Bonjour and Bubbles

Where to start...

It's Sunday morning at 10:02 am and I am at my dining table, staring out the window and listening to the rustling of a plastic bag that my girlfriend is emptying. I am about to head out to Jersey City to hopefully take some photos of Bubble Fest, a local family-friendly event with, as you may have guessed, bubbles for kids. As I think about it, this is my first outing to intentionally and solely take photos of live crowds. Up to this point, any photos that I have taken at public events have been coincidental to my attending the event. Suffice to say, I am a little nervous at the thought of just walking around with camera in hand. But as my friend and photography mentor Jose shared with me when last we spoke, the important thing is to walk around with purpose and to command the space so that people will think you know what you are doing and are meant to be there.

I originally wanted to get a camera just to document family/friend events like the old days to remind people of crazy adventures, experiences, and places. Now I find myself with a blog, promo cards, and a website archiving what I capture. So going out under these circumstances is a big step.

*fast forward to 6:18 pm*

Overcoming this hurdle was not as difficult as I thought. I had a great conversation with a new resident of Jersey City, stumbled across some old friends and classmates, and feel like I may have some good material to work with. I was especially excited to take advantage of my Opteka 6.5mm fish-eye lens and really get in the middle of the child crowd and get up close with the bubbles. I think that is where some prime shots will be. During my time at the event, I was the only "photographer" present aside from all the parents taking photos or videos on their phones. Taking Jose's words to heart, no one questioned me while I was making my way through the event. I felt comfortable moving around and finding different angles, waiting for certain conditions to line up, and being mindful of the environmental factors, (sunlight, tree cover, etc). Now all I need to do is import what I captured and start taking a closer look at the results. So with that, I bid you adieu for now!

Unrelated Note: What really stood out to me today was the positive energy of the community and families at today's event. I get stressed everyday watching the news and hearing so much negativity. But seeing laughing children getting SO excited over bubbles, really was a mental and spiritual palette cleanser.