We've been doing a lot of work on the H88 lately (namely -- laying floors, installing the audio system, and moving in furniture).  Simultaneously, I've been doing a lot of experimenting with my new Canon 350D digital SLR camera... So I thought I'd share some of the images from the last week or so.

Some of my favorite shots came from yesterday (Friday) evening, at our church's monthly Soul Gathering -- like the one above, with a makeshift band playing together while sitting on boxes and buckets, reading song sheets by candlelight, bicycle lights, and the fading remnants of sunlight coming in at the back of the room...

The Soul Gathering happened to fall just after we had finished about 75 percent of the flooring project (done mostly on Thursday and Friday), but just before we moved all of our stuff back into the space (on Saturday).  So we celebrated our Soul Gathering by candlelight, while sitting on the floor... kind of cool and "romantic," but maybe not the most comfortable...

I wish I could have taken more pictures at the Soul Gathering -- but during a time when we're focusing primarily on worship, meditation, and prayer, it just didn't seem entirely appropriate to be snapping away on my camera like some kind of photojournalist.

I've been learning a lot about photography during the last month or so of playing around with my new camera -- but I still feel that I would benefit from taking some kind of course or something.

One of the biggest tricks in photography that I've discovered is combining art with documentary -- that is, finding a shot that accurately conveys the facts of the situation and the story that needs to be told, while simultaneously making it look pretty and communicating the aesthetics of the occasion as well as the objective reality.  I'm learning how a good photograph brings back the feelings as well as the facts that were there in the room in which the picture was taken.  And while it's relatively simple to pick up a camera and document a situation as its happening... it's a good bit more difficult to compose a well-spaced shot, with good colors, and a good sense of light... and it's extremely difficult to put all of this together in one photograph!

That's why I like the first photograph in this post.  It captures the moment well -- with an interesting framing of the subject material and a good reproduction of colors and motion.  The second picture... hmmm... it's all right on the documentary end of the spectrum, but I feel that it's not so good on the artistic level; honestly, I don't know why I feel this way about the picture -- because the colors are good and the moment captured is a relatively significant one... but I think it may actually be too well-lit (as compared to the reality of it) and maybe the feeling is just a bit too disconnected, with the frame in the foreground... I don't know... If anyone has some insight for me, I'd appreciate the feedback.

At any rate, it's for all of these reasons that I think a photography class might do me good.  Even so, I'm learning as I go.  And like the H88 itself, it's getting better all the time... Of all the other pictures here, I like the fourth one second-best (how confusing of a sentence is that?!?!).  The shot of Marijn and Jara laying floor in the lounge of the H88 just seems to do a good job of communicating the sense of teamwork we've required to get the new ministry center to where it's at today.  It's been a beautiful process to witness...

As for the picture above, well... I suppose it's strictly documentary (taken at the beginning of the day on Friday, before the Soul Gathering) -- which is to say that it's not especially beautiful.  But I post it so at least you can see all three of our doors from the main room now, which will eventually allow us to get up to code with the fire marshal.  Also, with this photo, you can see what the place looked like during the process of laying the floors...

Truth be told, the process of renovation and relocation has not been all blood, sweat, and tears.  We've still had some good opportunities for hanging out together and enjoying the experience of re-relocating (after our unrelocation, which was preceded by our initial relocation!)... I like both picture above and the picture below for their depiction of the unique personalities that make up our church.

In case you were wondering on the above picture, I believe that Naomi is pointing out the fact that they are, in fact, not wearing the same shirt (because hers is more of a V-neck than Andrew's).

The H88 is still a bit of a mess -- but it's getting better all the time...