My Portrait of Baby Kayla, Ron's Mother in last Post

[John]. . .A bolt of lightning went through my entire body as I was showing my staff Ron's last post. (the one below this). His image was of a baby entwined by the parents both showing tattoo art. Then it struck me. I won an award of this mom when she was a baby. So how funny for me to demonstrate timeless classic portraiture than this. My picture is Ron's tattooed mother when SHE was a baby. It was one of the highest scores in our exhibition as well as national exhibition.
I wanted to point out how well it holds up to time. For today, it is just as beautiful as it was almost 25 years ago. And how ironical that our blog is a duel and these images are such perfect examples of our purpose for this blog. This image was mounted on canvas as well to enhance the classy feel. I think that the title was "Mothers Loving Touch".

Let there be light, and the light was good.

Ron.... It's So easy to get a good picture. Step into the camera room flip the master switch. and all at once you have a Fill, Main, Hair and background light fire up all at once. Grab a subject set your camera and your ready to rock and roll. Yes! good pictures flawless light what else could you ask for?

What else Could you ask for? What about Great, artistic images that kick butt, that's what. I was looking at my images the other day and it dawned on me my favorite images were not done with the normal light set up. So flip of the switch and start playing with alternate light sources, you will be amazed at what kind of light you will get out of just a few candles.

One day I was cleaning the backroom at the studio it's full of years of photographic equipment, I found that dreaded motion picture light bank my father used to blind us every Christmas when I was a kid. I threw the old relic away. after a few minutes my eyes caught and brand new package of fluorescent lights (the ones that look like soft serve ice-cream) that I bought to drive down energy cost at the studio. Then about four of those lights went off in my head. what if I combine the old relic laying in the garbage with the new technology that was tightly wrapped in some kind of Plastic container that makes it imposable to open with human hands alone. after a 30 minute struggle the lights were out of the package and into the old movie light bank. I used that setup for almost half of my next subjects photo session and I loved the results, I loved the shallow depth of field I had by shooting at F/2.8 and the soft light it produced.

That's just one method I used you can try other lights such as spot lights, flashlights, normal household incandescent lighting, the modeling light on your strobe and light modifiers. My last light experiment was with L.E.D. Lights that I put in the once junk movie light bank, it produces a much more natural light very close to daylight. The only drawback to this your subject will scream from the intensity of the brilliant little lights. So the moral of this story is this. step away from what's normal for you and start playing with light. you will soon see a different look to your images that you love.

Shoot on and be nice to you pet.
Ron

Timeless Need Not Be Boring

[John]. .I felt it would be beneficial to jump disciplines a little. I don't want the viewers to get the wrong idea of who we are. I do shoot more than classic portraiture. However the images that I have posted today reveal a consistency in my theory of image making. The epicenter of impact that the eye is drawn to is still so important, regardless of our subject matter.
First, the command to look, forces the viewer to stop and pay attention. This command is hidden deep in the skeleton of the image. It is evident by the lines it creates or in it's negative space. The very nature of these spacial structures gives the image archetypical natures that draw the viewer in.
Also important, is the way light falls on each component of the image. Careful attention is placed on lighting just right so that the primary subject is prominent because of it.
Every great image tells a story. This is the element that a viewer may feel drawn to in a variety of ways. A story gives the image purpose. The reason it exists is to deliver that message well.
These were both images that I had done for exhibition over ten years ago. In spite of the advancements of software and hardware, they have survived at least a small period of time. Hopefully they will prove to be timeless, a goal that I strive for in every image.

Walk Around The Tree And Learn To See.

Ron.... One of the very first assignments when teaching a photography class was to send the students out on a mission, the mission was to photograph a lone tree in a field. When the photography students would return to class the following session they would come in with their images of the trees. Almost always it was taken from the side of the road and in most cases right out the window of the car. then after that the tree would be bulls eyed dead center of the print.

Now for the lesson. We would lay the pictures out and talk about composition and image placement, we also talked about how we read from left to right and the importance of the rule of thirds. That was all fine and dandy but what I really wanted to teach them about the tree photo was this. See the tree from a angle different then from the road see the tree from a position few have seen the tree from before. I challenged them to walk around the tree, lay under the tree, climb the tree, use a wide range of focal lengths to photograph the tree. I was amazing to see the difference when they returned with the pictures not only were the pictures much more interesting to look at but the students came back excited because they realized there was almost endless ways they could look at their subject.

