Harmony Motter
I was unable to sleep last night. I live in the woods and nowhere near a Starbucks. I really wanted a tall, nonfat caramel macchiato and was unable to get one.
Harmony Motter
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Most of the time I hide my photography, only showing certain pieces. Here is what I made today.
Harmony Motter Sometimes that smile of the eye that I wrote about yesterday comes from the way a picture is framed. The emphasis on this other photograph of Alysha is on the eye that is composed close to the edge. Proximity to the edge of the format often create a visual tension which activates the edges drawing your eye away from the center. Most comfortable composition are done so that the eye stays or moves into the center thirds of a photograph, but many photographers like to abandon that way of thinking in order to activate the edges. I really believe a good picture is a good picture when everything works together, not because it follows this or that rule of composition or lighting etc... When a picture grabs you and keeps your attention--thats a good photo. Photograph by Richard Sayer
Today I photographed Alysha. Alysha has very blue eyes. Eyes are pretty important in portraits. They really make and break them. Alysha said someone told her once that you have to smile with your eyes. This has a lot of truth to it. The eyes need light in them so that they shine and draw you in. Sounds simple enough, but not always so easy to accomplish. Alysha's blue eyes made it a little easier since the color draws so much attention to them and seem brighter than they really are. Brown eyes need a closer light to catch more of the reflection and light them up. Photograph by Richard Sayer
Today I met Tania Bowman. She analyzes handwriting. I was reluctant at first when she asked me if she wanted me to have her look at my writing. After I took some portraits of her and we chatted awhile I thought, lets see if this works. So I wrote "I recently made meatballs and the first one was really good, but as I ate more I realized I used too much Asiago cheese in them." and then signed my name. She was able to tell me things that she just shouldn't have known about me simply because my "G" didn't loop back up and my "T" had a downward cross and some letters tilted to the left, but not too far to indicate I'd murdered someone, or a little to the right and that the upward direction of the letters in my signature really said something specific about my beliefs. No I'm not going to go into detail--I'm open, but I'm not that open. It was fascinating and reminded me again how great it is to meet people and take their picture while getting to know a little about them (and in this case about myself) in the Process. Meadville Tribune photograph by Richard Sayer
On December 23, 2009 the SayerMotter Photography new business photograph appeared in the Meadville Tribune. Here are some of the out-takes from that photo shoot. We want to take your picture!!!
Harmony Motter After being away for so long, I realize that Crawford County is really, a beautiful place. This is what I woke up to this morning. Happy Winter everyone!!!
Photos by: Harmony Motter Here are some more of my faves from the 'Mommy and Levi' shoot that I did in December. I absolutely love to photograph little ones!! They are real and in the moment. If you are looking for a little kid photographer, I'm your girl! I want to take your picture!
Harmony Motter I did not make this photograph, but I wish I had. This is a photograph of Phyllis Belle Whitmire Motter Farren. She is my grandmother and she is the prettiest girl that I have ever met! I came across this photograph last week, because my sister was inquiring about it. Phyllis turned 79 years-old this year. I am thinking that she was 18 or 19 when this was made. I have stared at this image for awhile and it always makes me happy! I wish I could have been there. I would have snapped this picture and then said, "Hey girl, do you want to go out for a cup of coffee?"
Harmony Motter The fashion world may perhaps be the place where the most photographs are taken and seen by the most people. Celebrity and fashion outlets inundate us with billions of images each year. Think about it--if we were conscious of every image we see, our brain processes millions if not ten of millions of pictures each year. I recently began working with local models who are looking to bolster their portfolios with different looks. Many ask me to shoot pictures because I've made images a little different than other photographers they've seen. Many have commented on a couple images I made that I put words over the top and created not only a picture of someone, but a comment on something else whether it was the fashion industry or political posturing or any number of things that concern me or that I find fascinating enough to comment on. Though I'm still unsure what it is ultimately that I'm going to make or even what I'll do in the long run with these images I plug on and try to make images that work and are something a little more than just a picture of a girl, something that might make you stop and think for just a few minutes anyway. As a photographer I don't really like to have words on my photographs, as an artist I see words as design elements that can aid in composition and add meaning. I don't consider them photographs so much anymore but prefer to think of them as something more akin to painting--in fact I often include photographs of paint in many of them. I haven't found that traditional fashion photography style of beauty yet, though I do try sometimes, but I am finding something that keeps my interest in this kind of work going--if only I could find more time to sleep! Photographic manipulation by Richard Sayer
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