Michelle and Beth, I agree with you both. The soulful characteristics of the subject is captured more eloquently by an artist and is felt in the way of the brushstrokes, values etc which I suppose would be quite difficult for a photographer to accomplish in a studio with props etc.
I have just finished reading Daniel Burleigh Parkhurst's online book, The Painter in Oil at ARC re portraitures special qualities not only just by achieving a likeness. For those who might not have read it yet go to
http://www.artrenewal.org/articles/2...parkhurst9.asp