Reinvent Yourself With A Conceptual Portrait

Have you ever felt stuck? Maybe stagnant or just confined? Like you’re locked onto a path that may or may not work for you, and yet you can’t find a good point to pull over and evaluate where you’re going? Life gets bogged down now and then. Sometimes, it’s because we’re coasting after hitting a good spot, and it starts to feel weird, or we randomly look up after a few weeks/months/years and ask, “Am I doing this right?”

Regardless of how you got here, you’re feeling a bit confined. And when that happens, you need a shake to the system. You’ve got a zillion choices: retail therapy, go on a trip, change jobs, move locations, re-evaluate toxic relationships, go bungee jumping, and so much more. One option you may not have considered – try a conceptual portrait.

What is a Conceptual Portrait?

Conceptual portraits typically go beyond a simple pose and grin-type image. There is some element of symbolism or messaging that speaks to a viewer and makes them think. A typical portrait is, “What you see is what you get.” A conceptual portrait is more about “This is how I feel” or “This is how I see myself.”

Feelings and self-visualization are very complex concepts. Many people have trouble expressing either. Additionally, many people have a “thought” in their heads that they can’t seem to shake and need some means to air it out. And these don’t have to be negative emotions! You could be excited about an idea or a dream and have the passing thought of, “I wish I could be that, even just for a moment.”

A conceptual portrait is a way to actualize that inner notion. 

Conceptual Portrait Examples

The beauty (and the obstacle) of conceptual portraits is they can be anything. That’s a really intimidating idea if you don’t know where to start! You can go super complex with a shoot that requires extras, composited backgrounds, & props, all so you can feel like an Egyptian God. Or it could be something as simple as holding a skull next to your face and having a conversation with your mortality. 

It is all about what you feel and what’s in your head. What conversation do you want to have with a viewer?

• Put a salad on a table filled to the brim with sweets and pasta to describe the struggle to eat healthy.
• Show a paint-by-numbers canvas with you intentionally drawing outside the lines.
• Dress like your favorite supervillain in an office setting.
• Rent an exotic car and dress like a billionaire.
• Have a paper and pencil surrounded by technology.
• Wear visibly dirty clothes as you walk through a luxury store.
• Hold a sign with a message outside a business/entity you disagree with.
• Relax on the couch with a glass of wine and a Kindle while kiddos run rampant through the living room with clothes and toys flying in the air.
• Dress up like your favorite athlete, celebrity, or anime character, and just BE that person.

It’s truly limitless. Conceptual portraits can be inspirational, uplifting, cathartic, sad, and funny. They’re for the person with the idea. The rest of the world may see those conceptual pictures and have their own thoughts (which is the beauty of these stories), but ultimately, it’s about telling the story in your head and heart.

Even if it’s as ridiculous as Darth Vader doing a chokehold to a Stormtrooper who knocked on the stall door while he was pooping on the Death Star, it’s all about what emotion or thought you want to present in whatever way you want to communicate it.

Who Are Conceptual Portraits For?

Conceptual images typically get used for commercial applications in marketing & advertising, but they’re valuable for individuals as well. It’s all about conveying a message or an idea through an image that is either very literal or very abstract. The beauty is that everyone will interpret that image differently because of their own experiences. 

Anyone can craft a conceptual portrait, but most of my clients who ask for them typically have a story they want to tell or an experience they want to achieve. 

• A mom who wants to describe an aspect of motherhood with a twist.
• An employee who wants to describe how they feel within their own office culture.
• Someone who has done the same routine for years wants to express their frustration at that grind.
• A kid who got bullied wants to feel their vision of “strong.”
• Someone who just experienced a nasty breakup and wants to say what they never could in that relationship.
• Someone who struggles with their anxiety.
• A group of friends who call themselves the Three Musketeers.

Conceptual portraits are for anyone who has an itch to scratch for an idea and wants a visual way of expressing it.

What Do I Do With A Conceptual Portrait?

I’m a photographer, so naturally, I vote to share your images. But you don’t need to. Conceptual portraits are for your benefit. It’s your story and your message that’s being told. Sometimes, those tales are grand, exciting, warm, and playful. Other narratives are darker, sadder, potentially embarrassing, and deeply personal. 

I believe a little sunshine helps good things grow while chasing away the bad. A conceptual portrait that empowers you or reminds you of something meaningful and important should be placed somewhere you’ll view it often to get that nudge to keep it up. Think about how much better your day could be if you see an example of yourself as a badass every morning before you start?

Depending on your job, you can use those images to announce a new you. A new business venture, a life change, you name it – share the message with those you want to experience it with you. 

And for a darker concept, maybe it’s just for you to see how far you’ve grown years later. Use it to your advantage – maybe now you can talk openly about what’s going on in your life. Bring in those you love and who care for you.

I’d still be a photographer even if I didn’t share my images. But let me tell you, I’ve grown closer to my loved ones by being vulnerable with my work.

How Can I Reinvent With A Conceptual Portrait?

When COVID lockdowns started, I was going a little nuts like the rest of the planet. Cooped up inside, with minimal contact with the outside world except through plastic panels or digital screens, and fearing what was next, I was not in a great spot. On top of that, I was in the middle of a job transition. With lots of free time, I got bored and let my brain wander. Sometimes in good and not-so-great directions. 

Feeling utterly stuck, I turned to my camera for a creative outlet. With no models, I also had to use myself for all the portraits. Well, standard portraits were going to get really boring really quickly. So, I opted to do some creative and conceptual self-portraits. I did shoots about::

• The difference in my work desk peak-COVID vs normal life.
• Floating in space over my bed like an out-of-body experience.
• A multiple-exposure set of all my favorite hobbies blended within my overall silhouette.

After each of these shoots, I felt better. I felt a weight lifted. And when I shared the images with friends and family? I even felt validated at times and exuberant at their own interpretations of the images.

During that time, I also did a self-portrait dressed up in a suit and looking like a C-suite executive. It made me feel empowered and strong. My confidence was shaken after being forced to leave a job I loved, and so I did that conceptual shoot halfway through a long string of interviews. Let me tell you, there was a marked difference in who showed up to interview after I finished those portraits.

Since then, I’ve done a creative and conceptual portrait shoot once a month that is just for me. While I mostly use these shoots to practice/experiment with new lighting techniques, there’s also an element of self-expression.

 A few months ago, I did a conceptual shoot with a mask. The inspiration came from a feeling that I was putting on a face to get through the day, and no one knew what was really going on. After publishing those images, I felt immensely better. I could talk about how I was feeling, why I felt like I had to put on a mask some days, what parts of myself I didn’t want to share then, and why it was easier to wear a mask vs. just being me.

I share these stories to describe my experience with conceptual portraits and how they’ve helped me. I firmly believe you can reinvent yourself with a conceptual portrait.

Whether you just want to make some social commentary or need to get something off your chest, a conceptual portrait is a fantastic way to accomplish that. Keep it to yourself or share it with the world – sometimes, just creating the message is enough to reap the benefits. 

What story do you need to share? Click the button below to book a free consultation, and let’s talk about it.