Daily Archives: May 23, 2015

 

 

 

It’s your fault!  If you ever say you like something here, you’ll get more of it!  This is my Memorial gift to all my faithful readers, all five of you!!!!  So here goes!

 

Topic ONE:  David Ober, thanks for your kind words, but more thanks to you today as we start the weekend that should be spent remembering our fallen heroes.   I include you in my list of heroes, (not fallen, thank God),  along with all the other men and women that have served as firemen, policemen, first responders, and of course our military heroes.  It sickens me to see the way our protectors have been treated by the media to push a political agenda.  In spite of this, you guys still show up every time we are in any kind of trouble and bail us out, never asking for thanks, and deserving more thanks than we could ever give.  My hats off to you young man, and all those like you!  *Note to all my readers, this Memorial Day find someone that serves you and say, ” Thank You!!!!”

 

 

Topic TWO:  Here’s one for friends…..  I got to visit with Wayne Bennett at my hotel for about and hour yesterday, it was great to catch up.  Wayne and I go way back and we are only two weeks apart in age, so there was a lot of fun stuff to remember.  I got to have a long conversation with Bill Pekala yesterday too, was great to just hear his voice, and then Bill Durance called me, another wonderful trip down memory lane!  I tried to call Bryan Peterson but he was away form his phone, my point is I’m embarrassed at how often I have not kept in better touch with so many old friends.  Yesterday, I guess was catch up day.  I will try to do better, a lot of people have been so kind to me, I need to keep in better touch!!  Thanks my friends, and you know who you are!

 

 

Topic THREE:    Let’s take s moment to capture God’s glorious beauty and tun celebrate it!  My good buddy Keith Thomas sent me an email to make me aware of a great event coming up June 27th the details are below!  I plan to participate, hope you will join the thousands of others involved, details at this link:

<http://www.jointheapplause.com> 

 

 

Topic FOUR:  The reviews are in, and the new Fuji X-T10 is a hit!  I had the chance to just handle it and make a few shots back a month ago in Phoenix and was very impressed.  It is a scaled down X-T1 with  few less features, but the same sensor!  Same image quality and vastly improved autofocus system, ( which X-T1 users will get FREE with firmware update 4.0) in June.  It is about 25% smaller and lighter but very well made.  I can see it being a killer travel camera or trekking camera (for those of   you that Trek!!!)   If you don’t have a back up body for your X-E2 or X-T1 this is one to consider!  I will be at the kick-off release party in Nashville mid June for this new camera.  Will I buy one?  Well, I asked that part of my compensation for that event be a black body!!!

 

 

 

Topic FIVE:  More Fuji Stuff!  If I can only afford a few lenses which should I buy?  I’ve been getting this question a lot lately from people switching to Fuji with a starting budget hat does not allow going wild, so they ask which two or three are the best place to start?  Here is my take on it.  If you are assembling a System for for Nature/Outdoor and Landscape:  I’d go 10-24, 18-55, 55-200 and the MCEX 11mm and 16mm auto extension tubes.   A Travel System for me would be the 14mm f 2.8 and the 18-135 zoom.  For people and street I’d go 23mm f 1.4, 35mm f1.4, and the 56mm f 1.2.  Look for the special deal times, often Fuji offers rebates amounting to as much as 25% off.  Lots of other combinations can work for you.  If you are generalist and have the budget, the 10-24, 16-55 and 50-140 are among the best lenses, but more expensive and bigger and heavier.  Hope that helps!   O.K. one more how about a super compact lens set for the X-T10 (emphasis on smallest and lightest)  How about the 18-55 and the 55-200!

 

 

Topic SIX:  What will you think of in the last few moments of your life?  I am pretty sure you won’t be thinking about getting more work done, acquiring another lens or body, the place you never got to photograph, or fixing a few things around the house.  I bet you will wish you had more times with your wife or husband, your children and your friends.  When I had cancer 35 years ago and wa told it was likely terminal, 3 to 5% chance of surviving, I know what I thought about!  Unfortunately it was all the things I had been neglecting!  It’s easy to get caught up in the things that scream to  us that they are important, but they seldom are.  the things we need to attend to first are things that are vital.  Faith, family, friends.  The three Fs.  It’s easy to loose sight of that list, but when time starts to run out it’s where we turn.  Why not do now?  After all, the clock is ticking………

 

Gotta go, my family is coming later today!  Enjoy yours this Memorial Day Weekend………….

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim