Monthly Archives: February 2015

 

 

Out of the fridge!  We made it to Florida Thursday night and it has been great to not see any snow!  Sherelene and I have been visiting family yesterday and last night and will head on down further south and to warmer temps today.  Beach trips are for Sherelene, I’m a shade guy.  I will be spending this week getting prepared for my time with the folks in Peoria and working on the Fuji X System book Volume 2!  I will blog some this week but probably not every day.

 

Just a word about family.  We visited my brother-in-law Ron Oliver yesterday.  Ron had a some severe circulatory issues and had to have his leg amputated above the knee.  I can’t imagine the trauma involved in this kind of surgery but Ron was in great spirits and was working hard to get used to his new life reality.  I am so proud of him for getting down to business and facing this turn of events.  Life is tough and you have to be fought to face some of the difficulties you will face, Ron is stepping up to the plate in a big way!  I was worried about him and Diane but they are doing great, and will do great!  Our family’s been blessed!

 

It has been great to spend time with Scott and Diane, Ben and Hannah, and the rest of Sherelene’s family.  On to warmer temps!!!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

You have to have a plan!  I have an upcoming trip, one I have been so excited about taking, but I would not consider even starting the car, without a plan!  The map above is just wallpaper to make a more important point!  Where I’m driving to,  the hours on the road, and milage are of little importance to you, but what I will say next is!

 

PLAN

noun

a plan for raising money: procedure, scheme, strategy, idea, proposal, proposition, suggestion, action point; project, program, system, method, stratagem, formula, recipe; way, means, measure, tactic.

 

Let me pull one word out of  this loose definition, Strategy!  You have to have, you need, your success depends on,  a strategy!  As a Christian I have a strategy, trust God!  My Heavenly Father has not only promised to watch over me, He has!  Non believers will say, “then  you don’t do anything and just sit here waiting on God?”  Not hardly.  I trust in Him, I also know that He works best when I’m on top of my game, and moving in the direction he has laid out before me.  I’m big on developing a detailed plan, but I know He can interrupt it anytime, when “He” has a better plan.

 

So why plan?  Because you need to know what your mission is.  You see, mine is to go and do, and enjoy this life, and along the way, share His love.  Offer help, a smile, and encouraging word, something that was not there before!  It’s not hard, but you have to be committed!  I’m not a lot of things I should be, but I am committed to a higher cause, purpose and goal!

 

Now, I can’t wait to get out there and start spreading His Good News, and take some images!!!!! Maybe even some good ones!!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

Tomorrow I take my bride for a well deserved week in Florida,  for some rest.   When I return it’s on to the big photo adventure!

 

 

Please indulge me in some rambling thoughts!  I was talking to another gentlemen of my age, (crotchety old man talk!), and we agreed that things sure are different than when we grew up.  I’m not saying that people are courteous, or nice, or hospitable anymore, that would certainly be stretching my point, but….. things are different.  While I am not the arbiter of what is good behavior, I would like to make some suggestions to my fellow photographers;

 

1.  When in-the-field, treat other shooters as you would like to be treated.  Don’t step in front of someone else blocking their shot.  Don’t make a loud noise while someone is trying to photograph a skittish animal.  If you need to work close to another person’s spot, ask permission to “squeeze” in!  Let me offer an example.  One of the locations I do a lot with groups is Mesa Arch in Canyonlands National Park.  It is almost always crowded so I encourage my groups to get there plenty early since the best spot to shoot from is not a very large space.  If you arrive and others have the good spot you’re out of luck.  Now its a decent hike in and you do it in the dark so I have  a suggestion.  My last time there my group got in early and we had secured the best shooting spots.  Just before the light was going to get terrific, and it did that day, another group about as large as out (a dozen people) arrived.  At first they were verbally upset that we had the good spots.  Here is where playing nice comes in.  I went over to their leader and said,  “listen the light is about to happens, why don’t we try to squeeze your guys in with our group so everyone get a chance at the good light!?”  It was tight but everyone got the shot, even some of my folks, after they knew that had the shot left their spot for some from the new group.  Everyone left happy, and an ugly confrontation was avoided, and we did the right thing.  Play nice!!!!

 

2.  Share what you know!  A few years ago a photographer who will go un-named (no reason to be ugly – play nice???!!!) did a beautiful book on a very scenic area in America.  The book had many stunning images and it was of a place few people knew anything about.  Many photographers questioned the author about where these beautiful scenes were photographed.  The photographer steadfastly refused to reveal their “secret” spot.  I have to be honest, it frosted me.  If a scene is on public land, and going to it, to make photographs, does not in anyway harm the environment, I can’t see any reason why you wouldn’t gladly share your information.  The area in this book has now been discovered by many and I’ve seen hundreds of images from this location, so the photographer did not protect their work!!!!  They should have Played Nice!!!!

