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| Michael Moore |
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Michael Moore
photography
newport & lincoln city
"I have what I would call a real romantic relationship with the Newport fishing fleet,” said photographer Michael Moore. “I’ve always been in love with those vessels. I always see so many photographic possibilities, whether the boats are coming or going, or even just floating at the dock.”
It’s not just summer lovin’, either. Moore, who lives year-round in South Beach, photographs the boats in the clear light of a spring morning, in the warm glow of an autumn sunset and in the fog of winter. He captures the essence of landmarks like the Bayfront, Yaquina Bay Bridge and the Newport lighthouses, as well as inland scenes of spectacular beauty. Then, he and his wife, Carol, bring them to the farmers’ markets in Newport and Lincoln City.
“When I see something that appeals to me, I react emotionally to it. When I create it and when I print it, I try to impart the emotion I felt when I was there,” he said.
Moore, a former Lincoln City hotel manager who now resides in South Beach, has been shooting portraits and landscapes for four decades. He had grown a little bored with his hobby, however, until he got his first digital camera in 2000. This new format allowed Moore to experiment easily and cheaply, and to be more mobile and flexible than ever before. He joined local camera clubs and began competing in local and regional contests; about seven years ago, he began selling the prints for profit.
“Before then, I felt like I was always waiting, waiting for film development, and then disappointed in the results,” Moore said. “The digital camera changed my perspective, and put the fun back into it. Then, when I got a printer and started to make my own prints with good results, it became even more exciting. That began a creative process that has developed to where it is today.”
Selling directly to customers completes the circle, Moore said. He enjoys hearing people’s reactions to his carefully-planned images, and loves it when the viewer feels the moment the way that the photographer did.
“There’s really no other way to deal directly with customers, and it’s always so nice to get feedback. The compliments make me feel really good about myself and my work, and inspire me to do more. People who appreciate my work come back again and again, and buy more. In my own little photography world, I would call that success.”
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