Photographer for a Day

A few weeks ago, I confessed how I secretly fantasize about being a professional photographer (namely, for weddings, but either way). So, I was thrilled when our friends the Hills just mentioned out of the blue at Matt's party Friday night that they'd been looking for someone to do some family photos for them, and they asked me!

My skills are by no means professional-grade (I shoot on automatic and don't know much about the various settings) but I think I have a decent eye for composition, so with a good camera, I do alright.

So the very next morning, I met up with John, Nancy, Becca, and John's sister Jen at a park in Brentwood, and we shot all around this historic home, a cool old barn, and the playground there. I learned several things in my 90-minute stint as family photographer:

1. It's a workout! All the crouching, moving to get various angles, leaping to catch the antics of a fast-moving toddler, etc. I felt physically tired afterward.
2. Light is tough. I really tried to be aware of light and shadow, making sure faces were nicely lit, subjects weren't having to squint, and no wierd shadows fell across faces, but I was not always successful.
3. There are so many details to be aware of! Not just the light, but things like the fact that Becca's collar wasn't laying flat in the first batch of shots! I didn't notice that until I was going through the pics later.

I have a new respect for the professional (and prolific amateur) photographers I know.
Here are a few of my favorites from Saturday's shoot...