Showing Their Personalities
I wanted something very thoughtful with these brothers (facing page). I have known them since they were born and I love their innocence, freckled faces, and cowlicks. One of the brothers is naturally quieter; I wanted to capture both of them in that mood, but without the typical pose of them looking at the camera. I decided to create two independent portraits in one. This kept the brothers’ connection while showing them as independent, making this a powerful image.
Expression
You can tell by looking at the eyes if a person is engaged or connected. For the facing-page image, my assistant was talking to the younger brother, who was looking away. By engaging him, we were able to evoke this expression. It was important that there was a nice expression in both boys’ eyes and a good connection between them.
Move the Camera
The placement of their heads was critical; I used the lines of the younger brother in front to frame his older brother in back. That was not about posing, it was about moving the camera. Photographers sometimes forget that the camera moves; they try to over-pose the subjects when all they really need to do is move a little to the right or left. I walk all the way around the subject with every portrait I create. I may be creating a good portrait, but there might be a better one from a different angle. A good percentage of the time I will like something I was not taking better than what I was photographing—and it inspires me to try something different.
Additional images from the same session.
Lighting
Something else that is striking about this photograph is the kicker light on the older brother’s shadow side. It outlines his face right along his brother’s forehead and face. I call the little lights that come from behind my subjects the “spice” of my lighting. Their purpose is to help sculpt, form, and shape the image I see in my mind’s eye. The kicker light hitting the subject it is not obvious because it is not the main part of my lighting—it is an important addition that helps to make a good portrait great.