Achievements

   To you all, this post might seem like nothing special--sure, it might have some cool pictures from a concert (and yes, it does have that!), but it is nothing out of the ordinary. For me, though, this post is a milestone, a goal I have finally reached. You see, I have been attempting to finish editing the photos from this concert ever since it happened...in April. I took over 800 photos that evening, and since my editing process has only gotten more in-depth as I have learned how to fine-tune little details...it takes a loooooong time to go through that many pictures.
   More problematic, I didn't have a deadline for getting these pictures done. I would keep taking new pictures and needing to get those edited (because they were for someone else--my mom, a friend, or a sibling would want to see them within a week or two), but no one besides me wanted to see these, or even remembered that they existed. So my workload pushed them further and further back...but I always knew they were there, because I knew I had some good shots, and I wanted to be able to finish going through them, really see what I had, and be able to share them.
   Last night I edited the last picture, and today I'm sharing them on the blog...so for me, this is an achievement, a momentous occasion. This is the work of six months, though the photos themselves were taken in less than 4 hours.
   All that to say...you better appreciate this ;)

This concert introduced me to the music of Ben Rector, who is absolutely fantastic--I've rarely seen someone as talented as he is, in so many areas. He can play so many instruments, with skill like I've only dreamed of...it's amazing. And I'm still absolutely sold on his music--I have all his current albums, I think, and would completely recommend them =)

Introducing one of his best songs, which sadly is not on any of his cds, called "Forever Like That"--look it up on YouTube--it's soooo incredibly sweet =)

Yep, he sings, he plays guitar, he plays piano like a master...I had more than one friend who was in love with him before he got off the stage...look up his music video for "I Want to Dance with Somebody" to see all the other instruments he can play...it's kind of incredible...

And then we had the main act...I hadn't realized till this show how amazing NeedtoBreathe was. But they are phenomenal. And my respect for them as a group and for their talent and their music has only grown since the concert...I listen to their albums all the time. Also, they use all kinds of fun lighting which makes a photographer's job really great =) This concert was probably the best I've ever been to (and I've been to good concerts)....so here goes =)

Oh, I realized the other day that most people don't know this--I don't make pictures really large on the blog because I don't want the page to take forever and a day to load on your computer. However, if you click on any of them, a larger version will come up, and then you can look at large versions of all of the pictures from that post...just in case you ever care =)

The lead vocalist, Bear Rinehart--he's got an amazing voice! His talent is a big part of the band...

See, I'm learning! It's only recently that I've known how to control settings to get pictures like this...but I do now =)

He doesn't hold anything back =)

One of the coolest moments in the show (other than at the end when they unplugged everything and sang with no mics or anything into the huge auditorium--incredible!) was the two brothers singing together--they sang one of the band's most personal songs, and it was really moving...beautiful.

All the different colors and lights are challenging, but sooo much fun for a photographer--you have to catch them quickly, though, because they switch so fast!

Bo climbed up on one of the speakers while he was playing--the audience was pretty happy about it =) 

It was a pretty rocking show...if I said things like that =)

One of the awesome things about NeedtoBreathe is how they use instruments like the banjo and the fiddle in rock music...it's so cool! They blend them right in...but it gives a really distinctive sound to their music that nobody else has =)

And then we had to say goodnight...it was so sad...but it was such a good show, that we couldn't grudge them their rest--I, anyway, went back to my room to listen to more of their music as I went to sleep, because I never get tired of it...they are glorifying God by what they do, in an incredible way, and reaching many, many people because of it...it's a beautiful thing, and I was so privileged to hear it for one night, and to have a record in my few photos =)

Sibling Love =)

    I've been so excited to share this post, ever since I opened the folder and revisited the photos I had! This is one of my favorite portrait sessions ever =) For whatever reason, these particular shots turned out really well--especially the ones of my little brother. It doesn't hurt that I have absolutely adorable models for my pictures...but hey, we'll just go with the idea that these were really good pictures =) 

     As I've had my camera out over the past few days, and I've been editing pictures more, I know more and more that this is a part of my life that I never want to lose--I am thrilled when I see technical and creative progress in my photos even from the past months, especially as I began shooting more on a prime lens (one that I couldn't zoom, but had to compose pictures on my own). I'm so excited to start the first class in my photography minor next semester, even though it's not a photography class...it's the first step =)

    Anyway, enough of that--you all want pictures =) I just had to get that out--it's been stuck inside for a while and my roommates don't want to hear about it all the time ;) But here you go--the first shots I have are of my sister Amanda, who was turning the mature age of 7 =)

The golden light in the background...sigh...

