I finished off the #BarrieWomensShow today at Garden Gallery (Bradford Greenhouses) Barrie. It was a great show and very interesting weekend to say the least. What was so interesting? Well, there were many young women trying to look older and older women trying to look younger.
I had young women balking at the idea of a boudoir portrait because they weren't 'perfect' and mature women that were proud of where they were in life and loved the idea. I had elderly women wishing they had portraits of themselves younger and others that thought now was the perfect time to have a portrait made.
Personally, I find the most attractive women to photograph are those that embrace the way they look 'now', whatever age that may be.
The sad thing, is that I had many regretting not to ever have had a portrait made at all, of themselves, of family, spouses, partners, children... and even pets. One woman commented that she never had a portrait made of her and her husband... ever! It breaks my heart when I hear, "We should've had a portrait made when "_____" was still around." Fill in the blank yourself.
Funny, no, regrettable how people believe that portraits aren't important. They may not be today, until someone is no longer 'in the picture'. And isn't it a shame that people most often think about portraits of their children, if at all. But when was the last time you considered a portrait of, or with, your parents?
So, when is the best time to have a professional portrait made? I would say right now. What do you think?