Part of what I love about intimate portraits is that people often forget what the word intimacy really means. Photographers often use this word to describe boudoir photography, which is a good description, but it is not just limited to that. To me intimate is when your subject lets down their walls and lets you see who they really are, or at least how they see themselves. I like this type of intimacy, it can unspoken and it can allow the viewer and the subject to both share in a moment.
As a photographer, these are the moments when my heart is 100% in the moment and I am like a sponge, just taking it all in and trying to make sure I don’t miss anything. A lot of the time I will not take more than 5 or 6 photos of the whole thing, but that is all that is necessary. There is much more to being a photographer than just technical mumbo jumbo. It is your relationship with your subject and your understanding of them as well. Make the effort and you will like the result. Just my random thought for tonight. 
Happy New Year! ….and welcome back.