Portrait Photography for Sale

Photography, Chemin Faisant "Le poirier" (1), Bertrand Desprez

Chemin Faisant "Le poirier" (1)

Bertrand Desprez

Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 1 inch

£267

Photography, Chrissie Hynde, Paris, Pierre Terrasson

Chrissie Hynde, Paris

Pierre Terrasson

Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0 inch

£1,335

Photography, Roll, Théo Gosselin

Roll

Théo Gosselin

Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0 inch

£1,513

Photography, Men's World 2, Olha Stepanian

Men's World 2

Olha Stepanian

Photography - 31 x 31 inch

£1,515

Photography, Mhysa, Mathilde Oscar

Mhysa

Mathilde Oscar

Photography - 35.4 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

£1,335

Photography, El elejido, Rocio Villanueva

El elejido

Rocio Villanueva

Photography - 30 x 30 inch

£1,513

Photography, Vagabondages 12, Carlos Arriagada

Vagabondages 12

Carlos Arriagada

Photography - 19.7 x 29.5 x 0 inch

£1,513

Photography, E.Doll n°65, Softtwix

E.Doll n°65

Softtwix

Photography - 20.5 x 30.7 x 0 inch

£1,424

Photography, Recconais qu'il y a toujours une inconnue, Julie Peiffer

Recconais qu'il y a toujours une inconnue

Julie Peiffer

Photography - 24.4 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch

£1,068

Photography, Barbie, Tyler Shields

Barbie

Tyler Shields

Photography - 7.1 x 7.1 inch

£2,226

Photography, Upper Glasses Royal Ascot, Arthur Steel

Upper Glasses Royal Ascot

Arthur Steel

Photography - 18.9 x 24 x 0.4 inch

£1,625

Photography, Tiger #7, Brad Wilson

Tiger #7

Brad Wilson

Photography - 29.1 x 22.8 x 0 inch

£1,781

Photography, Agneta I, Blank Barbie

Agneta I

Blank Barbie

Photography - 29.9 x 29.9 x 0 inch

£1,068

Photography, A fleur de peau #04, Malo

A fleur de peau #04

Malo

Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

£4,985

Photography, The Rolling Stones Group Portrait, London, 1965, Glen Craig

The Rolling Stones Group Portrait, London, 1965

Glen Craig

Photography - 20 x 16 x 2 inch

£1,434

Photography, Corset, Portrait of an Equestrienne, Amrita Bilimoria

Corset, Portrait of an Equestrienne

Amrita Bilimoria

Photography - 18 x 13.7 x 0.2 inch

£1,311

Photography, Évasion, Tanguy Mendrisse

Évasion

Tanguy Mendrisse

Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0 inch

£142

Photography, Les femmes guerrières, Charles Bayonne

Les femmes guerrières

Charles Bayonne

Photography - 31.5 x 23.6 x 0.2 inch

£1,068

Photography, Portrait of spring, Viet Ha Tran

Portrait of spring

Viet Ha Tran

Photography - 47.2 x 34.3 x 0.1 inch

£1,638

Photography, facieS, Louis Blanc

facieS

Louis Blanc

Photography - 19.7 x 19.7 x 0 inch

£1,335

Photography, Supernova, Brooke Shaden

Supernova

Brooke Shaden

Photography - 9.8 x 9.8 x 0 inch

£668

Photography, Nanaya Green&Red, Marcos Rodrigo

Nanaya Green&Red

Marcos Rodrigo

Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.2 inch

£1,335

Photography, On est notre environnement, Aline Part

On est notre environnement

Aline Part

Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

£534

Photography, The Three, Mind, Body, Soul, Tsoku Maela

The Three, Mind, Body, Soul

Tsoku Maela

Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 1.2 inch

£2,315

Photography, The picture of emotions and other ailments of a sensitive human I, Joanna Chudy

