What A Stellar Week // VBS 2023

I got to be the photographer for VBS again this year. This is the second time I've done that and it's a unique way to experience the week for sure. You kind of float on the outside of what is going on and you get to see everything but you're not really participating. I don't normally do event photography but it's fun to do something different sometimes because it makes you use different skills and I feel like I am challenged as a photographer.

This year's theme was "Stellar - Shine Jesus' Light" and it is from the same company that we used back when I was growing up but haven't used in many years now. I'm very glad we went back to this company :)

My biggest challenge with VBS is light. I have to used flash and my church is just not designed for photography. Pictures in the sanctuary are a particular nightmare because we have bright red carpet! It's hard to get excited or be particularly creative sometimes but while I do get lots of photos of the room full of people, I love to get in close and do a small group or just one person.

I started the week with my 28mm, which is my widest lens. I did wide shots in each room/station. Most of the week I used my 50mm, especially for the group photos. I also used my monkey camera buddy and the kids LOVED him. The next two days they kept asking where he was :)

By Friday, I have gotten more than enough photos of everything and I got to put my 85mm lens on and that was the most fun! Almost all of the photos I'm showcasing here are taken from that day because I got to get in close and get photos that are more portrait-like. I also tried to look for emotion and connection to photograph but I try to respect privacy and so many of those I am not sharing because it is showing too much of the kids' faces.

We had a great week with amazing weather and it seemed like things just went really well. The Nutty Scientist was back and the kids just love having him around! I had missed not doing VBS last year so I was glad to be back but I think next year I want to lead a group. I miss interacting with the kids. We'll see what happens.

Teamwork games

Making cards for shut-ins

Completing a circuit in Science

Solving a puzzle in Bible Story

Learning the motions to songs in Music