Karin:
I think you are dead on.
It is absolutely true that as portrait artists, it is essential that we understand WHAT makes a good portrait, and HOW to get the reference that reflects our vision. Regardless of whether you are working from life or photos, there needs to be a baseline understanding and knowlege possessed by the artist of what works about what you are seeing in your subject and what does not work.
If you are going to paint from photos, you need to be almost as good or better than a professional photographer. You need the training, the skill, and the equipment.
We need to view our reference with the most critical eye because it will be reflected in the painting. A fine art portrait artist lives and dies on their customer's delight with their commission. Satisfaction is not enough, IMO.
Further, this site is primarily for working pros/semi-pros and you gotta be able and willing to take some hard criticism if you want to improve and you have to do it with a professional attitude.
For those on this site doing portraiture for our living, this is the big time and it is deadly serious stuff...
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