Spring flies when you’re having fun!

I think that no matter how old or infirm I may become, I will always plant a large garden in the spring.  Who can resist the feelings of hope and joy that one gets from participating in nature’s rebirth?  ~Edward Giobbi

My, how spring flies!

 Having been on a photo shoot for over eleven days, Barbara and I  arrived home last night to a different scene. When we left, Forsythias and a weeping Cherry in the front yard were blooming. Daffodils, a hyacinth  and pansies were the only other activity in the yard.

 Pulling into the driveway, we experienced the most beautiful sight. Our fuchsia colored Loropetalum was in full bloom. It is quite spectacular! All of the hostas were out and many were sizable. The  Forsythias and Cherry were finished with their display as were the Daffodils.

 In their place were three Dogwoods with their bright white color,  with their familiar cross-shaped petals and burgundy stain (reminders of the Lord’s Passion).

Twenty four azaleas are ready to amaze us any day with their stunning demeanor. The grass is beginning to green up and other perennials are pushing up the ground in the natural areas.

I can’t wait for the weekend and to  get some Carolina clay under my fingernails!

All photos copyright 2011 Lockman/Click!

Ten Reasons to Subscribe to Jim’s Blog

copyright 2011 Jim Lockman/Click!

1) It’s free! There is no charge to receive Jim’s Blog. My blog lacks the distractions of advertising and other clutter.

2) Delivered to you by email. The moment the blog is posted, an email is immediately sent to your mailbox.

3) Tag line says it all. “The world as I see it.” Jim’s blog is primarily a visual presentation peppered with insightful writing about photography, business and personal experiences.

4) For friends and family. In a world that is busier than we would like, my blog is a way to stay in touch and share a part of my life.

5) For clients of Click! My blog is an effort to share the latest photography, techniques, and tips with my varied clientele. Staying in touch with customers is a primary focus.

6) Assignment photography. Many of the blogs are planned to illustrate a particular thought or topic as if an assignment had been made. Only one of the photos in the over sixty posts has not been my work.

7) Doesn’t rely on Facebook. Many of my FB friends have a large number of people friended, making it difficult to see all of the posts to their status listings.With a subscription, my blog doesn’t get lost in the sea of FB posts.

8) Simple photo tips and techniques. When I produce a blog about photography, every effort is made to encourage others with basic principles.

9) Photos of Brenden, Natalie and Nyla. With your subscription you get to see the latest pictures of my grandchildren.

10) Subscribing is easy. Enter your email and you will receive my blog whenever I post.

Enjoy!

An afternoon with Nyla

What a great surprise! Matt and Arden dropped baby Nyla at Poppie and Mom Mom’s while they ran some arrands. Poppie took a break from working  (Actually I was fighting spring fever as I stood at my 6′ X 8′ window overlooking the back yard.) and jouneyed downstairs for a quickie photo session. My grandchildren are a joy. I hope you enjoy these images.

I know. I’m a bragger. So, sue me!

All photographs copyright 2011 Jim Lockman/Click!

Tiptoe through the tulips!

copyright 2011 Jim Lockman/Click!

No more glossy pictures

Glossy photography. Over the years I have used this term to describe photography that looks too good to be real. The lighting is perfect. The people are models and are without flaws. It lacks a good dose of reality.

Corporate photography needs to be quality work. Lighting is important and so are the people that represent a product or service in an ad or annual report. But many times magazines and other publications create photographs that are perfect in every aspect, but are not believable.

The trend in  photography today is away from the “glossy” look to a more realistic treatment of the subjects photographed. Hospitals are using more actual patients, nurses, and doctors in their ads rather than relying on models and actors. Clients are looking for a more journalistic look instead of a heavily lit set-up. People identify more with realistic situations and people, than with the “perfect” interpretation of everyday events. “Reality” television has added to this transformation. There seems to be a reality program for just about any situation.

Making lighting look real has its own challenges. And using real people instead of models is not nearly as easy to get the desired results. Developing rapport is vital to achieving success. The photographer must use his skill to “present” his subject in the “best light”.

Reality programming is here to stay. Photographers should be ready to create great images that sell for our clients when those being photographed “let their hair down”.

 

All photographs copyright 2011 Jim Lockman/Click!

Seeing is believing!

copyright 2011 Jim Lockman/Click!

In a recent article written by Nick Melidonis for Rangefinder Magazine, Nick commented, “The artist starts with nothing and chooses only the elements he or she wishes to include in the canvas to communicate with the viewer. The photographer, unfortunately, starts with everything and must choose the elements of the composition carefully in deciding what to leave out. Trying to pack too much into a photograph is like cramming too much into your suitcase. It only makes the thing you are looking for that much harder to find.”

Get in the habit of narrowing your view when you are out shooting photos. It requires some discipline to visualize a photograph in the middle of all the clutter we see around us. But you can train yourself to “look.” Shooting on vacation or away from our personal location  is easier because we have not become familiar with a different environment. I blogged abbout this in “Become unfamiliar with your surroundings”.

When shooting pictures of people, be careful with the background. Avoid busy or distracting backgrounds. Be aware of lines coming out of the head and body of those persons you are photographing. It could be a tree or a vertical aspect of a building. When possible, allow the background to be out-of-focus. This puts the emphasis on your subject and is much more flattering.

Open your eyes and see with a different light.

“It’s not what you look at that matters,  it’s what you see.”  -David Thoreau