I wasn't planning on taking photos of the shower but I did want a couple of shots to remember the event. So I took my camera with me. I had left home so early with the plan for a stop to do my devotional at a cafe, instead I stopped at ProPhoto Supply (it was on my way to the shower).I wish I had asked the pros at ProPhoto Supply to tell me how to get more people in focus when I take group photos. Well let's just say that after the event I figured it out.
I have this desire to always have my aperture at wide open and my current 35 mm lens has a max aperture of 1.8 which is great and so I seem to always shoot in Aperture priority with the aperture wide open. This is great I guess if you like that shallow depth of field (which I absolutely Love) but it doesn't work when your subjects are slightly off-set.
I understand now that I need to increase my aperture number therefore closing down on my aperture and increase the depth of field so that I can get everyone in the shot to be in focus. Well what can I say I've had my camera for a month and 1 week and never have I taken photography classes so I am guessing some of these things I will learn as I go. Just like in this case. So I want to ask all you awesome photographers out there... is there aany way to take photos of groups of people and still use the 1.8 aperture and get everyone in focus??? Is that even possible??? If it is I am using a Nikon D90 and would love to know how it's done.
Ok that being said I have included some of the shots that I took at the shower on Saturday. Keep in mind this was literally a Seth free day. I left home at 9 AM and got home at 10 PM. To say that I missed him is an understatement but I sure did have a blast. My good friend Mary is having her First... I can't believe she's finally there. In fact this shower made me think about last year when exactly on the first weekend in March, I had my shower. We share many of the same friends so a lot of the same people were there.
I loved that she had the shower at a restaurant it made it so much easier on the set up and cleaning side of things as well as everyone having a place to sit. Speaking of that I ended up sitting at the back of the room with all of the girls that I rarely see and bellow are photographs of only a handful of those ladies. I miss them and it was so nice to catch up with them after so many months of absence. But life with kids is busy and it makes it that much harder to have free time. Speaking of which: After the shower I got to hang out with my friend whom I see so rarely now but hopefully that will be rectified as the weather warms up. I'm hoping we can go shooting together as she is the one who I learned some of this photography stuff from.
After hanging out all afternoon with my friend I invited her to join Chris and I for our weekly Solid Rock Church experience. This time the message was "Divorce"! Oh my goodness was it amazing. I learned so much and it was so eye opening. Chris was with me and we kept looking at each other during the service. One of the things that I took home from there was that I need to have a servant's heart in my marriage. Also I realized that I don't actually love Chris as much as Christ loves the church (shocker) and that I need to really work on that. I know that sounds bad but that is the reality. I love him as much as humanly possible but now I know that there is a difference. I don't just want to say I love him, I need to show it... wink wink ;). I need to put my love into actions, meaning that in those moments when I least want to love him that is when I need to fight myself and show him love. Jesus loved us to the point of death, he was our example for the purest and truest form of love. I need to be able to follow His example and show my love especially when it costs me much.
I am learning a lot! I am a work in progress and I think until I get to heaven God will and must continue his work in me and through me. I pray.
Hope you enjoy some of these not so perfect photos from a very new and imperfect photographer.
Shower Photos:
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| lanterns for light |
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| goodie boxes filled with yummy French Macaroons wish I had gotten a shot of the inside. :( |
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| table decor |
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| Mary's favorite flowers - Tulips |
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| white tulips with a different edit, I found that these were harder to photograph against the white table cloth I had to adjust contrast quite a bit to make the white of the flower pop against the background. |
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| Adela and Mary (the mommy of honor) |
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| Adela Mary and Jennifer |
Ok the following photos were of the people sitting near me at the end of the shower when I took my camera out and did a little photo shoot - all for fun but a great learning experience. This is where I saw how much I was struggling with my settings. I wanted that wide open aperture but I would only get one person in focus and I didn't think to adjust it down (or increase the number). I will next time. haha
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| Ani and Christine |
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| Christine and Angie |
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ok so I have to explain this shot... it was taken at the beginning of the shower to test my settings on the camera and all though it is literally just my friend Adela's head I love the way it turned out so I have included it.
Beautiful Erica |
