Warning:  this is going to be long!

Last week I had the wonderful opportunity to hang out with some amazing people with amazing hearts… oh, and we all happen to be photographers  It was so cool to talk about what makes us love photography, and it happens that most of us just really love people and capturing something special about them and the connections they have with their loved ones.  A big thanks to the amazing Stuart Thurlkill at Eyes to See Photography for opening up his super cool studio for us to meet at and leading us in our mock bride/groom shoot!  Also to our beautiful models, Roseann & Justin… you two were fantastic, even with a paparazzi worth of cameras clicking away at you!  I’m posting my camera settings (metadata) because I think it helps to get that little bit of information about an image.  I know I have learned heaps from photographers that have done the same!  These were all shot on a Canon 5D Mark II camera body… the thing I am loving most about this camera is the clean shots that result even at high ISO!

I’m posting this one first because I really love it… of course there were other names scratched into that heart on the wall, but photoshop made it easy to put the appropriate names in place!

Lens:  70-200 at 78 mm, f/ 4.0, ISO 800, 1/500

I love this lens because it allowed me to stand back and zoom in through the other photographers to get this shot.  I also love the soft bokeh you still get even at f/4!

Our beautiful model Roseann has the sweetest smile & still looks stunning in her wedding dress!  Roseann’s hair and makeup done by the talented Julie Read of Juju’s Tutu’s!!

Lens:  70-200 at 170 mm, f/ 2.8, ISO 1000, 1/1250

Lens: 50 1.4 , f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/4000

We used a reflector for many of these backlit shots!

Lens:  70-200 at 70 mm, f/ 2.8, ISO 800, 1/800

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/4000

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/1250

Lens:  70-200 at 160 mm, f/ 2.8, ISO 800, 1/800

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/1250

I snagged this images from Tara’s blog of our group… Tara did a great post introducing everyone here

And here’s one of everyone in action!

The next day we did a shoot with a newborn and an expecting couple.  The newborn session was at my in-home studio and our little model was 8 day old baby Logan!  He even gave us a smile… several of them in fact

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/250

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/250

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/250

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/250

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 2.0, ISO 400, 1/500

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 400, 1/200

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 2.2, ISO 100, 1/200 with strobe + natural backlight

Thanks Joanna for being so wonderful and letting us photograph your little guy!

And finally our expecting models… Briana & Daniel!  This was so special for me because Briana was one of my girls the first year I lead a group of freshmen girls at my church youth group!  Now she’s going to be a momma and is as beautiful on the inside as she is on the outside!

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 3.5, ISO 640, 1/100

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 2.0, ISO 500, 1/160

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 2.0, ISO 500, 1/160

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 2.0, ISO 500, 1/100

This just shows what great shape Briana is in!  I was impressed!

Lens:  70-200 at 78 mm, f/ 2.8, ISO 800, 1/400

Lens:  70-200 at 70mm, f/ 2.8, ISO 800, 1/640

Lens:  50 1.4, f/ 1.8, ISO 500, 1/200

Doni has officially gotten me hooked on using strobe in the great outdoors!  I love the look it gives (used strobe on next two images)

Lens:  70-200 at 70 mm, f/ 11.0, ISO 500, 1/200 with strobe

Lens:  70-200 at 85 mm, f/ 11.0, ISO 500, 1/200 with strobe

Well, that’s it for now!  I was so honored to get to spend time with such cool people and get to laugh and learn from one another!  And a big thanks to Tara for dreaming this up and bringing it to life!