What is environmental portraiture and how is it used?

Environmental portraiture is a style of photography when a portrait is taken in the subject’s usual environment, such as in their home or workplace. The location is usually somewhere significant to them. Environmental portraits often provide context and insight into the life of the subject, possibly even displaying their personality or profession to offer a deeper understanding of who they are. Finally, this style of portraiture reveals an understanding of the person being photographed and depict the nature of their personality.

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Typology in Environmental Portraiture

Typology refers to a series of photographs that share similarities within a specific category. Typologies are used by photographers to highlight patterns, variations and characteristics and allow the viewers to identify a common theme or subject.

Typologies can be presented in environmental portraiture by creating a variety of portraits which fit into groups such as ages, occupations, locations, workplaces, genders, hobbies and more. Additionally, other ways of creating a typology within environmental portraiture could be using similar camera angles, lighting techniques, subject placement or even colours. By presenting the images within a typological series, this can create a deeper understanding of the subject to the viewer.