 

3.  Never harm any living thing just to make the shot.  If you have to harm an animal or put it in danger, or harm or destroy a plant, flower, or tree to make the shot, walk away.  No image is worth destroying the subject!!!  Play Nice!!!!

 

4.  Be honest about your images.  I once heard a photographer tell a long bloated story about lying under dead leaves for two days until the bear got close enough to make an image.  First I don’t believe him, and if it is true, he’s an idiot for allowing a wild animal like bear to get that close!  Hairy war tales are not needed, just make wonderful images that require no story at all!  Play Nice!!!!!

 

5.  Share your toys!  Have you ever been making a shot and have a fellow photogpraher say I would  love to make that  shot but my lens is not wide enough or long enough!!!???  When you are finished hand them the lens you are using, (if it will fit their camera!)  If I get the shot and you don’t,  it doesn’t make my shot any better!!!  Play Nice!!!!

 

6.  Offer to help.  If you see someone struggling to make a shot and you can see the mistake their making, offer a little help.  Maybe it’s because I teach workshops, or maybe I’m just observant, but I see people all the time having trouble making a shot and doing something wrong.  I try to be gentle, and offer to help.  I’ve never had anyone say bug off.   Most people appreciate a hand.  Same goes for a family group wanting their picture made in front of some scene, offer to shoot the picture so everyone in the family gets to be in the image!.  It’s just embarrassing when a 45 year pro shooter (me)  can’t find the button on their camera!!!    Plays Nice!!!!

 

7.  Be careful how you critiques other’s work!!!   You don’t have to draw blood, to help someone see how they could have made a better image!  Almost all images have something positive to say about them, start there, and acknowledge that the photographer had a good idea, then start showing how a few changes would have brought that image to fruition more successfully. If your goal is to help people get more excited about making good images, don’t crush them in the process! Play Nice!!!!

 

8.  If you think you’re the best photographer in the room, you may be wrong!!!!  If you are sure you’re the best photogpraher in the room, never say it!  Today one thing is very true:  Even if you are an exceptional photographer, there are a many, many more just as good or better than you!  Today great shooters are a dime a dozen.  It’s the fact of photography today, we enjoy more wonderful shooters than ever before,  So the next time you start feeling like you can’t be beat, step carefully, pride goes before a fall!!  Remember, Play  Nice!!!!

 

9.  Don’t be a snob about your gear!  We invest a lot in our camera gear, and we are proud of our choices, but be careful not to put to much stock in your gear.  Rod Planck said it best, “Technique trumps equipment overtime!”   Want to find something to be proud of?   Be proud of how careful you are in your execution of this craft!!!

 

10.  Don’t put to much stock in what others say about your work!  You’re probably not as good, or as bad, as they say you are!  Play Nice!!!!!

 

Have a blessed day!

 

the pilgrim

 

…..and Play Nice!!!!!!

 

Grain Silo, Wall, South Dakota

 

 

 

Early next month I’m headed to Peoria for a one day seminar and then on to my long awaited Route 66 trip!  After I mentioned it here on the blog, several very nice folks stated sending me images they shot  along Route 66and where they were, wow, what a great photo community we live in!  I want to thank Robert Jenson, Jeffrey Stoner, Jimmy Upton and Dan Greenberg, (who I called and he went over the top to help me!)  So anyway I’m asking for your help out there!  I plan to cover the part of Route 66 from the News Mexico East border to the turnoff to Las Vegas on Highway 93 from Route 66/I-40.

 

If you have driven this section of the Mother Road, and have suggestions please shoot them to me by email  billfortney@earhtlink.net.  I’ve been known to offer a free eBook as a way of saying thank you!  I have 2 and half days to cover this section of the road, and I know I can’t hit every spot, but the ones I’ve been sent so far are all on the list!  I plan to blog all that week and share my adventures from the road.  Shortly after that I will be the guest blogger on Scott Kelby’s blog and tell the Route 66 road trip story!  that starts, Monday,  March 16th.

 

This shot by Robert Jensen is one of my favorites, can’t wait to work it over!

 

 

Let’s get this ball rolling!!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

Flash!!! Mountain man braving the winter discovered in Bloomington, Indiana!