I've been interested in portrait photography for quite some time. There's something really beautiful about a perfectly lit, perfectly composed, black and white portrait. This one is of young Queen Elizabeth, and it differs in many ways from the portraiture we see of Elizabeth the first.
Of course, cameras had not been invented in Elizabeth I's time, and all the evidence we have of her is portrayed through art paintings. These, although beautifully executed, may not actually be accurate representations of the Queen - especially since we know she was vain and asked painters to get rid of the bits she didn't like, and make her look younger!
The portrait above of our current Queen is simple, beautiful and classic. She has the class and posture of Elizabeth the first, but her face looks softer, she looks gentler, and she isn't as 'dolled up'. In the 1500s it was unlikely a Queen would have a portrait like this modern one. Her shoulders are out, and she hasn't made too much of an effort but looks flawless. I really like this photograph and think it defines true effortless beauty.
Bibliography (image):
https://news.artnet.com/wp-content/news-upload/2015/09/young-queen-elizabeth.jpg
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