40th birthday photos

I do not like these photos, very airbrushed and artificial looking
But the subject might like them so that's alright

She looks good for 40. But she's very thin looking at her neck and arms.

FannyCornforth

Like Catherine, I studied Art History at University.
My own dissertation was on the female portraiture of Sir Joshua Reynolds; so for my 50th birthday portraits, which will be revealed next week, expect something along the lines of these

He had a pub, FannyC and we used to go there sometimes.
Good old Sir Josh

Are you going to get your Dad to take them Fanny and then have them airbrushed and published in The Times?

Fanny
I think the point is that Catherine's portraits are going to be hung in the National Portrait Gallery alongside those of other stuffy female royals. Maybe she succeeded in remaining within the brief, but with a 21st century twist?

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-744128-56769c62-7b65-467c-a396-597182f79c53.jpeg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-930481-7da6a42a-fc52-4f50-b838-a963078d342b.jpeg

Like Catherine, I studied Art History at University.
My own dissertation was on the female portraiture of Sir Joshua Reynolds; so for my 50th birthday portraits, which will be revealed next week, expect something along the lines of these

IMO the photos are awful and don't look like her at all.

She doesn’t look like herself…I am not mad on them

Esmay

I didn't recognise
Catherine immediately .

I thought that it was you -Josie !

She is classically beautiful, but I prefer the more natural shots that we see when she's working .

Well, I'll let you into a secret Esmay.
I purposely omitted Catherine's name from both the title of the thread and the opening post to see the reaction, (nothing to do with passing them off for me!) To be honest I had to look at the pictures twice to see the likeness, but I still think they are nice photos.

I didn't recognise
Catherine immediately .

I thought that it was you -Josie !

She is classically beautiful, but I prefer the more natural shots that we see when she's working .

Nobody is saying Catherine is anything but beautiful , but these photos are not what she looks like , it’s the pictures I don’t like , not the person

She’s beautiful and well done Kate for being an upstanding royal. She’s always smiling and doing her ‘job’ well.

Doesn't look like her at all - much to fat in the face.

The woman is a size 6 - 8 and she's looking much too fat in the face! Give me strength!

mummer
you are a professional photographer then I assume!

Kate's nod to royal history: Duchess of Cambridge's regal black-and-white birthday shot channelled Cecil Beaton's classic portraits of the Queen, Princess Margaret and the Queen Mother

www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-10386015/Kate-Middletons-birthday-portrait-inspired-Cecil-Beaton.html

Josieann

A bit of digging in Art journals reveals 19th century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron who apparently Catherine studied as a specialist subject while at University. Some of her photography hangs in the V & A museum. There seems to be some likeness in the chosen style and poses, (though I haven't a clue who the people are in the portraits).

there is a wikipedia page here

You are right, they are very similar poses

They must be good photos as the photographer would have been a highly paid professional. It’s the hair and makeup that are the problem.

Sophrosyne

Must admit that when I first saw the photos I did a double take as she was not the person I recognised from her public image – an image she wears very much in awareness that as the future Queen of England she has an expectation, perhaps an obligation, to look a certain way for her public. Always polished and poised with not a hair out of place and immaculate, though rather bold, makeup to define her features for the endless photos and videos taken of her.

When you compare her make up on her wedding day with that of these portraits she now looks far fresher, completely natural and yes actually younger than she did 10 years earlier. I don’t think there is any denying that the photographer has used a soft focus but this only enhances the ethereal feel. She will have worked with the photographer, hairdresser, make up artist and I expect a stylist, to achieve the look she wished to portray and will have had the final say on which, possibly from many taken, should be published. And after seeing her 2013 portrait by Paul Emsley (posted here) being likened to a dowdy 45 year old when she was actually only 31 who can blame her!

These images convey her message that there is another Kate in there that she would like to reveal to us – it's her private side, away from all the paparazzi, the public functions, the demands to always wear that public face.

This is Kate as she sees herself and I think these 40th birthday photos are simply stunning.

Softar lenses are usually used for smoothing complexions or blurring landscapes etc.not for such an absolutely beautiful young woman. This blurring And over flattening of the facial contours has destroyed her wonderful complexion , bone structure endearing dimples and her sparkle. I see what is being attempted but afraid it's a fail!

I think the critiques of the photos has been misinterpreted as critiques of the subject.not so!! Those of us who know see these for what they are- really not very good.

Dreadful photography!! Even with such a perfect subject managed to make Kate look CGI version of who? Over processed prints trying too hard, I prefer the film of the family in the dunes, natural happy beautiful. These? I wouldn't pay the fee!

I do not like these photos - they are too posed, too manipulated, too poncey. She looks artificial. Like a shop window dummy.

CoolCoco

Just imagine the bitching if Meghan had issued soft focussed airbrushed photos of herself.

There's quite a bit of bitching over Catherine on this thread, discussing the shape of her face, fat in the face, too thin, photoshopped, etc etc. It's not confined to Meghan.

https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-27182-images-jpeg-3.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-961140-images-jpeg-4.jpg https://www.gransnet.com/uploads/talk/202201/medium-64584-347329.jpg

A bit of digging in Art journals reveals 19th century photographer Julia Margaret Cameron who apparently Catherine studied as a specialist subject while at University. Some of her photography hangs in the V & A museum. There seems to be some likeness in the chosen style and poses, (though I haven't a clue who the people are in the portraits).

She does, often.

As I’m sure she has.