The Trained Eye

Photographers inevitably size up the competition. It clarifies the field—and, frankly, I’m rarely impressed. Beyond lighting and framing, viewers make an instant judgment about a subject’s demeanor and expression. A glance, a slight head tilt, the tension of a jaw: these subtleties speak volumes. Classically trained figurative artists have always understood this. Many headshot specialists, chasing formula over finesse, do not.