📸 Skai Chan Photography

18 Reasons Why Portrait Photography is Important

Portrait photography is important for business, the society and individuals.

Whether it's for work or personal reasons, there's nothing wrong with a person being interested in being photographed. Everyone, regardless of looks, deserves the right to have her photographs taken - it's not an exclusive right for just pretty girls. Even if a person doesn't want to engage a professional photographer to do a photoshoot, she can at least use her phone camera to do a selfie.

Honestly, some people may feel awkward or less confident to do a photoshoot, especially when they feel that people in their social circles are not open-minded or not exposed to photoshoots. Perhaps, they have over-worried about the views of others while their youth fades away every day. No matter how good-looking a person, including a celebrity or model, is, there will be people criticising or mocking her photographs; hence, it shouldn't be a reason to not take photographs.

Sometimes, people who are unexposed to the photography world would ask me why other people want to do portrait photoshoots. There are, of course, many different reasons and everyone probably has a combination of reasons to do it.

Corporate / Business

Advertising Why is photography important for business? Businesses will need some forms of advertising to reach out to new clients. Sometimes, in the advertisement, poster or brochure, the business may need to feature an ambassador, its owner or some of the key personnel. Eventually, photographs are needed for advertising.
Branding Business branding is important for every business. Having professionally taken photographs helps to give the business better branding.
Publication Some people are being requested to be featured in publications like magazines and thus they need to get themselves photographed. It is also good to publish photographs on the company website to show clients whom they are going to work with.
Be a model To become a model, a girl would need to get a modelling portfolio. There are different kinds of modelling jobs, such as runway, event and photo models. In most cases, the model would need to present her modelling portfolio to get the job because the employer would want to see how well the model can present herself in different varieties of looks. Her portfolio can also roughly tell her experience.
Resume For a resume, a person who wants to show his creativity and sincerity, or just wants to outdo others may want to get some non-standard IC required kind of corporate headshot.

Personal / Private

Wedding It is not a must but a trend to do a pre-wedding shoot and create an album to show to the guests during the actual day wedding. Most couples do it anyway.
Fulfil one-time model's dream Models, like cabin crews, are a recognition of looks and thus, it is many young people's dream to become one. However, the reality is cruel, and for many reasons, not many people would get into the profession - be it a height issue or simply because the career is very uncertain. Eventually, when a person grows up and starts working, she may want to have a try at the feeling of being a model just at least once.
Fun For some people, it is simply something new and thus worth trying for fun. It is different from activities like bungee jumping but the moment of having a photographer with a professional DSLR camera and various lighting strobes pointing at her may be something exciting or challenging too.
Find confidence Since standing in front of the camera can be intimidating, it is one way to build confidence. This is also one of my goals and I want to achieve it to help people.
Art Just like music, painting and drawing, modelling is a form of art. People who appreciate this form of art may want to create it.
Competitive mind Some people just want to outdo others. Given the number of beginners in the market who have been uploading substandard photographs online, no doubt it will cause a strong urge in some people.
Keep a good memory Photography helps to retain the moments. If you are a great sportsman or good at some things, you may want to take some photographs to show to your grandchildren in future. Some people want to keep some memories of themselves when they are still young and in this case, some ladies may want to do a boudoir shoot just for themselves.
Special event Some couples would want to celebrate their anniversary by having a photoshoot. For events like father's day or mother's day, some children may want to do a family photoshoot. Whereas for graduates, they may also want to keep a memory of themselves in the graduation robes.
Help a friend Given the drop in prices of cameras, more people are owning a DSLR and may want to try shooting a model. If they are not wealthy, they are likely to approach their friends to model for them and some girls will gladly accept the request since it is a mutual gain - free photographs, why not?
Better social media profile The quality of photographs inside your social media profile will affect how people judge you. That is to say, if you want to impress more people, you probably can upload some good-quality photographs taken by professional photographers. This is the reason why many "social influencers" manage to gain many followers - somehow they do post better photographs.
Rebrand online dating profile The most crucial part of an online dating profile in a dating APP or website is the picture section. People are visual animals after all. Most people aren't looking for someone with the looks of a winner of a beauty pageant or a celebrity, but someone whose look is comfortable to the individual's sight. Therefore, some people do seek help from a professional dating profile photographer.
Private photos for the other half Some couples are more open-minded and would want to surprise their other half with intimate photographs of themselves, such as boudoir photoshoot.
Become famous Some people may do photoshoots to get famous, whether positively or negatively. Some girls may choose to shoot with photographers who are good in PR (public relations), regardless of the tastefulness of their work, to achieve their goals of getting famous.

You may be interested in:
- Special photoshoots you can hire a professional photographer to do
- Bespoke (customised & personalised) portrait photographer in Singapore
- Crazy things that professional portrait photographers do
- Quick guide to photography lighting
- Important checklist for hiring a photographer
- Interesting facts about being a photographer

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