Portraits received mostly positive reviews from critics. Kate Solomon of i newspaper called the album "a sweeping and dramatic record that has lost nothing of Birdy’s ability to capture a fluttering emotion and pin it down to examine it" while praising its new direction as a "bold move that, for the most part, pays off".[5] Rachel Aroesti from The Guardian described the album as "80s-flavoured pop" and a "sophisticated yet irresistibly melodic nostalgia trip".[1]
Writing for The Line of Best Fit, Lana Williams called the album as Birdy's "most confident and exploratory project to date" and "an exemplary display of [her] prowess as both a musician, and a songwriter".[7] David Smyth of Evening Standard was a little critical of the record feeling that "there’s a sense of holding back from really cutting loose". However, he wrote positively about the singer's vocals deeming them "confident".[4]
