One of my favorite Albert King songs is Cadillac Assembly Line. I have to admit this was going through my head as I was putting these together. The fun part of the sports memory mate is the designing...but then comes the work. Coming up with innovation too comes into play during the design process. 'Ok that looks cool, but can I do that 15 times?' So some layering of information is good, but too much might be difficult to reproduce over and over again without having to start from scratch each time. And there are the odd little things that come up like--the one individual shot just won't conform to the design that was working for all 14 others--so do I just cram it in even though it doesn't work? Those of you who know me well know the answer. No... I tweak the design or create a different design all together while trying to keep the same basic theme in tact. The result is working 12 to 14 hour days--still have a couple hours and ordering about $400 in prints before bed. BUT..... as I think about that song I am very happy to be making this work for people and not putting the same part on Cadillac after Cadillac on a different sort of assembly line. SayerMotter Photography sports memory mates by Richard Sayer.
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Adam had this funny idea. 'I want to take all the same pictures as my brother had.' He even had the same shirt. The trick was duplicating shots another photographer did in different locations. So we tried our best. This one was a funny one, because it seemed funny to me at the time, but Adam sure pulled it off with his serious look--even though I know he was laughing inside. I had never really thought of this as a pose to do, but it is one that works pretty well if you have the right expression. I might even try to use it again someday--though I'm sure I'll bust out laughing and have to tell the long story to my client who will then probably say---ah nevermind... which of course will make me laugh even more. SayerMotter Photograph by Richard Sayer.
I google black panthers in american zoos and found there are very few of them. I did this because I was hoping their might be one close. Last year while visiting the Erie zoo I photographed this Tiger and we used a picture I took in this years memory mate design. These are remarkable cats. When you stand close to one and realize they are very big--somewhere between a great dane and a cow--- you can be awestruck by how agile they are and powerful...at least I am. When I was a kid I thought the Mountain lion was the greatest of all cats, but as I have grown up I realize there really is no such ranking. They are all impressive. The tiger is one of those creatures that truly have both potency and aesthetic. I recently saw a very stunning portrait of a lion--but it was obviously groomed to look the way it did. The tiger even when it is wet and disheveled has undeniable beautiful coloring and markings. Even the all white ones. The closest black panther I read about I believe is in Brooklyn. Not sure if I'll be able to find my own photos of a panther for Saegertown anytime soon--though maybe a road trip i
Theme group shots for sports teams. We always ask--what if and why not. Do we have to sit three rows deep on bleachers for group pictures? Where is the personality in that. So when a group is willing we'll try something. When I photographed the MASH basketball cheers we didn't have access to the basketball court. At first I was disappointed, but ....you know that saying when God gives you lemons...make lemonade? This gave us an opportunity to make a different group shot for the girls. Since we were on the MASH stage, why not do something theatrical. So we tried a few different things. I guess what I'm hoping to achieve is giving this group of people their own thing. Its why we design our memory mates from scratch each time and each team. Some are more successful than others naturally, but each is at least unique. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer.
'We need to get Tammy in a picture somehow!' I was told this by several of the MASH cheers as I was making their pictures recently. Coach Tammy Moore apparently doesn't get in many photos. I watched her daughter trying to sneak a picture of Tammy with her girls and Tammy scurried away. But.... and this where I end up having incredible respect for area coaches....Tammy loves her girls. I watch coaches, at least the good ones and how they care for the kids they are coaching. They really do. And Tammy did...willingly give in and had hr photo taken with the girls and then she wanted one with her two 4 year seniors--ok one is her daughter Jaclyn, but I'm pretty sure she would've wanted the picture anyway. I wasn't really paying attention so I didn't realize exactly what was happening and when I took this picture above I thought--oh need Jaclyn's face in it so I had them do it again, but I think the genuine expression on Coach Moore's face above is what really draws us into understanding a little better the connection of coach and athlete(yes cheers are athletes--ask one of them to see their scars and bruises!!!). But I also included the photo below because this too is a part of the coach athlete experience...having fun with each other. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer
Mat and Jess are a couple living near Erie. They have been dating for a year now and wanted some fun couple shots made of them. During the photo session, Mat randomly tossed Jess over his shoulder and I gladly went with it. This is my favorite part about these photo shoots, the shots that you don't plan for or expect.
SayerMotter Photo By: Harmony Motter Keeping my eye on what is important. Last night I received word that my good friend won another high honor in the photography world. When we hear of others accomplishments we compare them to our own. Now I'm a pretty confident guy, but it does hit you a little that when someone, who is your contemporary rises to the absolute heights of our profession, that perhaps I'm not really doing what I should be doing. But then I thought about this as I was trying to fall asleep last night.... important work is relative. As I'm designing these I realize how the people I'm designing these for think the person center-pieced here is one of the most important people in the universe. So I really need to keep that my main focus! And I do. My friend's accomplishments are a bragging point for me and I learn from him each time I see his work.... and globally and historically his work will reach and touch far more people... but this work here will reach and touch a family and become a part of their history... so I must take it incredibly serious. I think that has been my approach to community journalism and the approach I've taken right along with the business...we all deserve the best we can give to each other and if we do this....if we pursue that level of excellence everyday...even if we fail occasionally....then maybe we'll do important work...no matter where we are. I'll post a link to my friends portfolio as soon as it is posted...it really is worth looking at, he is brilliant at what he does. This is the latest design for the Saegertown wrestling program. Its my next door neighbor's grandson and I know they feel he is one of the most important people ever to exist on this planet. Thats quite an honor then for me to make a picture of him! SayerMotter Photography design by Richard Sayer.
I always want to push the possibilities, but will clients always like that? And will I. It is quite late right now and I'm not prepared to make the decision right now, but I am intrigued by this idea of having part of the sportsmate be black and white. I might need to explore this a little more tomorrow or in the near future!. Feel free to chime in with your thoughts on it--maybe that will help me decide! SayerMotter Photography designs by Richard Sayer
I wasn't sure of the more cartoon looking panther, but felt for the little wrestlers maybe this would work out ok. I'll be working on designing a few more tomorrow and getting these orders done...the shoot was late in the season and its nearly over. I hope I can get most of them done before they hang up their singlets for the year! SayerMotter Photography design by Richard Sayer
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