When I'm photographing people I take that same approach, I literally walk around them lay on the floor shooting up at them, get on a latter and shoot down at them. the girl in the photo above I laid under the truck and shot up at her goal was to see the country girl painted on her tail gate. and with the boy I laid on my stomach with my camera flat on the ground with a 24mm lens to get that effect. You will be amazed at how many different looks you can get with your subject posed in the same position. If you don't have a inherent ability to see, train your eye to see, by walking around the tree.

Large Soft Box for Sale

John ...It took several years for me to realize. Digital captures way more detail in the shadows than film did. With film, I shot with a 4x6 softbox as a main and fill was bounced off a white wall-floor-ceiling behind camera. I was just having so much trouble controlling the light like I wanted to. Control of light is a skill every portrait photographer strives to excel in. I just was not "hitting" it with my lighting. It was too broad and non-directional. It finally dawned on me that perhaps my very large light was wrapping too much around my subject. So to the phone I went and ordered a 32" (and did it ever look small, still does) spider light. Now I can twist and turn that smaller source to get the very nuance I desire in my portrait lighting. Along with that I set up a couple 8" dome lights with honeycomb grids for kickers. I found that the translucent packing plastic works perfect to diffuse the harsh light coming out of the kickers. It doesn't make sense, but diffusing the kickers as I have done, retains the focus of the light while still softening. The softer effect is so much nicer for fine portrait work. And the kickers must be feathered away from the subject. I predict that someday, critical lighting will be one of the deciding factors that brings elegance back to portraiture.

Is, Does or It. That is the question.

Ron.... Ok after reading John's post at least 5 times I'm still lost. I have no freaking Idea what "is and does" mean or what they have to do with anything. I'm sure all you intellectual types got it, so I'll give john a call to shed some light for me.

Now for all you poor schmucks like me who suffer from extreme ADHD and a touch of bipolarity, and the intellectual stuff goes right over our heads, I figured this out a long time ago. When working with a high school seniors I have to shoot for 4 people. They are.

1. Grandma, the only thing that is a senior picture to her is that boring 8x10 head shot that she puts on the wall with the 46 other grandchildren. I don't complain because in this economy it's amazing how often G-Momma writes me the check for the whole shootin match.

2. We have to shoot for mom, she picks that three quarter image that somehow captured that look she just loves when she sees it in pictures or real life. That look has their total personality wrapped up in it.

3. Then there is the senior, they want that cool shot that's deferent than anything I've ever done before. On the surface they want their friends to see that they are a jock, a dancer, a computer nerd or artist, or whatever it is that the kids in the school know them for. even though it was cool I have done it before, but I don't tell them that.

4. Most importantly we shoot for me, this is my secret and I don't tell them. After working with kids for a long time I've developed the ability to see past the surface into their inner most workings, almost everyone has a hidden personality dying to surface, I take it on myself to bring that creature out. It's amazing to see what 16 years of someone telling you what you should be, what you shouldn't do, how you should dress, how you should look etc. suppresses. It is really quite amazing. When we are done the seniors love what I shot for me because it is real and it is really who they are, they go away thinking I did that for them not me. In the end Grandma and mom get what they want but I get the most, and that is the opportunity to connect with my subject at a whole different level and they go away a new friend because I get It. So you can go for" is or does" or you can do like I do and just get, It!

Portraiture Does Not Need to be Creative

John . . .I have struggled with this for such a long time. I have done and was well known for my very creative images, many of which ended up in prestigious exhibits. But I always hated the fact that my peers always saw me as the "Digital Wizard" as they used to say. My very creative stuff never really reflected the images that I earned my bread and butter with. So I felt driven to improve my bread and butter images. This would benefit my client as well. I totally turned off that crazy creative side of my brain. For better or worse, I wanted to be known as an amazing "Portraitist".
To quote William Mortensen, "It is better to shoot 'IS' rather than 'DOES'". IS carries so much more power than DOES. Is projects a message of confidence and prestige. The elements that cause you to react to the image are the relationships between your attention to elements of the image or the soul of the image. For portraiture that soul is found in the eyes and then the expression. In highly creative shots, elements can be architectural surroundings, props, clothing, etc. In my opinion a distraction to the soul of the image. These images reflect the point that this young man is confident as well as perhaps a little feisty. And that is OK. This portrays him the way that he appeared to me.

