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Memory as an alternative to photos
Painting from life is definitely best and after years of doing commissions from photos I can never say the word photograph without the words "soul sucking" in front of it. I have been painting plein air now for several years and find it is the best resource for developing artistic skills. I also find that it sharpens the visual memory allowing me to find what is essential in a scene and place those elements quickly. I have been using it for portrait as well and find I enjoy the process much more. I am currently working on a portrait of a Native American performer. He has been kind to sit for me and we spent much of the time talking while I paint. I did shoot photos but I find the portrait goes smoother when I put the photos away and trust what I know and what I remember. In this case the photographs become a distraction. Photographs freeze a moment in time but the memory is more fluid and I find better for remembering expression and personality. Memory also leaves out unimportant details that a photograph will accentuate. Developing visual memory has freed me from a bad habit of copying.
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