by successfulbob | bird photography, Lumix Lounge, photography
I get a warm feeling in my heart when I see this cold hummingbird…
Humming bird on the feeder during snow in Sedona, Arizona
Why? Because I know the story of how this hummer (AKA ‘little shit’ because he chases away the other birds).
It’s my wonderful wife Holly. She was a big feeder of hummingbirds when we lived in the Virgin Islands to the tune of many pounds of sugar every week. (And may have single handed made it possible for many of the critters to survive after the 18 hour hurricane called Marilyn but that’s another story)
After being stopped, literally, by a hummingbird from cutting back some blooms she thought were past prime in our yard she started hanging a feeder for it after swearing many years ago to not start that again. Now we have four feeders. And because it has been going below freezing she is taking down the feeders after dark, sometimes trudging through the snow, and hanging then at first light.
She’s one special lady my Holly.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | Lumix Lounge, photography, photography competition, photography education
Imaging competition has helped me become the photographer I am today. There I’ve said it again and I’ll continue to sing it from the rooftops and encourage every photographer that want to grow, or continue to grow to participate in two to four imaging competitions a year.
I recommend you choose between your local PPA Affiliate, PPA District Competition, International Photographic Competition and the WPPI 8×10 and 16×20 competitions.
Why??
It stretches you to push your image making to a higher level. It makes you aware of minor mistakes in posing and exposure and composition and the awareness works its way into your everyday captures keeping you from having to deal with the mistakes over and over again.
Making better images leads to better sales.
Making better images leads to winning awards which leads to having an excuse/reason to send out press releases which leads to press coverage and name recognition in your community.
I had a conversation with Skip from Skip Cohen University on the Weekend Wisdom Podcast on Sprouting Photographer about Photographic Imaging Competitions. Check it out.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | commercial photography, Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, musician photography, people photography
Sound Bites Grill keeps bringing new acts to the Sedona area. The latest is Andrea Marie and the Magnolias Band from Austin, Texas. Andrea has one sweet yet powerful voice. You can check out their latest CD sound here.
Here’s the artwork for the Wall of Fame at Sound Bites.
You can follow and like the band on their FaceBook page.
The images to put this together were captured with a Lumix GH4 and the 35-100mm f2.8 Leica Lens. The GH4 has a great density range to capture the full range of tones even under LED lighting. ISO 3200 f2.8 approx 1/50 sec.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | charity photography, Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, people photography, photography
While on vacation in Sararsota, Florida I was asked by my buddy Skip to help create an image for an ad campaign for the Friendship Centers. The look of the requested image was based on previous photos from the campaign. The speaker would be in the foreground and sharp with the secondary person in the back slightly out of focus. Here’s the resulting ad that will run full page and on their web site…
Photographed with Lumix GH4 & Leica DG Nocticron 42.5mm f1.2 lens
Settings – f1.2 ISO 200 1/250 sec Window light from 4×6 ft window with shear curtains camera right
MeFoto Backpacker tripod for support (because I was traveling – came in quite handy because it’s small for packing)
It was a pleasure making the image. I just happened to have the proper tools with me. The Nocticron lens is sweet and allowed me to get just the right fall-off of focus that was needed for the photo. If the MeFoto wasn’t so small and easy to pack I wouldn’t have had a tripod with me on vacation.
Small light and powerful tools are amazing to work with and I’m enjoying photography more every day.
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
by successfulbob | bird photography, Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, photography, wildlife photography
What ties the images below together??
Other than they are of the same subject?
Great White Egret image.
Great White Egret image.
Great White Egret image.
Great White Egret image.
Great White Egret image.
Well I gave you hint at the answer in the title of this post. All five images were created withing two minutes. How many different looks can you obtain by changing the direction in which you shoot? Look at the different color and feel of each image. The mood is totally different in each capture.
Plenty of options exist in a single situation and exploring the possibilities beyond the obvious help define us as photographers. Next time you are on a shoot circle your subject and see how many different looks come about. After a while you’ll start to pre visualize exactly what you want to show… And I’ll bet it will be different than what you are automatically photographing now.
Images captured with the Lumix GH4 100-300mm f4.0-5.6
by successfulbob | Lumix GH4, Lumix Lounge, macro, photography, photography education
Flowers of all shapes sizes and colors often make a good subject for photographs. And if you can get to a place like Selby Gardens in Sarasota, Florida, all the better for having a pile of subject matter to pick from.
Since I’ve been all artsy-fartsy with the birds I’ve been photographing I thought it might be time for a little realistic imagery. Here are a few from the Selby Gardens botanical collection…
Not sure of the name of this one but I love the color contrast against the soft background. Natural light filtered through foliage gave the soft lighting against the sunlight falling against the green leaves in the distance.
Orchids are very interesting subjects. They almost look Sci-Fi to me especially when you get in close. Something from another world.
Another orchid. These are from the Phalaenopsis family.
In order to focus closer to get these details of the throats of the orchids I added Vello Extension Tubes to the 35-100mm Lumix Vario f2.8 lens. Images made with the Lumix GH4
Yours in Creative Photography, Bob
