Authentic Portraits (Searching for Soul, Significance, and Depth)

It is not the posing or the light that makes a portrait successful. Nor is it how glamorous or beautiful the subject looks. The best portraits show us more—they reveal hidden secrets and deeper truths. Ever so slightly, they give us hints of character, essence, soul, story, and life. And the best portraits have a lasting significance. They resonate in an interesting way. They not only show us appearance, but they reveal to us that authentic and deeply human light that shines within. These photographs are an outward expression of inward dreams, hopes, and ideals.

In Authentic Portraits, photographer Chris Orwig teaches us that the secret to authentic portraits is simple: curiosity, empathy, kindness, and soul—plus a dash of technique. By caring deeply about the subject, we increase the odds of someone else caring as well. And the only way to truly care is to be yourself. Authenticity is more powerful than anything else.

Authentic Portraits is about taking, making, and creating better frames. But it’s also about finding and becoming your best self. In the pursuit to capture more authentic and meaningful frames, you’ll find that the two paths intersect in unexpected ways.