How did they achieve this look

[limr]

And I'm confused by this because I don't see anyone criticizing his operation but merely expressing dislike for his style. One can still respect the photographer for figuring out what it takes to run a successful studio while still disliking the aesthetic quality of the work.

I've seen just as much praise for his lighting and overall skills as I've seen criticisms of his skin smoothing techniques, and I don't recall anyone asking "How does this dude stay in business?"

 

[Derrel]

No disrespect intended toward anyone but I'm a little surprised by the overwhelming criticism of a "2nd generation" studio operation. Not a Craigslist super duper photographer but a brick and mortar operation that has withstood the test of time. You may not like his style but the fact remains his clients obviously do. I don't know the guy or anything about him, but if I was inclined to want to make a living in photography, I think I would be curious enough to observe his business model.

The pink dress, the girl in red hat and dress, and a few others have LAUGHABLY amateurish composition. It might be second generation, but the second generation seems clueless about how to do formal portraiture. The laughable rule of thirds "efforts" (JFK, how bad they are!) and huge dead-space-on-the-long-side shots smack of a nooby who's bought the name and can't even frame a portrait with ANY sense of design sense. The portfolio has some absolute dreck as far as how the people are shown...even big chain studios have better posing fundamentals...

As in sooo many businesses, "second genration" doesn' mean the second generation got better or was better-taught than the earlier generation. In fact, likely the opposite.

Hey...anybody who has studied design and composition can spot the multiple, basic compositional boners in this set of sales samples...

 

[smoke665]

@limr @Derrel again not disrespecting the right to opinions but there have been comments ranging from "Adams familiy" to "stepford wives" when discussing his work. While it may not be appealing to some, it is a market he is working in. I've had the unfortunate experience of moving in the circles he's dealing with and I can say without doubt he is supplying the product his clients want. As his "style" is an integral part of his business I just find it discouraging that so many are being critical without looking into why the business is still going. As a former business owner I studied my competition closely, I emulated the good, discouraged the bad, and promoted my own inovation.

 

[limr]

@limr @Derrel again not disrespecting the right to opinions but there have been comments ranging from "Adams familiy" to "stepfotd wives" when discussing his work. While it may not be appealing to some, it is a market he is working in. I've had the unfortunate experience of moving in the circles he's dealing with and I can say without doubt he is supplying the product his clients want. As his "style" is an integral part of his business I just find it discouraging that so many are being critical without looking into why the business is still going. As a former business owner I studied my competition closely, I emulated the good, discouraged the bad, and promoted my own inovation.

But no one is talking about his business practice and people clearly recognize that there is a market for his style and he is skilled at exploiting that market.

An opinion about what the photos look like is not the same thing as a judgement of his business practices.

Personally, I would want exactly zero part of that market. But if it works for him? What the hell do I care? Not a whit. I still don't like to look at his pictures. I will never hire him or anyone that has a similar style. Is that a commentary on his business? Absolutely not. They are completely different issues and one can comment on one without making any kind of comment on the other.

I don't know how to say this another way. He can do whatever he wants with his business. He's clearly good at exploiting a market. He delivers what people want. I don't care. I'm not talking about his business. I am not questioning his use of the style to serve a market. He can use that style until the cows come home and laugh all the way to the bank, but I will still never like the style.

And the question in the OP was about the techniques required to achieve that look, not about his business. I don't even know how his business practices even came into question other than a "Well, I guess some people like it so it sells, so whatever." So the point that there is a market and he skillfully serves that market has been acknowledged over and over again.

I still don't like his pictures.

Beyonce is masterful at her brand and her image and keeping herself relevant. I still don't like her music.

The Fast and Furious movie franchise has made billions of money and is the largest franchise in studio history. They know how to milk that market and they've done so for over a decade. I still have no interest in seeing the movies because I think they're drivel.

Disliking the work =/= commentary on business model.

 

[Derrel]

America's most successful retail operation for many years? Walmart.
America's most successful restaurant operation for many years? McDonald's

Financial success does not directly correlate with the ultimate level of quality, nor with the highest standards in a field.

But back to the OP's question: the photos are the result of basic studio lighting gear being used, in front of a studio background, and then LOTS of post-processing of the images. Some of the images look rather heavy-handed, others not so much. But THAT is what "studio lighting gear" creates: a basically GOOD, solid, generous exposure that was made at a smallish f/stop, which thus creates a great source for software tweaking of the image files.

1,2,3.

 

[tecboy]

Actually, I like all the photos. Not that I would hire him as my photographer.

Kinda remind me of Post-mortem photography.

 

[OGsPhotography]

Lifestyle Portrait gallery

But I'm curious as to how they got this look.....

It looks like hes using a 5Diii and a 70-200
Cant tell if his is 2.8! Hehehe art and tech... lol...

The affect on skin that our fellow forum members love so much can be a result of many techniques; here are a few,

DnB is One of the important techniques. It can be acheived many ways. For the Walden gallery, I believe after very uncareful observation ( Im probably wrong...) that one technique in Ps may be used, the Brush! Simply sample light colored skin and paint it on where you want it. Do similar with shadows. This has the affect of smoothing skin at same time as dodging and burning.

FS, frequency seperation can acheive similar affect.

I personally love the heal brush.

He also leaves tons of head room and crops super wide.

 

[smoke665]

@limr Not trying to be argumentative as its highly unlikely that I'll ever have the need of his services either. Just trying to point out that in any successful brand "everything", is a part of the success including his "style, post processing, business model, etc.". @Derrel made a good point, using McDonald's as an example. Another example is GIECO I loath that lizard in their commercial but apparently it works. The point I'm getting at is that on a regular basis there are post on TPF from people "wanting to be in business as a photographer ". For better or worse, here's an example of someone who's doing it, in a "style" that sells. For those that seek to make their living as a photographer you can't lose sight of your market and you may have to suppress your own feelings on many things. We can "not" like what he's doing from an artistic standpoint, but shouldn't give the impression to others that his artistic vision is wrong. By the way Derrel's comment about Mcdonald's made me think about something, after going back and looking at his gallery again, I would describe his work as "mechanical" not unlike the food coming from the fast food giant, but hey, Micky D says they sell 550 million Big Macs a year in the US alone.

 

[Designer]

I LIKE McDonald's.

 

[Braineack]

again not disrespecting the right to opinions but there have been comments ranging from "Adams familiy" to "stepford wives" when discussing his work.

Because almost every photo on his website shows kids/families in ridiculous outfits with creepy stares.

You wanna know what this family is looking at? http://image6.photobiz.com/2517/32_20130413183316_1737358_large.jpg

their next murder victim.




this dude is not spending 8 hours processing these, he's using a tool like this:




you can see it in this shot: http://image11.photobiz.com/4595/32_20130413183739_1737368_large.jpg

great lighting, then he hit the "easy" button.

 

[tecboy]

I think his photos are not industry standard. His style is rare and not very many photographers can achieve this style. So his photos only appeal certain clients. I don't think every client want these photos as memory.

 

[Braineack]

I think his photos are not industry standard. His style is rare and not very many photographers can achieve this style. So his photos only appeal certain clients. I don't think every client want these photos as memory.

rare in the sense people don't study/practice classic portraiture anymore?

 

[smoke665]

Because almost every photo on his website shows kids/families in ridiculous outfits with creepy stares.

Lots of Mint Juleps? LOL

 

[tecboy]

Because almost every photo on his website shows kids/families in ridiculous outfits with creepy stares.

You wanna know what this family is looking at? http://image6.photobiz.com/2517/32_20130413183316_1737358_large.jpg

their next murder victim.

They are probably be dead. He used braces to keep them standing.