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11 years, 5 months ago 6

Wow, what a week, extrememe highs and lows!  Days starting at 2:oo a.m. and cold, cold, cold, mornings, working in a tent!!  Lows!!   Color and spectacle like nothing I’ve ever seen, in the company of great people, extreme highs!  As a photographer you live for this kind of color and expanse, this is truly one of the most photographed events in the world, and I can see why!

 

We finished around 10:00 a.m. this morning and so it’s to another airport to fly to the next assignment tomorrow.  I will continue to shoot what I find and share them with you guys.  I have to share one thing, I’ve been richly blessed this week, for some reason, maybe because the long days have been so stressing, the Lord has been so very kind to me, assuring me of His love and supplying all my physical needs! This has been great training for the upcoming workshop in Utah in November.  It is such a comfort to know that when you are not sure you can keep up the pace, that God will provide just what you need!!  It has been great to spend this time with Jay and Susan Miller as well, what great people!!!!

 

The next assignment is the Mountian People’s Workshop run my Western Kentucky Universities Photojournalism Department and it is being held in Henderson, Kentucky, farming country!  It should provide a great chance to seek out the less than obvious photographs, which is exactly what the student attending will be trying to do.  I will do all I can to help them and try to find great images myself, as well!

 

No blog tomorrow, as I will be traveling all day and into the night.  I hope to get back in business on Tuesday.  Thanks for tagging along. Your encouragement means so much to me, thanks for your prayers, and kind words….

 

Be blessed,

 

the pilgrim

 

11 years, 5 months ago 4

      Some years ago I interviewed the NFL Atlanta Falcon’s quarterback,    Steve Bartkowski.  When Steve signed a football for me, he added below his  signature, Glatatians  2:20.  I went home and looked up the scripture and  read it over and over.  It had a very deep impact on me, and I decided to  claim that same scripture for my life as well.

 

 Galatians 2:20   (ASV)

  20 I have been crucified with Christ; and it is no longer I that live, but    Christ living in me: and that life which I now live in the flesh I live in faith,  the faith which is in the Son of God, who loved me, and gave himself up for  me.  

 

Over the years I’ve put that scripture after my name anytime I sign a  book,    it reminds me not of who I am, but Who I belong to.  When we accept Christ  into our hearts we die on the cross with Him, to be reborn and forgiven when he came out of the grave, because of His monumental sacrifice for us.  It is through faith in Him that I can live for Him, and only through His  strength, that I can live, even close, to His standard. None of this is done  out of obligation, but because of the desire to, the desire to serve Him, honor  Him, and live for  Him!!!  Along with that comes the deep desire to reach out to and love  others, into His presence.

 

Sometimes people send me emails, comment on the blog, and tell me in face to face conversations that they’re proud of me for being so open about my faith.  While it makes me feel good, it is pretty far from the truth, the truth is I could not fail to do this, even if I tried.  When you’ve been saved from all the agony that would surely have come my way, without Him, how could I do anything else.  Let me make it very clear, I love my Saviour, Jesus Christ, I owe Him more than I could ever repay, in thousand life times!  I can’t imagine getting up in the morning and facing one more day without Him by my side.  Who would I turn to when I’ve failed my wife, my children, my friends?  How could I ever face the future if I thought He would not be there for me!

 

No, I belong to Him, I have given Him every moment of my life, and I will serve Him every moment until He calls me home.  Not because I have to, but because I want to, with all my being!

 

Be blessed,

 

the pilgrim

 

P.S.  Yesterday I bought a t-shirt with that scripture on it,  I will wear it proudly, and another that says;  “A man who kneels before God can stand before anyone.”

 

 

 

 

11 years, 5 months ago 15

One of the greatest compliments I’ve ever been paid was when Richard Small, a photographer who I greatly admire, called me the master of “Extraction”.  While I’m not sure if master is deserved, I have worked very hard at learning how to extract what I hope are good images out of the overall scene.  One of my favorite places to make images is Santa Fe, New Mexico.  Santa Fe is a feast of colors, patterns, textures and wonderful art.  We finished up after eight hours that started at 3;00 a.m. and after a nap,  Jay Miller, his wife Susan, our new friend Greg, and I headed back up to Santa Fe to have a Bobcat Bite burger and walk up Canyon Road.  If you ever visit Santa Fe, I highly recommend that you visit this little 3/4 mile long road, that is filled with one great subject after another.  I took the D800 and one lens, the 24-120 VR, and a tripod, and spent an hour and half just strolling up and down this famous street. I hope you enjoy the take and I hope this is proof that a good range zoom and one body can help you make a variety of interesting images!!

 

I hope I’ve inspired you to get out and look for some things that get you excited!  To all of you that are joining us in November out in Arizona and Utah, I can’t wait, this trip has gotten me really pumped!

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

11 years, 5 months ago 10

I’ve been working with my dear friend Jay Miller all this week in Albuquerque, and he has had a tough month and half.  His Sister-in-law died in house fire a month and a half ago, then his mother died a couple of weeks ago, then if that were not enough, on his way to the Balloon Fiesta his father passed away!  I can’t even imagine going through all of that in such a short period of time.  Talking with Jay this week and trying to be there for him as he has sorted through all the emotions, has further made me determined to be the family man God wants me to be.  First and for-most, my Heavenly Father is certainly the head of my family, and my relationship with Him takes precedence over all else, but Sherelene, my adult children, and their spouses, and, of course, my grandchildren along with my brother Homer and his wife, Terri, are my core family!

 

I don’t think you can ever spend too much time, praying for and loving on your family!  I’m very blessed to have such a wonderful family to love and be loved by.  I’m out on a three week swing but thankfully will enjoy the last week of it with Sherelene, and then will get to see the rest of the family before I’m off again for the next three weeks!  In early November after one blessed week at home I head out to Utah for a long awaited Southwest workshop with a lot of dear friends, (also family), and my son Wesley will be with me for that!  I can’t say enough, how much Jim Begley means to me, (also family),what a great business partner, and brother, and  my great team, Snake, & Chuck.   Then you take my dear buddy R.C. Concepcion who will grace  us with his teaching and presence for the week, and a surprise guest, Matt Kloskowski who will hang out with us and enjoy all the fun!!!  Yes these people are family too, and I’m honored to be able to cal them that!

 

Thursday’s Prayer;  Heavenly Father, I know I don’t deserve the bountiful blessings you’ve bestowed on me, but I’m so very thankful, and humbled.  Above all, that you gave your only Son so that I might be forgiven and filled with your peace and joy.  I don’t know how long you will allow me to stay here with all this “earthly family”, but every day you give me I will give back to you by loving all your children that you place in my path!  In your precious Son’s name I pray, Amen.

 

In Him,

 

the pilgrim

 

So some fun shots of Balloons for grandchildren!