Nine degrees, Snow, assault weapons and a Bikini = Inspired!

Ron.... I'm almost always asked before I start a session, what ideas do you have for me. My answer is always the same. I don't know. The reason? I never know till the second I start what the elements of the day will be. So many elements go into making a great image, first the mood of the subject, are they up or are they down. I want my images to be real so I never try and change the mood,(with that said if the subject comes in down, because of my shooting style they normally are up in just a few minutes but I don't try and force it.) then the outfits how do they speak to me. next element is what's going on around you, is it raining, snowing, do we have a rainbow? one time I had a train parked right out my backdoor for a whole day, I had to take advantage of it. the trick to these elements are in order to use them you must first see them. once you see them how will you take advantage of them? Once all those elements start coming together that's when I start getting inspired on how I'll capitalize on the each of those elements to make a very creative image.

Be creative and see, use the elements of the day and you also will be inspired.

It's All About Status

John: . . .This session provided me a perfect oportunity to demonstrate the cornerstone of my philosophy. I believe that a good portion of a session should begin with elevating the status of the sitter. We can see this when an image with status is placed next to a fun shot "photograph". I'm not knocking fun pictures, because I do those as well. I'm only advocating that an attempt should always be made to elevate the status. We can do this by slowing down our energy levels and becoming Still. Look as deep as we can into this person and fill ourselves with empathy. Relax the subject and instead of trying to conjur up an expression, wait (while having a calm conversation with the person, or a few compliments)for that perfect quiet expression. By complimenting the subject, they will reveal an expression that raises their self awareness. When captured at the precise moment, this will give a portrait of distinction that is timeless.

My inspirations

Ron.... Someone asked me the other day what inspires me to get the images I do. At one point in my life I would focus on the four walls of my camera room, if I did a outdoor shoot it would be done at the outdoor studio we had setup in my parents backyard a few blocks from the studio, as soon as November was upon us all shooting was done in the camera room. My inspiration at that time was making as much money that I could and that was my focus.

Lets fast forward now to the present. Somewhere between now and the past I spoke of earlier I really became bored with my cookie cutter routine, I told myself at the time it was not cookie cutter and everyone went away with something very unique, now when I look back, it was very cookie cutter and really boring. My eyes were opened when I had the opportunity to work with an amazing young lady who was not going to settle for the status quo she pushed me out of my comfort zone once outside of that comfort zone I realized I was in a whole new world and I loved it. thank you so much Shawna for moving me to a whole new place. Next time I write I will get to the point of what my new found inspirations are. but for now keep learning and keep growing.

This is How it will Work

Posts from John will start with . . . John:

Posts from Ron will start with . . . . Ron:

We will also interview some amazing photographers who would be a benefit to readers and also fit within the purpose of our mission, to provide an environment of learning that extends from the classic to the crazy.

Dueling Brothers show debut at GLiP

Ron and John Marion grew up in the photography industry. As children they were enslaved to work in the chemically rich darkrooms of their father Jack. The smell of bleach fix still resonates in their nostrils today. This is probably where photography was "revealed" to them at an early age.

Now some years later they have found themselves with their own independent studios in Michigan. Even though they actually do both shoot a wide variety of styles they are each inclined to shoot "there way" . For John that is more timeless classical style. Ron, on the other hand, takes a no holds barred approach to his shooting and gets some cool crazy shots. They both have successful operations and combined, the two studios have photographed over 70,000 sessions.

Dueling Brothers was developed due to interest in learning what these brothers already know. This is more than a marketing and sales "how to". Ron and John believe that success starts behind the camera and all things successful follow that image.

This blog will serve as the cornerstone of "Dueling Brothers" multi-faceted learning experience.

In addition they plan to produce DVDs, Multi-city tour, and weekend retweets.