The picture of emotions and other ailments of a sensitive human I

Joanna Chudy

Photography - 23.6 x 19.7 inch

£668

Photography, Serie "Anna. Moscow" 2001, Stanley  Greene

Serie "Anna. Moscow" 2001

Stanley Greene

Photography - 4.3 x 3.5 x 0.4 inch

£445

Photography, David Bowie - The Archer, John Rowlands

David Bowie - The Archer

John Rowlands

Photography - 20 x 26 x 2 inch

£1,638

Photography, A Faceless State, Robert Jaso

A Faceless State

Robert Jaso

Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.4 inch

£2,181

Photography, Himba children tree master, Faie Davis

Himba children tree master

Faie Davis

Photography - 24 x 20.1 x 0 inch

£1,147 £975

Photography, Richard Harris – Malta, 1973, David Steen

Richard Harris – Malta, 1973

David Steen

Photography - 33.9 x 24 x 0 inch

£1,536

Photography, Madison Man, Ian Wallace

Madison Man

Ian Wallace

Photography - 20 x 16 x 0 inch

£1,335

Photography, I Love I 2, John Yuyi

I Love I 2

John Yuyi

Photography - 19.7 x 15.7 x 0.1 inch

£1,068

Photography, Emergence 2, Brian Ziff

Emergence 2

Brian Ziff

Photography - 28 x 36 inch

£2,458

Photography, Bill Gibbons, Robert Knight

Bill Gibbons

Robert Knight

Photography - 16 x 20 x 2 inch

£778

Photography, No prostitution Here Geisha, Philippe Shangti

No prostitution Here Geisha

Philippe Shangti

Photography - 35.4 x 35.4 x 0.2 inch

£13,354

Photography, Robert Plant Dove Shot, James Fortune

Robert Plant Dove Shot

James Fortune

Photography - 24 x 18 x 0.05 inch

£1,597

Photography, VNGH, Sebastian Riemer

VNGH

Sebastian Riemer

Photography - 18.1 x 13.8 x 0.1 inch

£4,006

Photography, Terako, Jacques Bosser

Terako

Jacques Bosser

Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0 inch

£1,068

Photography, Bilbao 30/09/2010 15:22h. (Identity Promises Series), Imanol Marrodán

Bilbao 30/09/2010 15:22h. (Identity Promises Series)

Imanol Marrodán

Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0 inch

£757

Photography, Medusa Me, Elizabeth Sher

Medusa Me

Elizabeth Sher

Photography - 22.4 x 22.4 x 0.2 inch

£579

Photography, Her Royal Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II in Lilac, Chris Jackson

