Weekly Header Challenge - People Reflections

It's time for the Weekly Header Challenge!

"Headbanger" Participants

Craver VII 

Fishing Guy 

Katney 

Imac 

Lew 

I'm joining in the group above for this weekly challenge.

Feel free to click on the other participants' blogs

to see what they've come up with!

Theme ~ Reflections of People

I hope I understood this week's theme correctly.  :)

At first, I didn't think I had but one or two reflections of people.  I actually wish my portfolio included some with water as a reflection, since I've seen some really neat images using that technique.  That is a photography wish for this spring, though.  :)  Here's what I do have.  First, the full image from my header:

This young lady, Laura, accompanied her mother to a speaking engagement in Georgia for which I was the photographer.  I snapped a few pics of her playing the piano in between workshops, then I noticed her reflection in the piano.  Shutter speed is slow; I probably used a tripod (1/6 second, I think), and I focused on her reflection.  This shot was taken early in my digital years, so I was thrilled when the image turned out.

I didn't notice the reflection in Thomas' shades, below, but once I did, I had my dad pose just right for me.  These were taken at our beloved Lake Bonaparte.

Mirrors are another great place to capture reflections, and one really cool "mirror," if you will, exists in the form of a bean.  The Bean, downtown Chicago, whose real name is the Cloud Gate.  Pardon my old banner watermark--and possibly my first attempts at photo editing.  I do like the sepia still, though!

Then there's the obligatory "selfie couple" shot in the Bean.

I remember sitting a distance off, just people-watching with Fernando, when I spotted this little boy who was fascinated with his reflection in the Bean.  I stuck my 70-300mm lens on, and captured him playing with his reflection.

Speaking of mirrors, we found a broken one in our garage.  Danny held it up for one of my selfies.  Hello, Picasso!

My favorite selfie reflection, though, was taken at the Eiffel Tower.  Fernando and I had already waited in line over an hour, but at this point we were inside the building awaiting the elevator to take us up to the top of the Tower.  I spotted our reflection in a window, and snapped the below.

Hope you enjoyed my reflections--both images and memories!


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Spring Wedding

I am not a wedding photographer.

I always make sure I say that when I post wedding pictures.  Having said that, however, I do love event photography--capturing the various things all happening around me.  Whether I'm a participant who happens to have brought her camera, or the actual event photographer, I have fun either way!  Enjoy these few images from a recent wedding we attended.

FYI--All these images were taken using my "kit" lens, a 17-85mm telephoto.  It's a very basic Canon lens, but still produces nice images.  A lower F-stop and a sharper image and this would be my go-to lens for practically everything.  But of course, that would cost me, and so I continue to use this lens.  :)

There's something about little girls at weddings--they're all dressed up and are beaming with prettiness and excitement.

Some of the adults had to make sure the bubbles worked before the couple exited the church.  :)

It was so hard to capture the happy couple with all those bubbles floating everywhere!

Okay--I seriously got lucky.  I almost deleted the below image right from the camera, without even downloading.  I thought it was ruined.  I'm so glad I didn't.  I think it's just cool that I captured Rosalinda's face in that bubble!

This last photo was pretty contrast-y, but really lent itself well to a black and white image.  I love how it turned out.

Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Joanna's Wedding Shower | Chicagoland Event Photographer

I had the wonderful privilege of attending and shooting this very special wedding shower, held for a beautiful young southern lady.  Although I would've loved to have traveled south to shoot the shower there, she visited up north.  Because she and her family have so many friends here where they used to live, a wedding shower was held for her here.  Enjoy some highlights and favorites from this very special afternoon.

I'm constantly in awe of people who can decorate--whether it's signs, tables, or food.  I just don't have the knack.  I can, however, take a beautiful picture of all that.  :)

These flower decorations were created with sewing patterns.  Aren't they gorgeous?

All showers must involve a silly game--I think it's a rule.  This one featured a "create-a-gown" game where teams had to make a gown from special "fabric" (that would be toilet paper).

Little helper.

Seriously, these toilet paper gowns were so beautiful you could almost walk down the aisle in one!

The beautiful bride-to-be.

Gifts for the littler ladies.

Look at that sweet expression of warmth and joy!  Such a wonderful young lady, who is so very excited to be getting married just after the New Year.  I'm just as excited for her.  :)


Treasuring life's moments,
Christine

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Mothers and Daughters

Since I don't have any daughters, I usually shy away from attending mother/daughter events.  I have gone to some and had a great time of fellowship with other moms and daughters.  But I'd much rather attend such events as a volunteer.  And this is what I had the joy of doing with this particular event!

Illinois Christian Home Educators (ICHE) hosts several events throughout the year; their January event is usually one for moms.  This year, they decided to host a one-day mother/daughter conference.  What a blessing that I knew the conference planners!  And that they asked me to not only photograph the event, but also to take mother/daughter snapshot portraits (coming soon in another post)!  Of course, it was an easy "yes" to give of my time for this event.

Enjoy a few of my favorite images from this delightful, inspiring event.

All the kitchen helpers wore pink aprons.  :)

Living life; capturing life.

Christine

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Indeed My Heritage