it is.

Who and what brings you joy or contentment? Let’s capture that, not only for you, but for your children and theirs.

It might take only an hour or it might take five hours, but we’ll capture what makes your life now.

Elizabeth Knox