Her Royal Majesty The Queen Elizabeth II in Lilac

Chris Jackson

Photography - 29.9 x 20.1 x 0 inch

£979

Photography, Sans Titre, Jean-François Spricigo

Sans Titre

Jean-François Spricigo

Photography - 10.8 x 10.8 x 0.4 inch

£2,315

Photography, Désir de chasse, autoportrait, Jean-Robert Franco

Désir de chasse, autoportrait

Jean-Robert Franco

Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

£1,602

Photography, Fish Eye Autoportrait, Florian Hunger-Pegof

Fish Eye Autoportrait

Florian Hunger-Pegof

Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 0.2 inch

£1,691

Photography, Movement 26, Kalliope Amorphous

Movement 26

Kalliope Amorphous

Photography - 20 x 16 inch

£2,867

Photography, Warrior Embellished, Drew Doggett

Warrior Embellished

Drew Doggett

Photography - 27 x 18 x 0.1 inch

£1,352

Photography, Untitled, Ebuka Michael

Untitled

Ebuka Michael

Photography - 15.7 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

£717

Photography, Alabursy I, Etienne Renollet

Alabursy I

Etienne Renollet

Photography - 27.6 x 19.7 inch

£463

Photography, The Feast of Trimalchio, AES + F

The Feast of Trimalchio

AES + F

Photography - 16.5 x 21.9 x 0.4 inch

£2,671

Photography, Marilyn on the Roof, Ed Feingersh

Marilyn on the Roof

Ed Feingersh

Photography - 20.1 x 16.1 inch

£441

Photography, Sight, Arnaud Ele

Sight

Arnaud Ele

Photography - 46.8 x 33.1 x 0 inch

£712

Photography, Nude Carla Bruni a genoux, Harper Bazar, Philippe Robert

Nude Carla Bruni a genoux, Harper Bazar

Philippe Robert

Photography - 43.3 x 32.3 x 0.8 inch

£9,793

Photography, Act 2 | Is the pilot still with us?, Grzegorz Sikorski

Act 2 | Is the pilot still with us?

Grzegorz Sikorski

Photography - 31.5 x 31.5 x 0 inch

£223

Photography, Shoot again (887), Yves Cham

Shoot again (887)

Yves Cham

Photography - 17.7 x 23.6 x 0 inch

£1,068

Photography, Golden Nude Kate Moss 1993, Thiery Le Gouès

Golden Nude Kate Moss 1993

Thiery Le Gouès

Photography - 39.4 x 39.4 x 0.8 inch

£10,683

Photography, Kano 1975, John Craven né Conte

Kano 1975

John Craven né Conte

Photography - 11.8 x 15.7 x 0.2 inch

£846

Photography, Open Mind - 24k Gold Leaf, Gregoire A.Meyer

Open Mind - 24k Gold Leaf

Gregoire A.Meyer

Photography - 49.2 x 49.2 x 2 inch

£9,793

Photography, Arc en ciel, Petite Poissone

Arc en ciel

Petite Poissone

Photography - 11.8 x 14.6 x 0.8 inch

£427

Photography, Poétique Française, 25 éléments., Pascal Therme

Poétique Française, 25 éléments.

Pascal Therme

Photography - 31.5 x 25.6 x 0.1 inch

£1,380

Photography, Untitled (wall and mirror), Mikael Siirilä

Untitled (wall and mirror)

Mikael Siirilä

Photography - 8.7 x 5.9 inch

£285

Photography, Awissa, Claudia van der Starre

Awissa

Claudia van der Starre

Photography - 59.1 x 39.4 x 0.2 inch

£3,539

Photography, Magic Warhol, Marie Serruya

Magic Warhol

Marie Serruya

Photography - 11.4 x 8.3 x 0 inch

£245

Photography, La Glaneuse, Marie Dorigny

La Glaneuse

Marie Dorigny

Photography - 15 x 22.8 x 0 inch

£1,246

Photography, Métamorphose II (Le Chat), Joss Uñac

Métamorphose II (Le Chat)

