I tend to be very opinionated about portraits. My views are my own.

Portraits of people really do require big bokeh. Producing a sharp image with big bokeh (depth of field) requires a fast (and often expensive) lens, good lighting, and a good camera.  Yes, you can make a great picture with a cheap camera but you will not be able to print this image to a large size, and that image cannot be seen on a large screen without losing some characteristics. Finally, you ought to know this: I really dislike posed portraits. I tend to prefer subject who are caught off guard, not prepared for their picture to be taken. I find that this approach produces the most authentic and natural results.

Finally, I love seeing subjects transition through different moods, from happy, to deep in thought, to annoyed, to angry, to shocked, and to surprised.