I have been given the family’s generational photos and while I may not have met many of the people in them I can get a sense of what they were all about. From candids on vacation at the beach, to more formal portraits.
What are Legacy Portraits?
Portrait photography is a genre of photography that primarily aims to capture the character, the personality, the identity of a person or a group of persons.
From History of Portrait Photography, Part I in Blind Magazine
If you want to dive into the long history of Portraiture you can start with this comprehensive aricle, A History of Portrait Photography, Part I in Blind Magazine.
I would consider a Legacy Portrait an image that shows who you are in a given time period and was created with the intention to share with family and friends and to pass down through generations. There are other types of portraits that have different intentions, like headshots and business branding portraits. These could be part of your legacy but what can differentiate between these is that you can be a little more creative in how you present yourself and show parts of your life in different ways.
Capture the love you have for your partner. The whole family in an annual holiday portrait. Or something for yourself during a time of celebration or healing. The best thing is that you can make it what you want. We can discuss everything when you book. Learn more about the experience here. These images are for you to cherish now and then to pass down as a way for generations after you to remember you.
.jpg)
Why a Legacy Portrait?
While the candids of Facebook and social media are a great memory but how often do you look back at all those images from the many years on the platform? What would happen if that platform just shut down without warning? Where would all those images go? These questions I have often thought about and why I encourage the printing of images as the best archival method around. That is where the legacy comes in and you can continue to share and pass down.
What do you want the generations after you to remember you with? Will digital files be carried through the ever-changing technological advances? We don’t know for sure but what we do know is that the images of you, your family, and your friends are how we see your legacy. How will you showcase your legacy portraits?
Portraits have evolved but are still part of our lives today. With technological updates, contemporary and classic lighting. The practice is still alive. Preserve your history and legacy in printed portraits.
