March 24th thru the 28th a group of dear Christian brothers and sisters met in Cartersville GA to fellowship and enjoy shooting at Old Car City, the Booth Museum of Western Art, Gibbs Garden, and the Southeast Railway Museum, all close to Cartersville, GA.  On the first morning we went out to drive around Cartersville and I found this Coca Cola advertisement painted on the brick wall of a pharmacy.  It’s the olddest Coca Cola advertisement painted on a building in America.  It is repainted each year exactly as it appeared in the early 1900’s.  What is unique about this shot and the ones to follow are that they were all shot with my iPhone 12 Pro Max!

 

The reason for going to this event was to just spend some time with some people I really love!  I simply jumped out of the car and made this shot with my iPhone, when I processed it in the phone, I was shocked at the quality!  The next morning when we went out to Old Car City, I went in with just my iPhone.  I’ve shot Old Car Cilty many times and I really wanted to just visit with our group so I left my bag of Fujifilm cameras and lenses in the car.  I shot a lot of things that struck my eye, and later, when the rain came in, I sat in the car and processed them.  These are few of my favorites;

 

 

 

When visiting the Booth Western Museum of Art, I came across this painting that really struck me, I simply held up my iPhone and made a shot of it, when I cropped out the frame and processed it I was amazed at the quality!!!

 

 

 

So what am I getting at?  For years I have been puzzled by how the young folks have abandoned “real” cameras to use their smart phones to make images.  I understood that the instant gratification of posting images and getting likes was a big appeal to them, but I never really gave the iPhone/smart phones credit for being a serious imaging instrument!  So what does this shocking revalation say to me???

 

 

First, I do not intend to abandon using my “real” cameras, however I do realize, now, that used in the right place and time and treated with respect as an imaging device, the smart phone is a “real camera!”  In a time and place that I want to relax and enjoy the day, and not “work” at imging, the smartphone can be a great carry around camera.  What it lacks in versatility and range of lenses it makes up for with convenience!

 

 

For me the act of photographing has always been about the joy I get from doing it, the process, the act of seeing, and then trying to capture what interests me to then share with others, or simply keep for myself!  Not every image I make is intended to be for profit or a work of art, lots of things I photograph are just things that appeal to me.  In those moments, I get the same joy from shooting with my Fujifilm X-H1 or my iPhone, it doesn’t matter, the act is the same, the result must first be joy!

 

No one is more of a gear hound than me, I own a number of Fujifilm bodies and a couple of dozen lenses and I enjoy using them immensely, but the most joy is from seeing something that I believe, with a little effort, I can turn into a photograph, an image, and use it to tell a story!

 

 

So I hearby apologize to the millenials that only shoot with their phones, go for it young people, and enjoy the process of telling your story!  Dive deep into the joy of seeing, crafting and making your images!  I’m truly sorry I doubted you, you are certainly on to something!

 

 

A guess even old dogs can learn a few new tricks, just don’t ask me to jump too high!

 

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

 

 

I’ve just gotten seriously hooked on a fantastic series on the life of Christ!  It is one of the most touching, impressive and entertaining looks into Jesus’ ministry I’ve ever seen produced!  It is free to watch, simply go to your app store and download The Chosen App.  The first season is complete and on the app now, and the first episode of season 2 aired last night and is now up on the app as well.

 

I cannot encourage you enough to go and get the app and watch the series.  I’ve been in tears during each episode.  The acting, character development and filming are all first rate!

 

Please, please, please trust me and give it a viefwing  the first episode is a little slow but after that, it really picks up!  Extremely well done and inspiring.

 

Blessings,

 

the pilgrim

 

We live in a fallen world.  It has become all to common for people to deeply hurt each other.  We lie about each other, we criticize each other, we often have no tolerance, grace or forgieness to offer one an0ther. We keep track of the wrongs done against us, and refuse to try to undertand.

 

Jesus came down from heaven to try to teach us a better way.  His life was an example of how we should treat each other, how we should look past the disgraceful behavior we sometimes exhibit.

 

Jesus was acused of blashphemy by claiming to be the Son of God.  He was beaten, mocked and disrepected by the authority figures of His day. He was nailed to a cross with a sign hanging above his head declaring him “The King of the Jews”.  The very soldiers that had driven the nails through his wrists and feet, gambled for his clothing.

 

After all of this, He looked down from the cross and said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”

 

I have no place to complain about any way I’ve ever been treated.  All of the hurts of my life don’t amount to even the last hours of His life. The religous leaders that had Him crucified, dispised Him, they hated Him, and they would not listen to the Son of the God they claimed to serve.  I can’t even imagine how it must have hurt Him to be treated like that, and then to willing die for all the sins of all mankind before and since His crucifiction.

 

What are we to do with this knowledge, how are we to repond after all He did for us?  He told us, “Love others as I have loved you.”  As you bow before Him consider all those that have hurt you and crushed your spirit and ask yourself if you can do what He asked, forgive them for they know not what they do.

 

May your heart be blessed in the knowledge that He came, He lived, He still is with us in spirit, was crucified, died and was buried, but on the third day He arose from the grave to live forever more and to wash away our many sins!  Please accept His gift of a new life for you.

 

Be blessed,

 

the Pilgrim

 

A friend sent this to me, it really blessed me, hope it blesses you as well, Happy Easter!

 

the pilgrim