feet, tops of heads, half a face...its what is in the picture, not what is not that is important11/20/2011 I used to have pretty fierce arguments about how pictures are composed. One publisher we had at the newspaper would complain that we cut off the tops of people's heads. We get close--sometimes real close in order to get to the heart of the information that is important. I'd argue 'stop looking at what is in the picture not worry about what is not...does the picture convey a story--can you read its meaning. It the top of the head is important to the story--then cutting it off would be wrong. Same as the feet or anything else that is composed out of the frame---we are trained to look for what is important to convey the meaning---to tell the story. When Jaclyn picked this(or one very close to it) as one of her senior pictures I thought---'she gets it' Its not important to see her other eye, because her one eye and expression speak volumes--perhaps even more so the hidden eye alludes to something mysterious---perhaps something Jaclyn isn't revealing to the rest of us. One of the big problems with many photo clubs and community classes is that the teachers often spout rules to be followed and if a picture doesn't conform to the rules then it isn't any good. I always look at a picture for what is in it and determine if it communicates--if it does--then it is doing its job. SayerMotter Photograph by Richard Sayer.
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I don't know much about having babies. I don't have any of my own, only really nieces and nephews and I stayed a pretty good distance from them too, I think for their safety, until they were grown up a little. I am fascinated with the connection mother's and fathers have with the unborn child. the few maternity portraits I've made the father touching the belly or listening to the belly has been a pretty neat experience---there is real love there for someone they haven't really met yet. Pretty neat actually. Moms of course feel the connection as they feel every move the baby makes. I have photographed Janae several times over the last two years. Recently she began growing a baby in her belly and during a recent shoot for a client where Janae was the model, we took a few moments to make an 18 weeks maternity shot or two. We're going to try to get together a couple more times before the baby comes to document her progression. Maybe even after the baby comes! SayerMotter Photograph by Richard Sayer.
Its fun when you get your chops busted about something but keep on doing it anyway. When I photograph a reflection(which is several times a....week) and it appears where my friend Eric can see it, I usually hear from him with a tongue in cheek snap! So when I found my way to his house this summer and saw his daughters, one inside, one outside I couldn't resist shooting the photo. The best part is Eric likes the picture and, I think, most of the the reflection pictures I take. And he is right to bust my chops--I shoot reflections a lot! SayerMotter Photograph by Richard Sayer
A lot of detail goes into throwing a shindig... perhaps thats why there are people who make a living doing that...someone to handle all the headaches that come with planning. I think Dee and Greg did nearly all of their own planning with the great help from moms and dads and and and.... I always envisioned a best man just sorta sticking a ring in his pocket and hopefully not dropping while digging out some change for a breakfast burrito at the local gas station while on the way to the church, but there is this whole thing with a pillow decorated and the ring nicely tied together(done by Greg actually about an hour or so before the ceremony.) Then its up to a young member of the family to get it to the alter. Then a little girl will then usually sort of toss rose petals or something along the aisle that the bride will soon walk down. In Dee' and Greg's case the 'flower girl' passed out Peacock feathers to signify the couples theme. Peacock feathers symbolize good luck and well-being. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer.
I don't know if my dog is really happy or not, I hope so. He is a nervous dude. But he smiles it seems and I have to admit when I see his face looking as if it smiles so do I, so I thought today I'd share a smile with you all! Photo of Java by Richard Sayer.
I don't know much about what makes a bridesmaid, but these two girls I'd say do know exactly. They took care of Dee when she needed something...all day long. They were extremely happy for their friend and it showed in their looks at her during quiet moments within the ceremony and later when they busted her pretty good during the toast and dancing(as only friends can!). I guess the more weddings I attend as a photographer (or in years to come..as uncle and uncle/photographer) I'll begin to understand more about what a bridesmaid is...but I guess its something similar to guys I invited to my wedding(It was a very small wedding)...these are the people you trust most, like most and love most in the world and who you're pretty damn sure think the exact same way about you. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer.
I photographed Melanie Harkness this week. Melanie is a senior at Meadville Area Senior High School. This is just one photo of many to come. SayerMotter Photography By: Harmony Motter
Yes it is the brides day right....well sorta. Lets not forget the groom. One thing I believe we over look often in a wedding and even in a marriage(or at least we tend to take this for granted) that on that day, when the bride says I do, the groom is the luckiest man on the planet. I know, I know...men don't like to get dressed up in penguin suits and have to be the up in front of everybody and behaving... but when we ask someone to marry us its because we believe that this the smartest thing we have ever done and quite possibly what we are put on this planet for, to share our life with the one we can't imagine living without. So it is the grooms day as well. I know Greg and Dee are a happy couple. I think Greg likes to laugh as much as I do and if thats the case the two of them will suffer from sore cheeks the rest of their life from laughing and smiling all the time... not a bad thing at all. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer.
The dress is pretty important! When a bride walks across the room she is supposed to be noticed...it is her day. Dee's dress was elegant and perfect for her(even though she needed help putting on her shoes and possibly even peeing). When she was on the alter giving her vows she glowed. Mostly from her smile, but her dress soaked in the light and was stunning. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer
"What are you trying to get?" I was asked at the wedding last weekend as I was spending a lot of time during dinner seemingly taking endless amounts of pictures of the string lights around an archway. 'I found the double exposure setting in my camera and I'm hoping it will make a neat photo for the bride!' I said. I'm not sure if I accomplished that, but I tried. One of the experiments I accidently hit the shutter button as I was trying to get the lens to focus and this is what I got, I'm not sure who it is, but it worked out ok for a mistake. I'm getting into the double exposures now in my editing and I hope one or two of Dee and Greg turned out. I at least am glad I can experiment more with double exposures having found it now on my camera, deep in the menu. I used the double exposure button on my camera with my first roll of film back in 1983---so we'll see what I can do with it now. SayerMotter Photography by Richard Sayer.
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