Everything You Need to Know About Alternative Portrait Photography 

What are Creative Portraits? 

Creative portraits are my not-so-secret obsession. I love helping you find abstract ways to express yourself. I love shaking up the image you have of yourself. I love creating with you! 

But I’m getting ahead of myself. Before diving into why I’m so obsessed with creative portraits, I should probably explain what they are. 

Let’s start with “portrait.” A portrait is a picture of you. Portraits are photos (or paintings) with one or a few people as the center of attention. There might be mountains in the background, but the image is of you.  

Okay, so what makes them creative? 

There is no one answer to this question. Everyone gets to decide for themselves what “creative” means for them! 

But basically, a creative portrait is a really, really cool picture of you. 

It’s not a work headshot. It’s not a school picture (like for REAL why were school pictures always the worst??). 

Creative portraits show your personality. They let you express every side of yourself and capture pieces of your personality that you may not even know you have! There is incredible freedom in alternate portrait photography (but more on that later).

Despite being wildly different in concept, most creative portraits have a few things in common: 

1. A Unique Theme 

Creative portraits tell a story. The background, outfits, props, and posing all help convey a specific message or emotion. 

Many of my clients have used alternative portrait photography to celebrate a season of their lives. Others have found creative portraits a remarkable way to process feelings of grief, confusion, or loss. 

Regardless of what emotion you want to express, creative portraits capture so much feeling. 

2. Funky Props, Poses, and Outfits 

Okay, so the purpose of creative portrait photography is expression, right? Well, all these things – props, poses, outfits, etc. – are other forms of expression! 

I love using props in my photos. Heck, if you look at my portrait gallery, almost every model is using a prop. We’ve got flowers, we’ve got disco balls, we’ve got sunglasses, we’ve got balloons. Each prop tells a different story. 

The same goes for the poses!

Some poses convey gentleness. Some poses convey power. Depending on the story you want to tell, we will find poses that help you feel at home in your emotion and comfortable in front of the camera. 

And lastly, outfits.

We all know I love a good outfit. I talk all the time about how the clothes you wear can change how you feel. So how do you want your creative portraits to feel? 

We can go ethereal with light flowy colors and materials. Or we can go badass with bold colors and sharp lines.

It’s all about the feeling you’re trying to express! 

3. Style 

Honestly, “style” is far too vague of a word, but I think you’ll get what I’m trying to say here.

Creative portraits aren’t always face-forward, looking-at-the-camera types of photos. They often have a certain flare to them – something that makes it feel more authentically you. 

I call this your style. Are the photos vibrant and bursting with color? Do you prefer more muted, film tones? Are you looking away from the camera? Staring directly at it from a unique angle? 

All of these things work together to create a style that is unique to you! And THAT is what makes it creative.

Why I love Alternative Portrait Photography 

1. Expression 

You might not feel like you have some story hidden inside of you. But trust me, there is something incredible and unique inside of each individual. 

Many portraits are deeply personal and emotional. But they don’t have to be, either! 

Creative portraits can have you dressing up as your favorite fictional character. They can be Lord of the Rings themed. They can have you swimming in your favorite childhood lake. 

Whatever story you want to tell – real, fictional, or somewhere in between – alternative portrait photography gives you the chance to live them! 

2. Commemorate a Season of Your Life 

Okay, I’m going to get real for a second. Take a deep breath. 

Life is hard. It sucks balls. And then for a season, it is brilliantly, shiningly beautiful. And then it gets hard again. And then, after that, it’s amazing. 

This is the ebb and flow of life. And if you’re anything like me… it can be really hard to remember the good stuff in the middle of the hard stuff. 

This is another HUGE reason I recommend creative portrait photography. CELEBRATE the good! So when times get hard again, you have something beautiful to remind you that light is coming. 

And on the flip side… sometimes you need to process all the shit you’ve been through. Honestly, I recommend therapy. But outside of therapy, there is something transformative about turning your challenges into something meaningful. 

Maybe you’re grieving a loved one, or a period of your life that you thought would look differently. Honor those feelings by giving them a place to live, but don’t keep them bottled up inside of you. 

Portrait photography lets you breathe out everything you’ve been holding in and remember this season of your life. 

3. Confidence 

Have you ever stared at yourself in the mirror for so long that everything looks wonky? Yeah, me too. 

When we see ourselves, we often only see our imperfections. Our insecurities can be fucking LOUD, can’t they? 

When you feel the least beautiful, it’s time to see yourself through someone else’s eyes. 

As a photographer, I see the tiny details that make you you. I see your beauty, the light in your eyes, the joy in your smile. 

I suggest creative portraits to anyone who’s been feeling a little uncomfortable in their skin. Portraits are a wonderful way to see yourself as someone else sees you. 

Personally, I’ve found alternative portraits to help me see myself as more than a sack of bones. I’ve been able to see myself as a whole person. A beautiful person with a fire in my eyes and laughter in my heart. 

Before I started, I didn’t know a photograph could have that much power. But they do! Creative portrait sessions have always boosted my confidence and helped me get out of my introspective feedback loop. 

And if you’re worried about how awkward you’ll feel in front of a camera, fear not! I wrote a whole blog post on how to feel confident in front of the camera lens. 

How to Book Your Creative Portrait Photography Session

So, what story do you want to tell? What do you want to commemorate? 

I’ve done creative portrait sessions for couples, individuals, birthdays, maternity, friends who wanted to celebrate their friendship, and creatives of all kinds who wanted to bring their vision to life. 

Oh, and I have one last piece of advice when it comes to personal photos like these. 

Book a creative portrait session with someone who gets it. With someone who will listen and bring your vision to life. Someone who believes wholeheartedly in the power of self-expression. 

(It’s me. I want to shoot your creative portraits.)

So, you in? 

Click here to fill out an inquiry form or ask me questions about your creative portrait ideas! I’m already so stoked to see what we create. 

Laura

Have we met yet? I’m Laura, an Annapolis, Maryland-based wedding and portrait photographer. I thrive on 3+ cups of coffee, creative visions that make your eyes light up, and conversations that skip the small talk. I take photos of cool and quirky folks who love color and embrace being bold. Learn more about me here!