Lines ... and then some

My niece is taking a photography class in school.  She had her first assignment this weekend ... lines; we were all together for the weekend visiting Josh's mom, so she and I went out to take photos.

It was fun to have something to think about when taking photos, and not just shoot willy-nilly.  I really was forced to think about my composition and look for things that fit a specific subject.  it was also fun to pass on a little bit of knowledge to someone else, something I don't get to do being so new myself.

Anyway .... Lines and other things from Nana's.

she's such a willing model

Audrey was modeling so well and Annie wanted to join in.  But Annie didn't want to smile.

Audrey was pretty adamant about having a group photo.  It was overexposed and it's just too hard to get another shot set up.  So B&W it is.....

There's an old shed on the side of the house that was just begging to be photographed.  I am picturing a Bridges of Madison County style picture.  Couldn't quite process it right, but I'm content with it.

We went for a walk.  This was the neighbor's cat.  Everybody freaked out at me that I was taking a photo of some other person's house.  But the cat was so purr-fect there on the top of the railing.

This dog looked so pathetic staring out the window like that.  I love the peeling paint around the window.

Stairs always make great line photos

"Ah-ee."

Our favorite winery

This train car was begging to be photographed.

Power lines in the open space behind my MIL's house.  Makes it feel so rural and desolate.

Josh snagged a photo of me and Annie playing with Annie's new toy.

Josh showing us how he can juggle.  He was trying to catch the ball mid-air and missed.

The rest of the photos from our trip can be found here: http://www.flickr.com/photos/biochemtine/sets/72157631668954317/with/8044592558/

CD Release Concert

My good friend Lara just released a full length worship album.  To celebrate, she held a concert at the church.  I took the opportunity to practice my Worship Photography, which is basically flash-less photography in a dark room.

Here are some photos from the night.

BFF's Wedding

A couple photos from my BFF's wedding.  Since I was in the wedding, I wasn't able to get any photos of the actual ceremony.

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.