I paint from photographs

[Andrea Evans]

Hi Cynthia, et al,

I have been using photographs only in the past year because most of my commissions have been of very young children. When I printed up a brochure, in my working procedure, I stated that I take my own reference photographs. Now I have people telling me that they already have photographs and that I can use theirs. I then try to explain to them why I cannot use their photos. How can the public and potential clients be informed about the photograph issue in particular and about the portrait painting profession in general? A friend of mine said that I had to educate them about portrait painting, but I am only one person re-entering a very rare profession.