Jim Bateman

I have always taken pictures, but I started to get serious about 15 years ago. I was taking a lot of pictures for my church, documenting the varied activities of the members and children, and I bought a better camera.

Then came an even better camera (a DSLR) and lenses, newer software (Photoshop and Lightroom), subscribing to photography newsletters, and a few classes to sharpen my skills. There is always more to learn and better equipment to buy.

Gwen and I live on the Illinois River just south of Chillicothe so we have lots of birds – eagles in the winter and white pelicans in the summer. We go out almost daily looking for photo opportunities. But the secret is to always have your camera with you. Some of my best photos happened on a trip to the grocery store.

I’m still shooting lots of church pictures as well as photos to illustrate stories I write for Inter Business Issues magazine (usually about historic preservation).