Joss Uñac

Photography - 23.6 x 15.7 x 0.8 inch

£1,140

Photography, Michael Jackson VI, David Nutter

Michael Jackson VI

David Nutter

Photography - 20 x 24 x 2 inch

£2,089

Photography, David Bowie - Lincoln Centre, NYC 1995, Richard Beland

David Bowie - Lincoln Centre, NYC 1995

Richard Beland

Photography - 24 x 20 x 2 inch

£2,089

Photography, The eyes, Samuel Cueto

The eyes

Samuel Cueto

Photography - 15.7 x 19.7 x 0.4 inch

£801

Photography, Kashi, John Kenny

Kashi

John Kenny

Photography - 26.4 x 17.7 x 0.8 inch

£1,024

Photography, Oracle, Kamal Obat

Oracle

Kamal Obat

Photography - 23.4 x 23.4 x 0.1 inch

£1,393

Photography, Geisha, Audrey Viste

Geisha

Audrey Viste

Photography - 15.7 x 23.6 x 0.4 inch

£490

Photography, Hello, Miles Aldridge

Hello

Miles Aldridge

Photography - 28.9 x 37.4 inch

£4,896

Photography, Goldfinger, Buki Koshoni

Goldfinger

Buki Koshoni

Photography - 40.2 x 28.1 x 0.4 inch

£993

Photography, Cheveux au vent, Irène Jonas

Cheveux au vent

Irène Jonas

Photography - 5.1 x 7.5 x 0 inch

£445

Photography, Marilyn Monroe: The Last Sitting Portfolio 4, Bert Stern

Marilyn Monroe: The Last Sitting Portfolio 4

Bert Stern

Photography - 24 x 24 inch

£24,575

Photography, Rod Stewart & Britt Ekland – Beverly Hills,  1976, David Salle

Rod Stewart & Britt Ekland – Beverly Hills, 1976

David Salle

Photography - 53.9 x 39.4 x 0 inch

£3,784

Photography, Find your clitoris II, Charlotte Abramow

Find your clitoris II

Charlotte Abramow

Photography - 8.3 x 6.3 inch

£623

Photography, Marilyn Monroe, ca, George Barris

Marilyn Monroe, ca

George Barris

Photography - 8 x 10 x 0.1 inch

£1,335

Photography, French Kiss, Pierrick Van Troost

French Kiss

Pierrick Van Troost

Photography - 27.6 x 18.5 inch

£1,781

Photography, Aah la bonne heure" Garder ton ombre, Bruxelles, Anahi Matteo

Aah la bonne heure" Garder ton ombre, Bruxelles

Anahi Matteo

Photography - 11.8 x 7.9 x 1 inch

£392

Photography, Ecologia Profonda, Selfportrait, Chiara Mazzocchi

Ecologia Profonda, Selfportrait

Chiara Mazzocchi

Photography - 19.7 x 27.6 x 0.1 inch

£441

Photography, The kharoub's seller, Miguel Angel Sanchez

The kharoub's seller

Miguel Angel Sanchez

Photography - 39.4 x 29.5 x 0.4 inch

£623

Photography, fkaTwigs, Kate Garner

fkaTwigs

Kate Garner

Photography - 40 x 30 x 0.1 inch

£2,621

Photography, Losing My Religion, Swanet Muskee

Losing My Religion

Swanet Muskee

Photography - 37 x 29.9 x 0.8 inch

£3,516

Photography, In flight I, Frank Williams

In flight I

Frank Williams

Photography - 11.8 x 11.8 x 0.1 inch

£401

Photography, Wrapped Series Untitled #4, Robert Mack

Wrapped Series Untitled #4

Robert Mack

Photography - 38 x 18 x 1.5 inch

£4,915

Photography, Goose-in-Love-with-Boy-in-Love-with-Goose ; Rumination Concerning Interspecies and Same-Sex Marriage, Erie Country fair, Hambourg, New York, Les Krims

Goose-in-Love-with-Boy-in-Love-with-Goose ; Rumination Concerning Interspecies and Same-Sex Marriage, Erie Country fair, Hambourg, New York

Les Krims

Photography - 15.2 x 19.6 x 0.2 inch

£1,068

Photography, Every single incident weighs tons (The Girl behind the White Picket Fence), Stefanie Schneider

Every single incident weighs tons (The Girl behind the White Picket Fence)

Stefanie Schneider

Photography - 7.9 x 7.9 x 0 inch

£490

Photography, Red point, Malick Kebe

Red point

Malick Kebe

Photography - 29.5 x 21.7 inch

£801

Photography, Sphere of Life, #2238, Mixed-Media Collage, Natasha Zupan

Sphere of Life, #2238, Mixed-Media Collage

Natasha Zupan

Photography - 21.25 x 17.32 x 1 inch

£1,311

Photography, Contemplation, Laurence Winram

Contemplation

Laurence Winram

Photography - 33.1 x 23.4 x 0.1 inch

£480

Photography, Woman with a Fish Hat by Picasso, Viktorija Pashuta

Woman with a Fish Hat by Picasso

Viktorija Pashuta

Photography - 40 x 30 x 1.5 inch

£3,973

Portrait Photography for Sale

In the 1830s, Nièpce discovered the process for setting images onto pewter plates. In 1833, upon Nièpce's death, Louis Daguerre and François Arago continued his experiments and invented the daguerreotype, a process which created a printed image on a silver plate that had been exposed to light. Photography was born.

