The Portrait as Oil painting or Drawing in the Classic manner has always attracted me.
Oil painting, for me, is the ultimate medium for the expression of the subtleties of the portrait.
A drawing done with conté pencil can be amazingly sensitive, which is what has drawn me to Old Masters in the past, such as Ingres, Vermeer, Thomas Gainsborough, Anthony Van Dyck, Gustave Jacquet, and Rembrant.

A Portrait probes a sitter and goes beyond appearance in a way photography cannot, because a portrait artist exists with a person for a period of time, whereas photography shows a just moment.
I can work from photographs, but need some time with the sitter to absorb elements of their presence for the reason outlined above.