Well, the weather is....great...I'm not one that believes we need snow for Christmas. One of my favorite memories is getting this white football for christmas when I was little and able to go into my backyard and kick it around in just a sweatshirt. This ball was great--probably a little over-inflated and I could kick it a mile. I would play fantasy games----I could kick this ball very high and run down the field(probably about 40 or 50 feet) and catch the ball and then avoid fantasy tacklers and get some yardage. My favorite player as a kid was Roger Staubach so the kick returns rarely went for touchdowns because I was Roger dodger to trow the ball to diving Drew Pearson---or even further back, a sprinting Bob Hayes. My imagination was pretty strong and I could play these games for hours. I'm positive the real Cowboys didn't win nearly as often as the Westcott Road Sayer backyard Cowboys did...in fact they may have been undefeated in about 300 or more games in a row! Since I've been asking people to respond to a favorite Christmas memory I figured I'd share one of my own today. Photograph by Richard Sayer.
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I often think a reward for living a good life would be to return in the next life as a dog. Of course when i think this I think of a dog that is pampered by owners owners who think of them as superior beings...ones who get what enjoyment of life is all about...ones that have good grass and rugs to roll around on, who know the importance of a cookie break, that allow their dogs on the couch and under the blankets, who really get good ear scratchin and react favorably to a hearty wagging of the tale. And I think I'd like to come back as lil'bro, our beagle who has an attitude unmatched for what he wants and what he demands of us to provide. Nothing is too soft for the bro--if there are pillows on top of cushions on top of blankets--that is where he'll be! Photo by Richard Sayer of his 12 year old little friend who is constantly reminded me of what is really important in life--the enjoyment of sniffin', lickin' plates and finding a good sunny spots to nap! We can learn alot from these guys if we take the time to really watch what is going on!
In twenty years you won't have that limo ride, or the reception hall, or the flowers, or the cake......but you will have(besides each other) the photos. We discuss the importance of photography all the time and why we think it is important that a bride and groom choose their photographer carefully. Don't go cheap on the photography, but also don't just go for the most expensive either--pay for the photographer you want. You need to feel comfortable and you need to trust the photographer you get will deliver and capture the best moments they can. Dee and I have known each other for several years now and I was honored that she asked me to photograph her wedding. And I think we had fun. We're planning a meeting to go over what we're going to now do with all the photos and I'm excited to figure out a plan for albums etc... I have some ideas already and Dee is super creative so I'm sure she has ideas and I think we'll come up with a very beautiful keepsake when we're all done. This photo was taken at the hair salon before the wedding... I noticed that i was in the mirror of a shot I had just taken and figured I'd have some fun and wave. I've been fascinated with the hipstamatic look from iphones so I wanted to make this image look like that a little so I made it in photoshop. SayerMotter Photograph
When its all said and done, the real great thing about a wedding is when all the ceremonial stuff is over with, its a big party with all your friends and family in attendance. One of the most beautiful moments I witnessed at Dee's wedding wasn't something I photographed, it was a brief conversation I had with Dee during the reception. She was a little overwhelmed at one point and I just started to talk casually with her when she said that it just hit her that as she looked around the room that so many people she loves and cares for are all there together.... I hadn't really thought about it too much before, but here are all of the couples worlds colliding at once in one place and they are all there to have a great time and honor the new married couple. That is a pretty special party. SayerMotter photograph by Richard Sayer
I was thinking about fashion and the manner in which we dress up for things. One thing I can say for certain, is in every wedding I've been to... the one thing that needs to be discussed and changed in wedding style is.....shoes. By the time we got to the reception I know I had been on my feet for about 6 hours. Which means the bride and groom had also been on their feet roughly the same amount of time. Nearly every bride I've seen has ditched their shoes at the reception. I wear my sneakers for this very reason. I want to be concentrating on seeing photographs and moments, figuring out pesky reception hall lighting and being in the right places at the right times...I don't want to be thinking about how sore my feet feel. SayerMotter photographs by Richard Sayer.
Those dreaded posed group pictures that hold up the reception and fun. Dee didn't really want any posed pictures, but many people asked for them to be taken so Dee obliged. I tried my best to hurry it along getting all the various configurations that the guests came up with set and snapped so they could get on with the rest of the show. We also stopped for a few real quick shots out by Conneaut Lake because it was just so beautiful and sunny out(and for Novemebr in NW Pa. that is remarkable). I think we managed to do it all after the ceremony in less than an hour...though to Dee and Greg I'm sure it seemed more like three hours. SayerMotter Photographs by Richard Sayer.
I don't know how many of the common practices in weddings got started, but certain things I know I need to ask as a photographer just so I can be ready for them when they happen. Being in position is 95% of the battle. Many time the candle lighting is a tough picture to get. I have been to several of these where the photographer re-staged this because he or she couldn't get into position to get a good shot. I asked how they planned to do it knowing their was room for me to get to the side if needed, but Dee and Greg were smart--they thought it through and had it so they could face their guests(and me awaiting in the aisle) as they lit their candle. So I was ready because they made it easy for me and then the first kiss moments later I was able to stay put for. SayerMotter Photography by Richard Sayer.
When I married my wife we didn't do the aisle, we just sort of mingled and gathered in the backyard and we just sort of started the ceremony. People attending most wedding get the clue the wedding is to start when the music changes and the moms make their way to the front of the church, followed by the bridesmaids and the ring bearer and flower girl. Then there is a brief pause and the music changes again to hear comes the bride and here she comes--with dad down the aisle for everyone to adore.... especially the guy down at the end of the aisle waiting for her so they can begin their lives together as one. Pretty cool stuff! SayerMotter photographs by Richard Sayer.
The painter in me is always at work when I have photoshop open. I can add this, add that, layer this etc..... 95% of what I use photoshop for is simple cropping and toning(newspaper work and most of my photo style is to leave images alone, but that other 5%....well....I get lost sometimes in what I can do. I started with some simple border shapes and added and added and suddenly made this which reminds me of some sort of vintage 1950's style design sensibility. I really am not sure about it, but like everything else I do, I have to save it and show it to see if others like it. I often end up not liking things like this that I make, because my heart in photography is just in the image itself and outside the image display stuff somehow feels forced--some work--some don't. I won't decide on this right away....but most likely I'll tweak it further and it'll look a lot different soon. SayerMotter Photographs of the Garvey children by Richard Sayer.
We're new to this Ambassador idea(and for that matter senior portraits) but we enjoyed several opportunities this past year to work with more than a dozen local seniors on their portrait packages. Even though we're still booking seniors for last minute shoots before their yearbook deadlines, we're looking ahead to next year. Currently we're getting current ambassadors cards to give to their friends for discounts on their packages next year while we try to figure out what deal we'll give for ambassador packages. In the new year we also will show several more examples of the fun we've had by up-dating our senior portrait page with many new samples. We really do have a lot of fun making photos and getting to know these young people a little better. SayerMotter Photography senior portrait special card designs for our Ambassadors of 2011 by Richard Sayer. Check out recent posts on our featured picture of the day to see some of Harmony's great shots.
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