Category : Pilgrim’s Chronicles

Sitting in the airport, thankful to be going home, thinking about the future. When a show is over and it’s time to relax on the way home, your mind goes back to the next adventure. Lots of fun things are out there but one I’m very excited about is doing a couple of close-up classes for
Kelby Training. Step one is always how to introduce the class, and define it. It brought about a nice thought, always start by saying thank you. Of course you will say thank you for joining me for this class, but even more important, thanks must be given to those that taught me enough through the years that I can even consider teaching such a class.

Everyone that is considered an expert or at least well versed in any subject usually got it from another source. My first inspiration was John Shaw, but John learned a lot about close-ups form Larry West, then the late John Netherton learned from both of them, and I learned from them and
Cliff Zenor, another great close-up shooter. Then a whole new crop of great shooters emerged like Nancy Rotenberg, she inspired Les Saucier, and Charles Needles. Mike Moats inspires lots of people that want to wade into close-up work, and it goes on and on.

What I’m trying to say is almost anything good we enjoy had it’s start when someone taught someone something, and then they passed it on. When I was preparing to put these classes together I drew from all of these sources or at least form my memory of them.

When the the Bible teaches, “Do unto others as your would have others do unto you.” I’m pretty sure that is part of what that means. When blessed, pass the blessings on. I’m really looking forward to sharing what I’ve learned from, John S, John N, Larry, Cliff, Les, Nancy, Charles, Mike and many others, thanks guys for making that possible with your generosity!

Start today figuring out what you have to offer, and then offer it………..

and be blessed,

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: D7000, 24-120 AFS VR lens.

I went out last night with two good Nikon friends, Paul Van Allen and Jason Stewart for a little early evening photography on the strip in Las Vegas. This is a pretty common thing, after talking to folks for two straight days about cameras and lenses, you have to go out and use one. So we went down to Bally’s where some pretty cool light lead you into the hotel. We stopped at Jimmy Buffet’s Margaritaville for a burger and then it was on the street to shoot. Our goal tonight was to just laugh off a long day, and maybe shoot something we hadn’t done before in Las Vegas.

I’ve said it many times before, but these are
really talented people and I learn so much
every time I get to out and shoot with them.
We found some interesting things to shoot
too.

On the way to the cab stand I had to walk through the Ballagio’s Lobby, the ceiling below was pretty spectacular. These are glass pseudo flowers, each probably a yard across.

I appreciate the good times with friends that go along with all the hard work on the road. When you’re missing your family at home, these guys are your family on the road.

Thank you Father for friends, and fun, after the days work is done.

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: All images Nikon D7000, 24-120 AFS f4, 12-24 AFS f4, 55-300 AFS VR.

No it wasn’t really there, but it was in the sky though. On many cameras, including my D7000, you can make multiple exposures in the same frame. The moon was high in the sky over Las Vegas and the light was nice and rich on the New York – New York hotel complex. Simple, shoot the moon at 450 mm (my 70-300 AFS VR on the D7000 is equivalent framing to a 450 mm lens!).
Then recompose on the city scene (memorize where you placed the moon in the frame), and this is the result…… Below is the cityscape, a few minutes later, without the moon.

The other thing that is fun to shoot in big cities is early morning, (usually only lasts for about 5-10 minutes, right after sunrise), warm light in the tall glass buildings. Below is the first light on the Mandalay Bay Hotel, this morning (HDR – 3 shots one stop apart). Below that is one more of buildings with reflections and early light (This one is a straight single frame, and then processed).

Light is the critical component to all these shots, as illustrated below, 30 minutes after the first set of images. Same New York – New York scene, light much cooler.

Jesus is the light of the world and much more critical than even the light of the sun. When you’re thinking about great photo opportunities, think early light. When you thinking of a great life, think the Light of the World, Jesus.

Have a great day, blessings,

the pilgrim in a foreign land……………..

*Photo Note; All images, D7000 – ISO 800, 70-300 AFS VR lens all images shot at f5.6 from a tripod.

Only in Vegas, the Statue of Liberty and roller coaster in the same shot!

* Health Update: Tomorrow is weigh in, but I’m in Vegas so weigh in this week will be Friday.

Back in Las Vegas, another meeting, another Casino Hotel. I enjoy the conventions, catching up with co-workers, and friends, and clients you only see once a year, but this town……… Nothing about this place is real. It’s a place people escape to with the promise that “what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas”, but it doesn’t. Wherever you are, and whatever your behavior happens to be, you must take ownership of it. Just because no one back home knows what you did, that doesn’t mean you don’t know. It certainly doesn’t mean God doesn’t know. Don’t get me wrong, I’m not being judgmental, people are people,and people will do stupid things, I’ve done stupid things, but I’m at a place in my life now that I don’t desire to come to this place and do things I hope know one will ever find out about.

It is a big lie, from the enemy, that we can quote, “get away with things…” You never get away with anything, if no one ever finds out, you know, and over time, anything that must be kept a secret, will damage you. Driving in from the airport today in the cab, I saw a very large billboard
advertising a hotel, it display a alluring woman in lingerie, the message was, “A Good Amount of a Bad Thing.” Suggesting that there is a right amount of a bad thing. I’m probably sounding a lot like a prude at this moment, but I’ve seen what a little “innocent fun”, that wasn’t so innocent at all, has done to relationships of friends. Many a broken marriage has been ship wrecked on these kinds of “innocent things”. I think what I dislike the most about this place is how blatant the suggestions are. I know I’m from the Bible belt and nothing like that would ever stay on a billboard for more than an hour back home, but it seems strange to me that a place like this has to exist. Hey this can me a great place, good food, good shows, pretty lights, but the rest doesn’t appeal to me at all.

O.K. said it, got it off my chest, will try to find something positive to say on Tuesday!
Sometimes it’s good to rant if it’s for a good cause.

the pilgrim

*Photo Note: D7000 24-120 @ 24mm, F16 @ 30 seconds.