Jack Carlson Photography

April in-person classes are GO!

Signs of Spring are in the details.

 

Signs of Spring starts April 21 – May 12 (4 Thursdays) 9 – 12 noon

The Ins and Outs of Flash starts April 22 – May 6 (3 Fridays) 9 – 12 noon

Learn how to keep inside flash a secret.

Both classes meet in the Plant Science Lab, Chicago Botanic Garden. There are a few openings in each class so enroll soon by visiting www.chicagobotanic.org/adulted, photography to register. You won’t want to miss these chances to get the band back together. See you next week.

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Weekly Photo Tip

Wondering if you need a tripod? Don’t be lazy.

Magnus the Camera Clubhouse cat deciding whether to help re-pack Christmas decorations.

I had 2 shots remaining on the roll of Tri-X 120 black/white film. Magnus, the Carlson Camera Clubhouse Cat was hanging out on the table as I was about to dismantle the Christmas tree. What a perfect time for an impromptu portrait session. The camera’s built-in flash was just high enough so that the light output didn’t get directly into his eyes, but was reflected by the lights on the tree. The cat is actually much sharper in reality than he may appear to you in this scan of the print. A tripod could have helped here and I do own several of them but the clubhouse floor was covered with boxes so making a trip to get one of those 3-legged camera supports just didn’t seem worth the time and effort. 

As I’ve written countless times, a tripod is your friend. Please remember that when you’re about to be overcome by laziness.

The camera I used for the shot of Magnus

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About Jack

A classically trained musician since childhood, Jack Carlson always had the “ear” of an artist. It was only a short step to develop the artist’s “eye” as well.

The portfolio of this certified photographer reveals images that emphasize mood and composition. Their purpose is to present a feeling in addition to portrayal of person, place or thing. Sometimes that feeling is nostalgia; other times it is serenity.

Each photograph tells a story.