The how to create Compelling and Considered Portraiture

admin — Fri, 13 Mar 2015 18:25:10 +0000

The thing that makes my heart sing and beat faster are portraits that I connect with; pictures that make me want to look beyond a second and then some more; photographs that have an emotional resonance and that have soul and tell you something about the individual, and sometimes encourage you to question and ask why?

It is a compulsion of mine to go beyond the surface, to scratch the veneer, and see what is underneath. I am curious, I love people, and I see beauty every where, particularly in unexpected places.

Beauty to me, isn’t made up or artificial it is something that is contained within our complicated souls, especially our complicated ones, even though with simplicity it is easy to see.

I run mentoring sessions and training workshops on Compelling and considered portraiture. I coined the term ‘considered portraiture’ because I felt it described my process and end result. Not a snapshot or a luck shot, but a way of shooting that is slow and thoughtful, and that allows the subject and photographer to connect and to breath.

In my considered portraiture workshops I do not give one simple list of directions to achieve that one fine art shot, though I could if you asked, but you know what? I truly want people to come away with a shift in their way of thinking and seeing of the world; to open their eyes to different things, to look at art and history and people and everything. It needs to become a life long habit, and that together with this, and a slowing right down of process and a building a connection with your subject you will achieve amazing portraits, and not just a one off. It takes time, and most of all it takes the building up of a body of work; It takes ideas, and never fearing failure, personal projects that you feel passionate about, that aren’t aimed to make money, but instead encourage one to explore the world through photography, and make real connections with people. This will eventually start to seep into the style of your commissioned work, and then it will start to make sense.

It is a magical and liberating process, that may or may not make sense at first – but I promise you it works, and it is exciting.

I would love to hear your thoughts on this, or send me a message if you want to find out more.

Carolyn xx

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Being Inbetween

admin — Thu, 26 Feb 2015 13:18:45 +0000

Being Inbetween

There is something so so special about being in-between.
Being between ten and twelve,
The ages where you are neither small child nor even young adult.

I love this age
though I remember some painful things about it too.
Like the time at aged twelve on a balmy summers day, I spent the most part of the morning in my room plucking up the courage to go downstairs in a pair of shorts! I was only a small thing at that time, but incredibly self-conscious. Though I do remember those lime green shorts weren’t exactly subtle.

I remember walking slowly down the stairs to be met by a laughing parental comment
“Oh my goodness! Your legs look so chubby”
I ran upstairs mortified; feeling exposed, and I didn’t show my legs for years,
until a friend commented on her confusion about my attitude to my “chunky legs”. All those years covering up my stick legs thinking they were non-stick legs. Ridiculous and a little sad, it got me thinking about the being Inbetween age where one is so vulnerable.

It is a fascinating and interesting time. Whist you are being shaped in your soon be adult form, your opinions and believes, hopes and fears are emerging. There is a beauty to this age, one that is sometimes concealed in attitude, embarrassment and self-consciousness. But there is magic there too; that which comes with transformation and change, with learning and growth. Good and bad it is all contained within this age.
This age is the focus of my next photographic art work. An exhibition of portraits and accompanying sound installation entitled Being Inbetween.

If you know of a girl aged between ten and twelve who might be interested or would make a great subject, please do leave me a message.

If you can remember what it was like yourself please do leave a comment.

And whilst we berate our pre teens let us remember that within our adult selves, the small person we once were is still very much there and needs celebrating.

Carolyn x

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Ilkley | Carolyn Mendelsohn Photography

The how to create Compelling and Considered Portraiture

Carolyn xx

Being Inbetween

Carolyn x