Category : Uncategorized

 

 

Always give thanks!  Let me take this moment to thank all of you that drop by the blog and that have attended His Light Workshops and workshops with Jack Graham Photo (Jack and I).  It was a great year and I have a ton of wonderful memories of my time with you guys, and the kind and insightful comments left on this blog. I wouldn’t be doing this if were not for you, so a genuine heartfelt thanks!!!

 

 

The future of my involvment in workshops.   As you have seen I have a really heavy schedule of workshops coming up in 2017 and I’m doing a number of other one day and weekend events for Fujifilm.  Every year I say this is the year I will slow down, yet I get excited and plan a big  year again! Well, it’s the same this year, I still feel good and am working on trying to restore some vitality to this 70 + year old body, so as long as I feel good, I will charge on!  His Light Ministries is still going strong and the center focal point of my photography life, spreading the Good News, encouraging others, sharing great fellowship and seeking to lead other photographers to Christ.

 

You may have noticed that there are fewer His Light Events this coming year.  I see the His Light Workshops in a kind of transition to a more service oriented place. Two of this year’s workshops will be done for charity.  They will not differ from a regular His Light Event, but 100% of the profit will go to worthy causes!  This year to St Judes’s Children’s Research Hospital and the Barter Theatre in Abington, VA.  In future years, I hope to add other charities I want to support. God has richly blessed my life, family and my photography and I want to do more for others. As always the His Light Workshop is an off shoot of His Light Ministries and the on going work of spreading the Good News!

 

Explanation of Charitable Workshops:  These workshops will have only travel, lodging and entry fees, subtracted from the gross reciepts.  then 100% of that profit goes directly the charity. I nor any other insturctors will not take a fee, of any kind, for these events.

 

 

 

I’m also very excited about the two new Fujifilm X-Photographers Travel & Nature Summits coming this year!   This will be a great chance for Fuji shooters, or people who are thinking of joining that family, to learn in a great setting from 4 of Fujifilm’s Global X-Photographers!  Nikon has Legends Behind the Lens, Canon, Ambassadors of Light and Fuji has X-Photographers (since their fabulous new system is the X-System!)  A spring event in April in the Great Smoky Mountains and a eary fall event in Septemebr in Portland, Oregon along the Pacific Northwest Coast!  Value priced at $695.

 

 

 

A new image post processing tool I’m really loving!   I just recently bought a new program from MacPhun called Luminar Pluto, which is a non-destructive image processor and Raw file editor.  While I am currently using Photoshop CC and Lightroom CC, I like the layout, speed and simplicity of the tools in this new program, I have not used it enough to say it is a replacement for the Adobe products, but for what I’ve done so far, I’m liking it a lot, it may well become my stand alone post processing tool.  The bonus is it is a $300 dollar program and can be purchased (not rented monthly ?!(&$!) during the holidays for $59.  For me it’s a steal and has many new and exciting tools I already have been enjoying!  While I do not deep dive into any processing program this one has everything I need and a lot more! You can try a trial version at MacPhun, check it out!  One last thing it does a grat job in Fujifilm RAF (RawFiles)  I might even start doing a little RAW shooting, heaven forbid!!!!

 

 

 

A Brand New Fuji User’s guide!  Following on the heals of the first very successful Fuji User’s Guide (well over 1,000 copies sold!)  a Volume II will be out in January of 2017.  The new Guide will be very much oriented on how to make the most out of the Fujifilm X-System.  This volume will be very practial with lots of information about how to set-up the system, how to use the X-System bodies and lenses to get great images.  As an added bonus feature the new guide will also include the first complete user’s guide as well!  Tons of illustrations on every subject!  Keep checking this blog space for an announcemente when it is released.  My hope is we will have it ready for you by the end of January!  While this guide will include information on all the Fujifilm X-bodies it will center on the Fujifilm X PRO2 and the Fujifilm X-T2!  This two volume set of books will very likely exceed over 400 pages!  It will be priced at $9.95, no inflation here!!!

 

 

A number of friends and a few enemies have encouraged me to get down, on tape, some of the stories I frequently tell!  Well in 2017 I’m commited to get this project started and finished.  It will be an audio book with my favorite stories and tall tales, most of which will have a positive, uplifting message for the listener!  I expect to sell at least four copies!!!  I hope to release it by Spring of 2017

 

 

That’s it for now except have a Great New Year and I hope I see you soon!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

I’m very excited to announce the 2017 Season Schedule!  If you want to join me at any of the His Light Workshops, those with just me or me and Jim Havertock or Bill Pekala, contact me by email  billfortney@earthlink.net or call me at (606)-528-6119 and we will get you registered.  I will start taking formal reservations on January 4th, 2017.  Any workshops with Jack Graham and I,  contact Jack at jackgrahamphoto.com  registration info is on that website.  The two Fujifilm X-Photographer Summits info is at:   https://fujifilmphotosummits.com

 

My worskhops require a $300. deposit,  the remaining fee, one month prior to the event dates.  No spot is held until a deposit is recieved.    I hope you will join us this year for an exciting workshop!!!

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

I get at least 5 emails a week asking which Fujifilm XF lenses I use most and which I think are best.  Below I have listed the lenses I use most, in order, top to bottom.

 

2. 18-135 f 3.5-5.6
4. 10-24  f 4
6. 35mm f 2
8. 60mm Macro  f 2.4 
10. 100-400 f 4.5-5.6
12. 90mm f 2
14. 56mm f 1.2
16. 16mm f 1.4
18. 23mm f 2
20. 16-55 f 2. 8  –  50-140 f 2.8   (tie)

 

Next which are the best?  This is a little more complicated, the truth is all of  them are great, but I tend to rate lenses in four catagores actualy four.;  Legendary, Exceptional, Pro Quality and Average.  Lenses are judged on sharpness, lack of distortion, lack of chromatic aboration, contrast, micro contrast, color quality and construction.

 

Legendary lenses are as good as it gets in all these parameters.  I consider the following XF Fujifilm lenses to fall into that catagory:

 

 

14mm f 2.8

60mm Macro f 2.4

56mm f 1.2

90mm f 2

50-140 f 2.8

16mm f 1.4

35mm f 2

 

Exceptional lenses are also great in all these areas,  but just a a little short of the magical qualities of the legenday lenses.

Al the other XF lenses would fall into his catagory except for the 18mm f 2 which I stil consider to be a Pro Quality lens, just not quiet Exceptional.

 

I have no Average lenses, when I buy one and test it, it goes back to the dealer!

No Fujifilm XF lens has ever been judged, by me, to be Average.

 

I am shooting some of the best stuff of my career, and I consider the Fujifilm XF lenses a  big contributor to that!!  Here are some of my favorties that show the quality of the Fujifilm glass!

 

 

So the real joy of lenses is what you can do with them!!  Merry Chrismtas!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

P.S.  Actually the green tree frog was shot with the Fujifilm X-T2 and the old Nikkor 200mm Macro f 4 manual focus lens,  since Fujifilm decided not to make a 120mm Macro, I picked this one up for situations where I needed more working distance in macro work. I’m looking forward to testing the new 80mm f 2.8 Macro coming later    this year from Fujifilm.