Similarly to how portrait painting had dominated artistic output in previous centuries, portrait photography was to become the pillar of the Second French Empire's photographic industry. Lenses with a shorter focal length, which enabled reduced exposure times, gradually appear on the market. The required equipment was expensive and difficult to handle. Some photographers, called daguerreotypists, decided to open their own photography studios to make a profit from their endeavours. The daguerreotype process was temperamental, and photographers had to take their pictures with great precision and attention to detail. They welcomed many people into their studios and customers choose how they wished to be photographed from catalogue of poses. Originally only accessible to the bourgeoisie, lower prices resulting from the growing number of studios eventually attracted a wider customer base. This phenomenon infuriated the poet Charles Baudelaire who was frustrated by the sense of narcissism sparked by the daguerreotypists.

Despite his protests, the egotistical trend only grew with the emergence of 'carte de visite' portraits (small photographs, the size of today's business cards). These were the brainchild of Adolphe Eugène Disdéri came up with the idea of producing portraits akin to visiting cards in 1859. He printed eight portraits in a variety of poses onto a single plate and once developed they could be cut up into eight distinct “visiting cards". Very popular with the bourgeoisie, they highlighted the sitters' social status. 'Carte de visite' portraits featuring celebrities were also sold to customers, who could subsequently add them to their albums.

The photographer Nadar was one of the first to demonstrate a conscious artistic approach to producing these portraits. He emphasised facial expressions and ensured the sitter was comfortable and at ease before taking the photograph. He photographed the era's greatest thinkers and artists, including Honoré de Balzac, George Sand, and Victor Hugo. He even managed to reconcile Baudelaire with portraiture.

At the end of the 19th century, the art of photography started to enter the mainstream, with the arrival of the Kodak company. The use of the camera, and the taking of portraits, became everyday occurrences. A century later, it was the invention of the digital camera which challenged the status quo. Whereas before alterations could only be made to photographs when they were being taken or developed, with the digital camera editing became easier, quicker and more convenient. Digital photography has given photographers much more freedom when it comes to editing and new methods and techniques are constantly being explored.

Some of the photographers who have left their mark on the last century include: Cindy Sherman, who excelled in self-portraits, Annie Leibovitz, who captured celebrities, the wacky duo, Pierre and Gilles, as well as Diane Arbus, Irving Penn, Richard Avedon, Helmut Newton and Bettina Rheims.

So, do portraits help us to learn more about each other, to remember, to invent, to act, or to reconnect with ourselves? Find out on Artsper, by exploring the works of Formento & Formento, Naomi Vona, Ahmed Bennani, Chou Ching Hui, Samuel CuetoBrno del ZouRen Hang, Markus + Indrani, Jerome Liebling as well as Annina Roescheisen.

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Need help with Portrait Photography ?

What makes a portrait photograph?

A portrait photograph can be a photograph of a person's head and shoulders, but it can also be of an animal or of a different section of the subject's body such as their feet. Portrait photographs in art often tell or hint something about its subject to the viewer, such as an aspect of their personality, but still contain an element of mystery. 

What are the three major types of portrait photography?

The three major types of portrait photography are posed portraits, candid or anonymous portraits, and conceptual portraits. The last type, conceptual or creative portraits, can be experimental and abstract, and may not represent an image close to a traditional portrait.

What are the six styles of portrait photography?

The six main types of portrait photography are fine art portraits, traditional portraits (for example posed portraits taken at school), lifestyle portraits, group portraits, street portraits and glamour portraits.