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If your portraits feel technically solid but emotionally flat, this video is for you. In this episode, I break down one of the most overlooked elements in portrait photography: capturing real expression and posture—the things that truly bring out a subject’s personality.
As a photographer with a background in photojournalism, I’ve spent years perfecting light, context, and composition. But posture and expression? That’s where the emotional connection lives—and it’s something I had to relearn.
To sharpen this skill, I turned to one of the greatest portrait photographers of all time: Richard Avedon. His minimalist setups—plain backdrops, natural light, large-format cameras—put all the focus on character. More importantly, his process for engaging with subjects helped him capture real moments that went beyond poses.
This episode breaks down what made Avedon’s work so effective—and gives you practical tips to apply in your own portrait sessions today, whether you’re shooting editorial work, personal projects, or just building your portfolio.
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Comments
27 responses to “What the World’s Best Portrait Photographer Taught Me”
Very well explained!
You’re really nailing the core here. I’m gonna add your quote on my camera; «You’re not just pushing a button, you’re building a moment»—Justin Mott.
Justin… one of your best episode ever… I’ve book marked it!
Thanks for your information & inspiration.
Be well
📸
Great share! Avedon is one of the few I always return to the work is so good. I also love his admiration for theater and how theatrical he was in the studio himself.
Interesting thoughts. Thank you for the inspiration. Several years ago I photographed an event and Avedon was present. I was new to photography…he gave this newbie a look for the camera… and I was impressed that he didnt come on like a celebrity photographer ……. he gave me a generous moment.
Excellent advice on one level. By all means seek truth and engagement in portraiture, but Avedon's work here is all largely about Avedon and a particular style adopted as a personal statement by him. What they capture is not so much about the "soul" of the subject as it is achievement of a deliberately unglamorous look by the leading fashion photographer of his time at people who are normally depicted as glamorous and heroic —a contrarían personal artistic statement. Perhaps not the best goal for the budding, unestablished portrait photographer. Achieving a deliberately stark, unvarnished rendering of someone is not synonymous with having captured their essence or "soul." Many of his subjects in this series look about as engaged as cadavers.
Funny thing is, I was only holiday this week and went to the American west exhibition in Paris. First time all the selected photos of the project were shown in Europe. Amazing work. Spent 2 hours there not focusing on the technical side but how I felt and the emotions provoked by the photos. It was at the Henri Cartier-Bresson Foundation.
Thank you for sharing! hi justin it is necesarry to pay the actors for a photo like i would make a photo documentary for a tribe or for a book? thank you
great advice but man, watching you turn pages with the left hand on such a valuable book – that's brutal. use yr right hand and from the top of the page in future, please!
As usual, an excellent video with excellent advice. Thanks so much Justin.
Really enjoyed it. Thank you.
Hello, may I ask how you got assignments as a documentary photographer? I'm trying to get my foot in this kind of work and would really appreciate some tips! 🙂
5:00 reminds me to the movie Airplane: "Joey have you ever been in a Turkish prison?"
Friedlander made the better picture.
Damn. That was good advice. I can see why some of my best portraits worked and why the others sucked. The best street portraits are the ones where I spent more time chatting than shooting.
Before you started, I thought of Avedon, and 8 minutes later, you say his name. Love it
One of your best videos. I appreciate the perspective here. Thanks for sharing.
2:20 Amen to that. I can think of one person in particular…
From the UK Jane Bown’s portraits are stunning
Funny, I wasn't expecting Avedon to be mentioned in one of your videos.
When I started in photography, it was assisting commercial photographers and then editorial photographers.
It was when working with editorial guys I started to learn about Avedon, and he instantly became one of my photo heroes.
Avedon was a great psychologist when it came to his subjects, and inspired me to be a more critical thinker in terms of ideas and creativity.
He'd be the first to say "Gear Doesn't Matter", but only after he'd mastered every tool in the box.
Irving Penn was also a big influence, though for different reasons. Just as edgy (sometimes) but with a strong classical bent.
Worlds best portrait photographer He was a photographer in the merchant marine taking ID photos. Flat light, blank white background, subject square to the camera, blank expression. Like much of his later work. The best portrait photographer? Saw his exhibit in San Francisco. Some excellent work, but the best?
Wonderful video, thank you for taking the time to promote the actual art of photography, love your gear content, too though. Balance is very important, sometimes I get lost in gear and love to be brought back to the essence with videos like this! Great work!
Yes, but what shutter speed do I use? Only kidding. You packed a lot of good stuff into this one.
Great video. Thanks!
Yousef Karsh is a famous celebrity portrait photographer whose work is brilliant, with many iconic photos like Churchill, Einstein, etc. He was a genius at getting emotion and expression. He also talked to his subjects and made them comfortable, or famously with Churchill, very angry. Like Avedon, a truly inspirational portrait photographer.
What a great lesson!!
I’ve never had an assistant for a portrait shoot, so I am so hyper-focused on lighting, background, set design, camera settings I tend to forget to interact as much with my subject as much as I should. This video reminded me the relationship between the subject and the photographer are far more important to capturing the essence of a subject than making sure the light or background are perfect
Love the tips. But for example the one with keeping the camera on the subject to get a moment where they think you are not shooting is not something Avedon would have done? I just assume with a large format 8×10 camera that would be hard to accomplish.