Critique of modern portraits.

Let me preface by saying no disrespect to modern portrait painters, if you're making money in your field I guess you found your niche. That being said is painting clear portraits really relevant anymore? (If you can put a spin on portraiture like Francis Bacon or Chuck Close I am not speaking to you. Paintings above)

 Francis Bacon said "You see, painting has now become, or all art has now become completely a game, by which man distracts himself. What is fascinating actually is, that it's going to become much more difficult for the artist, because he must really deepen the game to become any good at all."

Today I went searching for something inspiring, unfortunately I came across a great deal of painted portraits. I can not see the relevancy of a portrait that is, well, real and true to life. Not to name names, ehhh hemm Sharon Sprung if a painting is to real, to close to a snapshots it is therefor too irrelevant to progressive art these days. It is simply an exercise. With the invention of the camera and its indisputable realism painting has had to adapt . These remaining portrait painters are clearly very talented, this much is true, but that's where it stops. I just wish they could use their talent to comment on something more then reflect it, or something more then the mundane, just MORE. After all, the thing that makes painting so great is that it can look like reality but still be through a warped perspective; to show something more then reality. If all you do is paint reality how are you any better then a camera? A camera can do it faster, make it look more real, it will trump the realistic painter in clarity of image every time. I hate to say it, well no I don't, the rabbit done died. With the invention of the camera realistic painting has become obsolete. I do understand the romantic notions of the past and the famous paintings of realism that were produced then, but thats the key word: then. Now a days the competition is just pushing the envelope to much for realism in painting to any longer be relevant. Painters, you must go deeper. If you are one who is really attached to realistic portraiture, maybe you should become a photographer. Bold yes, but if painting is to progress it must let literal realism go. Gerhard Richter examines this notion in his postmodern works, trying to find a home for painting portraits outside of the real. Due to his exploration on the subject, you have no excuse.