Yes, I'm the photographer

The sky was a soft blue with light, puffy little clouds. If you were painting a baby's room with a sky this is exactly how you would paint it. Everything today was beautiful. Cherry blossoms bloomed. Daffodils bloomed. The temperature was perfect. 

I used my manual lenses for the funeral because they have bigger apertures than my auto-focus lenses.  If I were to do this often I would need much more expensive glass because I can't get the focus as precisely with manual. 

The priest made sure I was supposed to be there, that I was there with the family's consent, and then was pleased that I wasn't using a flash and clearly was going to be discrete and unobtrusive. Once he was ok with me everyone else seemed relieved and thought it was a lovely idea to have a photographer. People even paused when walking so they wouldn't get in my shots. 

At the repaste one of my friend's sisters asked if I was the photographer. "Yes, I'm the photographer." I thought to ask who all the offspring were so I could get everyone's picture. I teased later that I was concerned that if I missed anyone they'd complain for five years that the photographer got everyone but them. One of the sisters joked back, "five years? The rest of our lives!"

I haven't gone through all the pictures but I'm pleased that enough of them are good, but I'm also thankful for raw because there is an odd color tint to many of them. Some are blue. Some are purple. 

Hooray for the internet. I researched it yesterday and so knew to expect a semi-family reunion vibe since the deceased was older - which makes complete sense I just wouldn't have thought of it - and dark interiors. I knew that a flash would be completely inappropriate and distracting. I also knew to focus on little details and people comforting each other. 

By the end of the repaste, I think I'd made most people laugh at least once. Now you know not to invite me to your very serious events. 

We had a little table for people who went to my friend's college. Frankly, most of them didn't remember me and I didn't remember most of them. I don't think I hung out with people in my class. 

It was beautiful. The eulogy was incredible. She was clearly an amazing woman. She was in the first desegregated class of her high school. She raised SEVEN children on her own and earned a law degree beginning at the age of 50. 

Thank you for your good wishes yesterday.