Believe it or not, this fence is falling apart, only around four rails long, and is right by the highway...I'm so proud of myself for making it photogenic =) But we learned a lesson, that we need to take enough shots to be sure we have a real smile in the location we like best...

I think this was one of the first shoots in which I was really starting to feel comfortable with the stationary lens...it makes such a big difference that I almost never use my other lenses now! Just look how it can take in the sunset light! =) Not to mention Amanda's smiles =D

Okay, now, I must warn you...there are a million pictures here. (Not literally). But this is where the favorite photoshoot ever comes in--I don't know what clicked, but something did, and I couldn't leave any of these out, because I wanted you to see all of them!

Michael didn't necessarily love the idea of getting his picture taken (last year there were tears involved, and I really didn't want that to happen again), so we went the very candid route--I sat there and had a conversation with him, trying to make him laugh while he talked =) It was great, and I was thrilled with the pictures I got...obviously =) So, you've been warned...there is a lot of cuteness ahead =)

See, look at that face! And right off the bat--look how my lens can catch so much detail? My camera blows me away, because when I'm snapping photos right and left, I can't take credit for how it manages to stay on focus and capture beautiful images...

This is the one we used for his birthday portrait, I think--it makes me happy on so many levels (the light, the smile, the freckles that you can see because the focus is actually right on target for once!)

See why I had so much trouble trying to cut some of these out? They're all so adorable! And all have the same awesome lighting...we were literally just sitting on the porch of our rental house one evening. That's what I love about portraits, especially within our family--they don't have to be complicated or entail going to special locations to look great =)

And this is when we remember that he *is* a 5-year-old boy...and that he was trying to make me laugh just as much as I was trying to make him laugh...at least he refrained most of the time... =)

This is one of my absolute favorites =D for anyone who's seen the movie The Blind Side...remind you at all of S.J.? I think he's got the attitude down =)

When we switched spots he got silly...but he was having so much fun, I couldn't stop taking pictures =)

Plus, they're still absolutely priceless--imagine these in his wedding slideshow someday ;)

Yep, that's my li'l bro =) I love him muchly! And not just for his photogenicness (but that doesn't hurt, of course). Well, that's all for today, folks! If you wanted more...you just want to kill your computer. 'Cuz that was a lot of photos. I have so many more that need to get on the blog, but I also have so much schoolwork that technically should come first =P I think blogging is more important...but my professors might not agree ;) I have a fairly light next few days, though, so there should be another update soon =) Hope you enjoyed this one! 

Reminiscing of Spring

So these pictures are from a long time ago...like spring break. Hence the cherry blossoms you will see later =) But some of them are pretty good pictures (in my humble opinion), so they needed to be shared =) Above we have our entrance into the past...the epitome of DC...

This would be my dear, ridiculous friend attempting to balance on his home country...it wasn't working too well... 

The aforementioned cherry blossoms...and my beautiful friend =)

This is one of the pictures I *really* wanted to share...doesn't it look like a painting? There was a storm coming in, and the sky looked amazing! I didn't touch this up a lot--it seriously was this dramatic outside =)

I think the Smithsonian should hire me to do their postcards...I like my photos better than theirs...but that's just my opinion ;)

In focus...out of focus...it's always interesting trying to find a new way to take pictures of something so big and...for lack of a better term, monumental...but I had fun =)

Since there were mostly pictures of buildings and such there, I figured I'd combine two sets of photos and give you a portrait shoot--these are Sarah and Missy's birthday portraits =) 

This is the one we're using--I really like how it turned out! I'm getting better with the 1.8; as I post more of the photos I've taken since these, I think what I've learned will show...

She's getting the model pose down...another few years and she'll have it mastered ;)

Missy got a haircut just for her pictures =) and God gave us gorgeous light just for them...it was wonderful! Well, there you are! Hopefully I'll get some more photos up soon, because I have a lot that haven't been posted (and that I want to have up here, for my own benefit, if no one else's)...