I have so much more to learn about studio lighting. This is a photo of Ava Young and she is Titusville's star swimmer!! We had a super fun shoot last week. I allowed myself to relax enough to let the light breathe. "Allowing the light to breathe" is an expression that I picked up in college from a photo professor named, Tom. Anyway, when you've had a relationship with photography for a long period of time, you begin to realize that the light will present itself to you, if you are patient. I've been spending more time in the studio lately and I'm beginning to see the light with my eyes rather than my camera.
Photo By: Harmony Motter  Comfort zone? What comfort zone. I recently accepted a job to make landscapes and nature scenes - images that are supposed to be untouched by man scenes. I know I've written about this before. The idea of making good landscapes is pretty intimidating to me. I look at most landscapes and get very little out of them. I always think a landscape needs a person in it doing something. Good landscape photographers really stand out from the average and my attempts are seldom what I'd call anything but average. I was going to turn down the job, but then a little voice said--- you like a challenge! And recently I have found myself experimenting with landscapes more, so I have been practicing I thought. I began thinking about Van Gogh and Pissaro, Monet and Turner. And i thought ok If i think about pure composition and not subject matter then what will that do for me? I thought and thought about this and really started looking for elements like the landscape painters, what in the landscape can i position so that it sets up the space and gives balance to another part of the frame? A reed jutting up on ones side of the frame balancing out the visual weight of the flower in the foreground. A shape of shadow echoed in the pattern of pond weeds floating on the surface, color harmonies and color contrasts. Armed with my knowledge of art history I felt I could at least make some nice photographs even if they are only average. As I was exploring this space i began to think like a photographer as well, how can i expose this light coming into this dark dense wood, or the sunsetting and reflecting off the water to not only create a picture, but a picture that has mood, atmosphere and sense of importance placed on that moment in time. I had fun. I still think these are pretty average overall in comparison to the great landscape photographers I've tried to study and steal from. I was able to have some moments when i was able to have a 'person' in the pictures. A bee or dragon fly are creatures doing something and can take the place of a person. Photographs by Richard Sayer Photography. You can click the small pictures below to enlarge.  
We have to do some for mom, well mom was the one who suggested the library, the tae kwon do and the soccer pictures, I just had to figure out how to make them work. We still did a nice traditional one to end the session. Photographs by Richard Sayer Photography. You can click the small pictures below to enlarge.  Kyle's mom: "I have a question…I don't know if you can do this or not, but can he have some pictures in his fireman's gear?" ME: HELL YEAH!!!! What are you into? What ever you're into that is you--lets make pictures that reflect you. Photographs by Richard Sayer Photography You can click the small pictures below to enlarge. 
Its hard, because I have to move fast, but when photographing kids, best to just let them play. Photograph by Richard Sayer Photography
During a senior picture shoot I'll snap candids and different pictures that print themselves. As i was photographing a young man i saw these runners and i just lifted the camera away from my subject and snapped off two frames and then went right back to my session. Never miss an opportunity to make a good frame. Photograph by Richard Sayer Photography
The more senior picture sessions I do the more I think its really not about posing, its about observing how someone moves naturally and then asking them to do that or perhaps exaggerate that. Its about trying to learn a little about personality and find out what makes a person tick. I'm sure we won't get it perfectly right, but its the goal to work towards because in that approach we won't just get a picture of what someone looks like on the surface, or what interests them because of a prop that is just in the frame, we'll find photos of the senior engaged in the moment or with the tool they use to perform one or more of their passions. If we begin to touch upon that, then we're really making something beyond just a likeness, we're documenting a little bit about this time in their life. Pretty cool. Photographs by Richard Sayer Photography You can click the small pictures below to enlarge. 
Looking to get some pictures done? Shots for fun, family shots, seniors? I'm pretty booked up with a couple slots only left in August's last week, but the middle of Sept. I have several dates available. Give me a call at 814-573-2100 or email richardsayerphotography@gmail.com or if you want to book Harmony Motter give her a call at 814-282-1440. We're having some fun making pictures and want to make mor
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