Somedays I'm a photographer and I don't want to design anything, I just want to shoot pictures and have them stand on their own. The journalist in me says shoot and don't alter it--it is what it is. But then there is that painter side of me where I make pictures and in that world anything goes. In painting and in commercial work its not--'it is what it is.' and thats the end all. We have an obligation in painting to make everything make sense -- we can change anything. In client work its a mix of giving of a talent to a point, but then listening to the needs of the client. This goes well when the client trusts you and I listen well enough to get what they need--and then hopefully surprise them further by hopefully making it better than they expected. I've designed a few graduation invitations the last couple years and each time I take the photos I'm asked to work with and try to 'find the design.' I could work for weeks and weeks on designs and come up with a dozen or so--but usually that isn't an option and I don't think any client want to pay for the hours put in to do that. So usually I just sort of listen and look closely at my client and their family and sorta take a stab at what I think will work. Jaclyn wanted to take a picture with this lily and said something about them being her sister's favorite flower or that her sister had them in her wedding--some direct connection with her sister and family so I knew right away that I wanted this to be the featured picture and her soccer picture the accent picture. Hopefully everyone she sends them too likes them and goes to her party with great graduation presents for her. SayerMotter Photographs and design by Richard Sayer.