There has been some confusion about Who IS DonN.Juan Photography. WHO took this or that series of photos. Was it Don or John? Those who know us, Don Gordon Bell (Obviously DON) and John Silao (JUAN), realize that since about a year ago John Silao returned once more to his native Philippines to retire. I have been Johns assistant/photographer since he began in the early 70s when we met after both of us had served in the armed forces of America. We decided to start a team effort, though we are both semi-retired we love to shoot beautiful people and make them look their best. Beauty is in the Eye of the Photographer says John. A subject should be guided into the best position then encouraged/coached to express a variety of moods and feelings, levels or degrees of intensity, etc. Most photographers do not learn to do this, guiding a model, instead there are group shoots with the model moving about and posing. Glamour and Portrait photographers DO know these things by training or having the EYE for it. John Silao was born in Mandaluyong when it was still just a part of Metro Manila. When he was a young teenager his family emigrated first to Canada, then the USA. John grew up in Southern California. He served in the US Army and was almost sent to Vietnam during the war, however they discovered that he was only a resident not a citizen. He served in Germany with an artillery unit and lost some hearing for sure, so speak a bit loudly to him to get his attention. We met in Mt. San Antonio College through mutual high school friends, partied hard and shared a home in West Covina near his mother and father. His mother was a great cook and they grew all the Filipino vegetables and some fruits, I tasted balut and dinaguan, pinakbet, adobo baboy at manok (pork and chicken), and came to love Filipino food. John was an art student and taking up photography, I was just taking classes with no real aim in life. I was into Martial Arts, studying Kajukembo under the Bunda brothers from Maui, Hawaii, attending tournaments almost every weekend in the Tri-states of Cal, Nevada, and Arizona. When we both graduated John suggested a 3 week vacation in the Philippines...for me it became a ten year stay and opened up my life to film-making. I was taken to a casting call for extras for the big budget film, Apocalypse Now by a cousin of John. Ken Metcalfe, an American who lived here and was acting and a casting director on local and international films, recognized my USMC tatoo and took me to Dir. Francis Coppola...the rest is history as they say. Since I had served in Vietnam with a Marine Reconnaissance unit, instead of $25, I was suddenly earning 100 USD per day, later 1,000 USD per week. I became Kens assistant, taught all the Background Talents military tactics, showed them what to do and how to do it. Throughout the filming I was in charge of all extras on the set. I also had a very small role as a Radio Operator with credits. John meanwhile, realizing that he needed to study photography some more, returned to the USA. He was hired by a top modeling agency John Robert Powers, and taught aspiring models how to pose. He gained much experience and in the early 80s John returned to live and work in Manila, and since I was working in many local and international films I introduced him to many local artists. John became well known with actors/top runway/fashion models and high society after his first show at the Intercontinental Hotel, Makati. It is our aim, Don N. Juan, (not THAT guy, Don Juan) to pass on our knowledge and skills to new generations of young photographers/film-makers. After years of teaching in my own motherland, Korea, I have returned three years ago to Manila to a working retirement. Just for some curious about Who IS Don N. Juan?
Posted on: Wed, 09 Jul 2014 02:44:37 +0000
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