Are you an Iron Chef or a Short Order Cook?

Model:  Erika

As those of you who've been following me for a while now know, it's no secret that what I'm mainly known for is my pinup work.  So it stands to reason that besides "will you work with me", the number one question I get all the time is:  "Will you teach me how you do that pinup look you do?".

It's not that it's a huge secret (believe it or not), but as a general rule I won't teach people how I do my pinup look for a few reasons.    I sometimes jokingly say that I'll teach it for a rather large sum of money (anything over $20,000 will do.  :D ).  Besides just having zero desire to essentially teach my competition for free (and I only use that word because that's how a lot of people view all of this), I've had people remark that it's because it's "my baby" that I won't do it.

While there is some air of truth to that, there's actually a whole other reason why I just have no desire to teach it.  It's not because I think "I'm awesome" (if anything I think the exact opposite).  It really all boils down to something that I don't think people give much though to:

Model:  Erika

As an artist, what would you rather be known as: a person who has their own distinct style, or as someone who imitates someone else?

Ironically I've been told several times that my work resembles that of others (some well known, others not as well known).  In one way I think it's great when I'm compared to someone who's actually good at what they do.  In another way though it's kind of a major back-handed compliment.

For example:  here's an actual email I received a week or two ago:

"I am very curious, do you know who Robert Alvarado is? You have some how managed to do the same editing technique as him which is elusive to EVERYONE.  You don't happen to have any suggestions as to how you get this illustrated like effect do you?"

  My response: 

Yes, I know who Robert Alvarado is.  I see his work around and I think it's great, but to be 100% honest with you, I don't really "follow" his work (I don't want to get influenced too much) or try to make my work look like his.  I honestly don't think my work looks at all like his, but I've had quite a few people tell me that it does (but I really don't see it!).  Oh well... at least I'm being compared to someone who's good.

I then followed that with a really brief answer declining teaching how I do it.

At the heart of it all, how I actually do that look is easy (for me).  It took a lot of trial and error over several years on my part with lighting, creative posing techniques, learning Photoshop, makeup, etc.  While I will admit that on the surface I can see some similarities to our work, I feel that boils down to the fact that there's really only so many ways to do some of this.  When it comes to technique, I have no clue what others do for their work; and truth be told I honestly couldn't care less.  What sets all of us apart is our creative vision; and in the end that's what makes our work unique.  The problem is that there's no easy shortcuts (or as they say in Maine; "you can't get there from here".  :) )


What sets apart some of us is not only patience, but also the drive and willingness to learn too.  One trait I noticed among the people who usually are asking the question is that they only want to learn the HOW's, not the WHY's.  They think that it's all just clicking buttons and moving sliders, and when you reveal just how much work actually goes into it, they freak out (true story!).  They don't want to learn WHY you have to do certain steps in Photoshop, WHY you have to pose the model a particular way, or WHY you have to light the scene a particular way too.  In a way I don't necessarily blame them for this way of thinking; it's really common these days.  People want instant gratification; or as the lyrics in Anthrax's song "King Size" goes:  "Minimum effort, maximum gain.  From the inside out it all looks the same".  With the way I do my work though there is no instant gratification.


Because they have no desire to neither learn the reasons behind what goes into all of this nor put the effort into it, they have no desire to strive to go beyond the basics (either due to lazyness or because they're afraid of failure).  The best analogy I can make to all of this is that it's like wanting to be an "Iron Chef", but only wanting to put in the effort of a Short Order Cook.  :D


An Iron Chef will spend years going to culinary schools, learning what foods work well together (and which ones don't), experiment with different dishes on their own time, and come up with their own recipes.  They have a genuine passion to go beyond the ordinary and come up with something unique.

A typical Short Order Cook (think McDonald's burger flipper) on the other hand can follow a recipe, re-heat a pre-packaged dinner, etc, but for the most part are just looking to collect a paycheck at the end of the work week.  When you compare the finished products from the two; the one from the Iron Chef is memorable and unique; people usually know the name of the chef and seek them out.  The one from the Short Order Cook is a mass produced commodity that anyone can slap together and that most people never know the name behind it.


I know that sounds a little harsh and maybe even arrogant on my part but if you think about it it does have some air of truth to it all.  For the record, I'm really not arrogant about my work either.  To me it "is what it is".  I'm just happy that people actually like it!


To that end, yes I could very well teach people people how I do what I do.  Why would I want to though?  I'd much rather these individuals put the work into learning how to rise above the mediocrity that's out there by being unique, rather than them trying to be another "me too!" ankle biter that's lost at sea.

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The two shots above are of the beautiful Erika; whom I worked with at the GMS group shoot over the past weekend.  Lighting used was my Hensel Porty 1200/AS with two EH Pro 1200 heads.  Modifiers used were a white interior Hensel beauty dish on the main light, and a 20x40 Calumet soft box on the fill light.  The background used was white seamless paper.


For the post processing I did something a little different from how I normally do my pinup look.  The technique is most definitely a work-in-progress for me, and combines elements from my painted pinup style and my other more realistic style.  I like it because it's different and although it's "plain" compared to some of the other pinups I've done, it has a girl next door charm to it.  :)