I first met Manuella about two years ago when my student in a photography 1 class at Allegheny College, Janine Grant, photographed her in her pursuit to be a fashion photographer. I admit, I was guiding Janine, not so much out of know-how in the fashion business world, but from a gut instinct of what I thought made a good photograph and how I thought fashion should look. Janine did great work, beyond her photo student status. Manuella was her subject and when I met Manuella again this year we began to chat about her wanting to do model work. We have now gotten together twice and have taken a few images that I'm beginning to feel like are on the track that I find myself often writing about. The track where my love of photography merges with my subjects needs of an image of themselves. I often feel that I do work that I'm proud of, but the client isn't interested in. I shied away from commercial portraiture for many years because of this, I couldn't find that balance of satisfying my love of photography--my personal vision in photography and that of my clients. This work with Manuella recently seems to be moving towards that marriage of my work and the work of my subject. At least Manuella seems to be liking these. More can be found here at http://sayermodelportfolio.weebly.com/manuella.html
Though someday I want to control my lighting a little more, I am finding that using studio lighting can have more possibilities than I had ever thought before. Photograph by Richard Sayer
Though someday I want to control my lighting a little more, I am finding that using studio lighting can have more possibilities than I had ever thought before. Photograph by Richard Sayer