Open Mic Night

And another from the ministry photographer category.

This was Open Mic Night.  This is just as it sounds ... everyone goes up to share their talent with the guests.  From dance to solo to full band to a capella there is a great display of talent.

Like the worship concert, this provided a degree of difficulty, but a different one.  The lighting was better (the congregation seats were lit up as well), so it was fairly easy to meter from one photo to the next.  The stage decorations were the same with similar lighting, so that was fun and made for soft backgrounds.  But everything was the same.  It was a different person on stage, but there was little movement from the performer, and the audience was an audience, not an engaged congregation worshipping.  So the challenge was to find interesting shots that spoke to the fun of the day without being the same every time. This required movement around the room and finding a new angle periodically.  I had to really think outside my normal box to get something interesting.  I don't know how successful I was.  But here are a few that I've captured.

Father and Daughter ... one of those that's special by knowing their story

She was doing an interpretive dance to "Jesus, Lover of my Soul"
It was fun to photograph because she was all over the stage.  But I couldn't get my shutter speed fast enough.  In hindsight I should have increased my ISO and underexposed a little.

I love this one because it takes me back to my days of piano recitals.  Being nervous and flustered.

She was reading a poem she wrote and won 1st place for at the Alameda County Fair

This cracks me up ..... Sisters sharing an ipod so they could sing the song a capella

Cousins ........ singing "Blessings" by Laura Story.  Another one that's special by knowing their story.

PROUD Grandfather ... this makes me tear up every time I look at it.

Larry ... a guitar novice ... but very passionate.  It's great to see him so excited to play, being very diligent to play every note exactly as written on the page.