I am intrigued by the subtle differences in the detail of the human face. When we look at images of ourselves we find some images we like and others we don't. It is amazing how the direction, and the properties of light, can give our faces many subtle differences. I have seen pictures of myself that I like and pictures I do not like. I have even seen photos of myself and I don't even recognize myself. Maybe the camera just doesn't really know us that well. Or maybe we don't really know ourselves. Due to the limitations of exposure latitude of film, and many other limitations, the camera does not see things the same way we see them. In some cases this is a blessing and in others cases it becomes quite frustrating.Artists that create drawings from photos will generally request several photos of a subject to get a better idea of features that remain consistent. One photo does not always do justice to it's subject. You really have to get to know the geography of the face for an accurate portrayal. When a photographer takes your picture he/she has control over the light, your pose, and the overall composition. However, considering the camera is a mechanical device, there is no guarantee the photo will reflect how the photographer as an individual sees you. In simple terms a photograph is made by a machine.
A drawing, on the other hand, is more about the individual's interpretation of how you look as opposed to the camera's record of the light reflecting from the subject. You are likely to get a better idea of how others might see you from a drawing. The drawing is more like an impression of you as it exists in the eyes of the artist. I like the idea that the drawing possesses a quality that the photo does not. That quality is human touch. The filtration of the image through the artist's hand adds a sense of humanity to the image. This is something the camera, in all it's magnificent glory, is unable to produce.
I'm not saying drawing is better than photography for the purpose of portraiture. I believe the two mediums serve completely different purposes. I am disturbed by the direction photography has taken when it comes to fashion and advertising. There is so much make-up, airbrushing, and unnatural lighting schemes used that the identity of the person becomes lost or hidden. The images are not photographs anymore they are photographic. Photographic is a generalized term that means of or related to photography. Photography is an aid in making a photographic image. Instead of using the camera's ability to record things with natural exactness photographers take that image and change it to fit the parameters of ideal beauty. In situations like this I have only one thing to say. Why use a camera at all?
